Indiana Ministries (IM) is a strong proponent of church multiplication. Our desire is to release persons to start new church ventures that will expand the Kingdom. Since IM has limited resources to invest in church multiplications, hard decisions have to be made regarding how to allocate resources. For the purpose of resource allocation, we have identified two categories of church multiplication ventures: endorsed ventures and affiliated ventures.
Endorsed Churches
Endorsed multiplication ventures are new churches led by persons who have completed a Level 1 or 2 assessment with IM and/or Healthy Growing Leaders (one of IM’s assessment partners). These assessments give us considerable insight into the wiring and spiritual giftedness of the candidate to lead a multiplication venture. Though assessments are not a guarantee that a person can effectively plant a church, they are invaluable in helping us qualify a potential multiplier. If the call and wiring to plant are reinforced by the assessment, then IM is willing to endorse the planter and the project and invest both financial and staff resources. This includes the following:
- Provide financial support for the multiplication project.
- Identify necessary training for the multiplier, such as:
- Church multiplication boot camp
- Cultivate Church Planting training
- Residency in church multiplication
- Exponential Conference
- Partner in develop a covenant that outlines key milestones, important points of accountability, financial commitment, and identify the sending church and other partners.
- Assist the multiplier in choosing a ministry coach.
- Assign a supervisor who provides oversight for the multiplication project.
- Designate someone to serve on the board of the project.
- Encourage multiplication projects to seek additional funding from congregations in Indiana.
Affiliated Churches
Affiliated projects are led by persons who feel called to plant a church and who may nor may not have completed a Level 1 or Level 2 assessment with IM or HGL. If the assessment was completed, it indicated that the person may face some significant challenges due to personal wiring, ministry experiences, and/or other challenges. As a result, IM has chosen not to invest resources in the multiplication project. However, IM is affirming of the person’s desire for the project to be affiliated with the Church of God and Indiana Ministries. And we are hopeful (and praying) that God will bless the project with missional effectiveness and growth.
- If desired, IM will make affiliated multipliers aware of training and equipping opportunities, such as:
- Church multiplication boot camp
- Cultivate Church Planting training
- Residency in church multiplication
- Exponential Conference
- Coaching
- On occasion IM may provide someone to serve on the board of a blessing church. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
- These projects can approach congregations for financial support but must clearly communicate that they are an affiliated project not receiving financial assistance or oversight directly from Indiana Ministries.
- At some point in the future, IM may choose to invest financial resources in the multiplication project and move its status from “affiliated” to “endorsed.”
