What an amazing place. Charimatics with Reformed Theology, big and central reformed theology. Al Stewart said: "You have to visit Sov Grace while in the states". So I did. And it was well worth it. Although to squeeze it in I had to hire a car, drive 200 miles on the wrong side of the round for the first time from Philadelphia, almost hit a low flying duck on the interstate, and do the return trip in the same day.

Had a wonderfully refreshing time talking to Pat Ennis, one of the four senior guys at Sov Grace where C J Mahaney is the head honcho. C J's talk from the conference is here. Amd well worth a listen. He apparently started life as a Charo, and then through the Bible and the Puritans, got Reformed Theology. (For those not into big theological terms, 'Reformed Theology' was summarised in the TULIP stuff we did at church last year). He would be one of the "new calvinists" (a blog coming on this soon). Their reformed theology is not an add-on but really shapes their thinking in a very cross-centred way. I felt at home with these guys.

They have planted about 80 churches over 30 years from their church "Covenant Life" in Gaithesburg, Maryland.

There is a warm hearted generosity among evangelicals here. The Sov Grace guys get very conservative Presbyterians like Ligon Duncan to come and speak to their students. There seems to be a warmth and eagerness to work together for the gospel which is a bit lacking in the Australian scene. Sadly there are some deep historical wounds that are slow to heal.

Church Planting Strategy

The usual method at Sov Grace is to wait until core groups contact them saying they wish to church plant and requesting a church planting pastor. These core groups are usually but not always people from Sov Grace (for example a group in a new area travelling to a Sov Grace church and now feeling their own area needs ato be reached with a more localised church). In other words, there is little strategic planning at Sov Grace HQ as to where the next ten churches need to be planted. This is refreshing but bring with it some interesting challenges. There are significant issues that arise when a core group has formed before the church planter arrives. I have blogged elsewhere on these issues.

In summary, one distinct advantage of church planting from scratch is that the core group don’t have the tradition and baggage and history that often slows up existing churches. However as soon as a core group has formed it begins to attract these “barnacles”. The problem for the church planter who arrives to a context with an existing core group is that a vision and mission and perhaps a detailed methodology has already brought the core group together. So, rather than going to a “blank page” core group, he is really going to a church with existing stuff in place. That isn’t bad, just different. The mission & vision may be well thought out, or may not be.

Core groups are notorious for attracting the wrong kind of people (often leaving their existing churches for all the wrong reasons and bringing some pretty ugly baggage with them). A rigorous process of vetting core group candidates is vital. “Organic” core groups typically lack this kind of quality control. Anyone keen is welcomed. The church planter then arrives and must either “work with what he gets” or weed people out of a group that has already bonded. Tricky.

This group already has a leader. Sov Grace usually church plant with 50-70 people (big by Aussie standards). There is almost always an alpha male with significant initative and leadership skills who has brought this size group together from scratch and given them a church planting vision. Why is this guy not the church planter? How will the “alpha male” and the church planter work together? How much room is there for the church planter to lead with his own leadership and ministry style? Perhaps they will make a great leadership team – I’m keen about team leadership – but this is not how things have begun if the alpha male has been the initial solo leader. How easy will it be, having begun with a solo leadership style, to transition to another quite different leadership ethos?

The guys at Sov Grace seem to be aware of these issues and have deliberately done some wise things. They have a lengthy and rigorous set of conversations with the core group and its organic leadership. They won’t go ahead if issues (like the ones above) are a concern. They have assembled a group of experienced pastors who oversee this preparation and assessment of the core group as well as assessing and preparing and supporting the church planter. Initial conversations with the core group are prior to the selection of a church planter. A church planter is then selected by the Sov Grace pastors; he meets the core group with a couple of the experienced pastors to continue planning and preparation for the church plant. Time and prayer is invested in making a good marriage. They rarely get bad connections between the appointed church planter and the core group. This is impressive.

Where have church planters come from?

All their church planters go thru the Sov Grace’s inhouse one year intense full time pastors school. Usually candidates come from Sov Grace churches but not always. Some have a 3 year theology degree already, others have no formal training. Most have done a one year internship in a church already, especially those not initially coming from within the Sov Grace network. Most will join the staff of existing churches, not all will be planters.

The one year school is a mix of solid reformed theology and applied ministry skills. (I’m still getting my head around the Charismatic and Reformed marriage.) An acknowledged limitation is that guys don’t get a lot of preaching experience during their training, but this is common in the US context generally. The one year school is part of the assessment process as these guys are observed closely by the staff.

In short, the Strategy at Sov Grace does not revolve around identifying locations for church plants and then recruiting the right man and raising a core group. Rather, they sit back and see who God provides. I like this approach. Perhaps sometimes there is a need to be strategic about locations (and I didn’t hear the Sov Grace people be hardline on their approach). There seems an unhurried dependence on God to provide the resorces that I found very un-American and quite refreshing.