WILLAMETTE DISTRICT CHURCH PLANTING
PHILOSOPHY:
We want to multiply healthy, reproducing churches for the purpose of reaching people with the love of Jesus because,

“It takes all kinds of churches to reach all kinds of people.”
and,
“New churches reach new people.”

Therefore, in our congregations, we want to establish and maintain an environment within which people can grow spiritually and begin to discover and to develop into the people God has created them to be. Since some within our communities will be called and gifted to lead congregations and even plant new ones, we want to be quick to recognize, nurture and empower them to fulfill their God-given ministry.

POLICY:
Since we want to plant healthy churches, we want prospective church planters to exhibit a sense of calling, godly character and the necessary gifts and experience to be effective in church planting. Also, we want to plant new churches together. Therefore we want to make decisions about the sites and timings of new church plants in consultation with one another. We will function as a team.

PATHWAY:
Step 1: Contact the District Office
The first step towards church planting is to contact Kathy Rice at the Willamette District Office and let her know of your interest. You will be sent an application packet to fill out and return to the District Office.

Step 2: Assessment
The second step is to be assessed as a potential church planter. An assessment team of three people will meet with you and your spouse (if married). Their role is to affirm you and to assess your suitability as a church planter. The District Church Multiplication Leader and/or the Lead Assessor will debrief the assessment with you. The debrief will let you know if you have a green light from the District office to proceed to the next step. The debrief may also reflect some further development or skills you need to be a successful church planter, or it may indicate that you are better suited for another area of valuable ministry.

Step 3: Coaching
The third step is for you to have a coach to help you through the church planting experience. The best coach for you is someone you respect and trust and can receive input and questions from. Often this will be your parent church pastor, if you have one. The Church Multiplication Leader can provide training for the coach. If you do not have someone to be your coach, one will be provided for you. This coaching relationship will continue for at least one year after church launch.

Step 4: Church Planting Intensive
The fourth step is to attend and participate in a Church Planting Intensive (CPI). This is a week spent with other church planters focusing in on the most important elements of preparation for a church plant. After CPI the church planter will need substantial time to refine the process begun at CPI and to recruit the church launch team. If the church planter does not have a current Foursquare license, you can begin the necessary process after the CPI.

Step 5: District Approval
The final step is to receive District Approval for the funding of the church plant. The church planter will submit a proposal to the District Office. This proposal will contain such elements as the new church’s vision description, core values, mission statement, listing of the core team and a budget for the first year of the church plant. After the District gives final approval, the church plant can begin.

TARGET CITIES FOR CHURCH PLANTING:
SALEM Dallas Albany	McMinnville Coburg	Sheridan CORVALLIS	EUGENE SPRINGFIELD
SPANISH-SPEAKING
SALEM Newport	EUGENE Lincoln City	Albany Harrisburg	Independence

(Cities in capital letters indicate multiple possible church plants.)
We desire to plant in the urban as well as the rural. If you have a vision for church planting in our district, we have a desire to work with that vision.