PROJECT APPROACH

Build Teams – Antiochia Teams and the team leader pursue the recruitment of a team for the church planting project. The team leader is responsible for their team and has the final say in staff decisions. Team members need to be mission-minded believers who are willing to support themselves financially, either part-time or full-time, on a tent-making basis (i.e. self-financed through a job). This provides them with great opportunities to connect with people through their work environment. They embrace the vision that Christ has led them to the church plant in order to serve with their gifts, helping to establish a new church faithful to the Scriptures. The size of the team can differ and is ultimately in God’s hands. We believe, though, that a team of five to eight members has a certain dynamic for prayer and ministry.

Begin Church Partnerships – The next step is the formation of a partnership between a church plant and a partnering church. This partnership begins with an internship of the team leader in the partner church. The future church planter gains valuable experience in church ministry, and can build up part of his financial support. The leader will be mentored by a local mentor, as well as Antiochia Teams, with the goal of being prepared for the church planting ministry and team leadership. A five-year partnership plan will be developed to determine how the partnering church can support the future church plant by sending mission teams, putting on conferences, offering pastoral teaching, and engaging in other mission opportunities. As a result, continual mission events will be laid out throughout the year, creating exciting highlights in the life of the church plant, especially in the area of evangelistic outreach.

Find Local Project Partners – Project partners could be a church seeking to plant a daughter church, or a denomination seeking to plant a church in a target area. Project partners sometimes approach us, or they are contacted by us. First, it will need to be determined if a partnership is possible. Theological and practical matters will be discussed. We have built great relationships with different denominations and local churches throughout the ministry of Antiochia Teams. Of course, it is also possible to start church plants without any affiliation based on the calling of the church planter and under the right circumstances. Those church plants have the option of joining a denomination later on in the process of becoming established as a church.

Start and Serve Church Plants – Team leaders create a survey of the target city, its history, mentality, and current state. Local pastors and leaders are sought out for personal conversations in order to inform them about our plans. A relationship is built with the pastor of a possible mother church, or leaders of a denomination. The church planting team begins its two-year training program with Antiochia Teams in order to be encouraged spiritually and form as a team. A small group is started (or enlarged) through fellowship in the Word, prayer, and evangelism efforts. The specific approaches to evangelism are determined by the local team under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. The ministry of the church plant is enriched as the five-year partnership plan is put into practice with the partnering church. Church services are only begun if the team and the church sense, before the Lord, that the time has come for this step. Other cell groups are started as needed in order to shepherd the believers. At the right time, a local elder board is called by the church. Church by-laws are established and a denominational affiliation can be pursued.