Lessons learned for sponsoring churches, Lesson 4: Providing for the new church

Next month, our church is planning to sponsor our forth church-start in as many years. They are Westwind Church (2008), Veritas Church (2010), New Heights Church (2012), and Cornerstone Church of Ankeny (September 2012). Each one has a similar style and model of church life but with slightly varying approaches. Together, these new churches represent nearly 1000 worshippers gathering weekly. It’s time to stop and reflect on some of the lessons learned, however, some of th0se lessons won’t apply to other church starting models. This series will have five posts for church planters and five for sponsoring churches.

Five lessons learned for sponsoring churches, Lesson 4: Providing for the new church

Besides coaching, the best things to provide a new church…

1. People: staff and other leaders. At the start in Iowa City, around 75 people moved to Iowa City to help get things started. Also five of six on their starting staff team were on staff at our church.
2. Finances: we tried to provide 25% of their first two years’ budget. In addition, we allowed our church members who were planning on moving to the new church to designate their offerings to the new plant for eight months before the church started.
3. Recommendations: Forty years of a strong university student ministry has given us a pretty extensive database of people around the state. The new church was able to get some people and finances from alumni of our ministries. In addition, we help new churches to get connected with denominational resources.
4. Prayer support: Continue to remember the new congregation in prayer as individuals and as a congregation.
5. Back offices staff and consulting.Our church provided accounting, budgeting, payroll, and some legal services during the start-ups. The sponsoring church may provide or recommend fund-raising training. Finally, the sponsoring church may easily be able to provide printing, graphic design, and internet support for a new church. The following may help new churches to begin to budget:
   1. Expenses for first two years
      1. 50% (larger churches)-65% (smaller churches) staff
      2. 10-20% ministries within the church
      3. 20-30% facilities
      4. 10% supporting ministry outside of the church
   2. Income for first two years:
      1. 25-30% from sponsoring churches
      2. 30-40% from new congregation
      3. 20-25% from support raising
      4. 5% from denominational sources

What would you add or modify?

See also:

Lessons learned from sponsoring four churches in four years, Lesson 1: before you start

Lessons learned from sponsoring four churches in four years, Lesson 2: pre-launch milestones

Lessons learned for sponsoring churches, Lesson 1: Selecting the church planter

Lessons learned for sponsoring churches, Lesson 2: Selecting the church location

Lessons learned for sponsoring churches, Lesson 3: Coaching the launch team

Lessons learned for sponsoring churches, Lesson 4: Providing for the new church

Lessons learned for sponsoring churches, Lesson 5: After the launch

Related posts:

1. Lessons learned for sponsoring churches, Lesson 3: Coaching the launch team
2. Lessons learned from sponsoring four churches in four years, Lesson 5: The first year
3. Lessons learned for sponsoring churches, Lesson 2: Selecting the church location
4. Lessons learned for sponsoring churches, Lesson 5: After the launch