A Church Launch

[By Chris Blumhofer - Associate Editor www.BuildingChurchLeaders.com]

Almost all congregations, no matter their size or age, share a common past: they were once a "church plant." Church planting began with the earliest assemblies of believers. The concerns of church planters are the reason we have much of the doctrine and teaching that the New Testament gives us.

• Calling.
• Preaching and teaching.
• Leadership development.
• Conflict management.

These are not just business-as-usual topics. They're church-planting topics. The biblical doctrines and practical skills of church planting are as needed today as they were in the earliest years of the church. For the doctrines, we already have the ultimate handbook. The skills and strategies that go into a successful plant are the focus of a great download: Launching a Church.

• What goes into a successful launch team?
• How can leaders build a strong and healthy church culture, especially at the beginning, when they have a clean slate to work with?
• What are the landmines church planters need to watch out for?

To find answers to these questions—and more—take a look at Launching a Church.

Also this week:

• Check out all three of these downloads devoted to starting new churches or sites. Click here to get them for a reduced price.
• Bill Hybels describes the hardest kind of leadership.
• "Wreck the roof!" That's Mark Buchanan's advice bringing people into your church.