Developing a Core Group: The Underground Stuff of Church Planting

In drawing this material together, we will explore several questions. The first question is"What is a core group?" The short answer to this question is, "a core group is the new church in seed form." New churches have genetic codes that determine their nature. Multiple factors inputthe development of this code. Two primary sources of this encoding are the core group and thepastoral leadership. These two sources can dramatically impact the size, strength, health,personality and reproductive capacity of the new church. A prominent church growth writer hassaid, “Your first 20 members will determine who your next 100 members will be--even if therewill be a next 100.” It is best if the core group reflects the ministry focus group and lives withinthe target area for the new church. The gathering, developing and deploying of a core group is the process of preparing a new church for its planting. In a graphic, it is the underground stuffthat prepares for the church plant, or the church “going public.” The African American ChurchPlanter’s Guidestates, “The core group are those people you recruit to help you plan and launch the new work.” Two words of warning are added:

1. When gathering a core group, don’t recruit just anyone; be cautious and prayerful.

2. Remember that your core group will influence the attitudes of your new congregationfor many years. (p. 52, 53)

Lyle Schaller echoes the same sentiment as he writes,

From a long-term perspective one of the most significant decisions in planting newchurches is the choice of that initial cadre of volunteer leaders. A review of theexperiences of new congregations reveals a huge array of alternative approaches for enlisting that initial cadre of volunteer leaders. Perhaps the worst approach is to blessevery person who comes long and volunteers to be a leader. The second worst is thetraditional search for warm bodies to fill vacant slots in the organizational table

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