Archive for March 14, 2009
Strategic Partner Spotlight: Summit Community Church
Earlier this week I introduced you to Coram Deo, one of our Strategic Partners. Today, I’d like to introduce our other existing Strategic Partner, namely Summit Community Church.
Summit was started somewhere around 10 years ago by pastor John Ryan. They’ve met at several locations over those years and now currently meet in the O’Fallon Christian High School. I came to know John through the Acts 29 Network at one of their Quarterly Regional events at The Journey. I told John what I was up to, we set up a time to meet for lunch, he stood me up, and went on sabbatical for a few months…
But I got over it, he got back, and we reconnected. Coming out of the A29 assessment, one of the conditions of our approval to plant in the network was for my family and I to transition to Summit. This was a natural transition since it was right near where we live and it was a place where I could get some real-life church planting experience. (Though it was a natural transition, it was not and easy one – leaving our church home of of six and a half years at Mid Rivers Christian Church as we embark out on this journey to plant in Lincoln has certainly been bittersweet).
Not long after we transitioned to Summit, John and I sat down and sketched out the details of what we came to call a church planting internship. This was very much guided by who I am, where I am, and where I’m heading with respect to planting and has been a great help. The things that we listed out include:
Areas of Training
- Small group leader training.
- Bi-monthly meeting for coaching and mentoring discussing things present and things future.
- Elder meeting attendance.
- Membership material development.
- Raising support.
- Preaching.
Areas of Study
- Reading through specific sections of Grudem’s Systematic Theology and discussing.
- Reading and discussing Strauch’s Biblical Eldership.
Areas of Ministry Work and Leadership
- Small group leader training (teaching).
- Membership material (helping to write/review).
- Set-up and tear-down.
- Writing down and discussing first stage plans for 2 Pillars.
- Raising support.
- Preaching.
Miscellaneous:
- Marital mentoring.
- Ordination.
Now, it’s likely that we might not hit all of these (or hit them well) over the course of the year and we’re both aware of that; however, we’re hitting most of them and having a good, documented list of things I know we need to look at and work on guides us well.
In addition to the church planting internship outlined above, Summit is also coming behind us with financial support. Through the internship, through mentoring/coaching, and through financial support, Summit is modeling what it means to be partners for the gospel.
You can learn more about Summit Community Church by visiting their website.
