A Work in Progress

Posted on January 13, 2012 by ErikHall

by Erik Hall planter of Barnegat Anew in Barnegat, New Jersey

During our new church’s preview season (in the summer of 2010) I agonized over the theme our worship celebrations would embody. We were meeting in our town’s community center which looked much more like a large kindergarten classroom than a worship space. As a new church start we did not have the resources for any fancy lighting or professional creative designing to help communicate that we were carving out some sacred space. As we faced the reality that ‘environment matters’, I knew the ‘kindergarten clutter’ thing wasn’t helping us to intentionally communicate who we were or what we were about. Continue reading →

Posted in Erik Hall, Grace, New Church, Path 1, Sanctification, Worshiping | Leave a comment

Eyes on the Prize

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Philip Brooks

by Philip Brooks Path 1 NCS Assistant

The first characteristic we strive for in a new church start is a church that is “theologically Wesleyan”. I get asked what that means a lot and have to say honestly that it’s a tricky subject. When I was in seminary one of my classes would meet once a week just to try to figure out what it meant to be Wesleyan. Our professor would remind us though that being Wesleyan doesn’t mean you agree with everything Wesley ever said, in fact sometimes being a good Wesleyan means being critical. Rather Wesleyans are those who seek after the same goals for the church as Wesley. Continue reading →

Posted in Community Outreach, Grace, Holiness, New Church, Path 1, Philip Brooks | 1 Comment

What I Learned About Parachute Drop Church Planting

Posted on January 6, 2012 by Paul Nixon

by Paul Nixon, Path 1 New Church Strategist

When I worked as a new church developer a few years back, the one thing I said I would never do is try to plant a new church as a parachute drop, or as a stranger and alien in a community. I had helped establish two new faith communities as new campuses of an existing, healthy congregation. I had lived in that local community for six years prior to worship launch in the first of those places and took about 150 people with me for that plant. We had probably 80 to go with us for the second. I lost no sleep over either project. Today (a decade later) these two faith communities together gather 1200 in worship on most Sundays. Continue reading →

Posted in Community Outreach, Main, New Church, Parachute Drop, Partner, Path 1, Plant | Leave a comment

Our Progress So Far…

Posted on January 5, 2012 by Gary Shockley

by Rev. Gary Shockley, Executive Director of Path 1

As United Methodists we are succeeding in our national strategy to start more churches in the United States. Since January 2008 we have assessed and equipped more than 1,000 potential lay and clergy planters and have started more than 440 new churches. This is an increase of nearly 60% over last quadrennium. Of the new churches we’ve started, nearly 50% are racial-ethnic congregations. You can read more updates on our goals here. Our long-range vision is to start one new church every day in the United States. This goal stretches us and will require every annual conference, intentionally and consistently, to create new places for new people. Continue reading →

Posted in Church-Within-a-Church, Elijah Church, Gary Shockley, Lay Missionary Planting Network, Multi-site, New Church, Parachute Drop, Partner, Path 1, Plant, Strategy, Vital Merger | Leave a comment

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Posted on December 21, 2011 by RonBell

by Ron Bell, Director of Congregational Development and SBC21 for Peninsula-Delaware Conference (and Path 1 Associate)

He’s well over 300 pounds, stands 6 feet 4 inches high, with a shaved head, thick long greyed beard, dark soulless sunglasses, pitch black leather attire and riding one of the biggest, loudest Harley Davidson motorcycles’ you’ve ever seen. Oh and, he’s a United Methodist pastor planting a new faith community of motorcycle enthusiasts, prostitutes, and drug addicts in a warehouse near you. That’s the good. Continue reading →

Posted in Main, New Church, Path 1, Ron Bell | Leave a comment

Vital Congregations: A Two-winged Strategy

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Gary Shockley

by Rev. Gary Shockley, Executive Director of Path 1

As I reflect on 2011 (and prepare for a very busy 2012), it seems to me that very few things have created the kind of far-reaching buzz the “Call to Action” seems to be generating throughout our church these days. I can hardly make it through the day without someone wanting my perspective on things. 

As one might expect, I am careful in my responses. What most inquiring minds want to know from me is this: “What’s more important, planting new churches or revitalizing existing ones?” Continue reading →

Posted in Call to Action, Gary Shockley, New Church, Path 1, Plant, Vital Congregations | Leave a comment

Help People Find You

Posted on December 15, 2011 by BarbaraSadler

 By Barbara Sadler, Path 1 Associate

Last month my husband and I took a “road trip” up to the Tennessee mountains to see the fall foliage.  While we were in the area there were a couple of church-related colleges we wanted to see because they had such good reputations. 

One we finally found only after driving 20 miles past it, then backtracking and driving around through the little town until we spotted some buildings in the distance that looked like they might be college buildings. The second one we never did find. Continue reading →

Posted in Barbara Sadler, finding, Main, New Church, Path 1 | Leave a comment