<h4 align="center">Strategies for Church Planters and New Churches</h4>

Seven critical strategies have been determined and established by the Converge Worldwide National and District Church Planting Team as key areas for church planting success. These seven fundamentals include:

1. Spiritual Dynamic We lean on spiritual empowerment for our growth. Scripture and prayer are built into all we do.
2. Recruitment We seek leaders who are interested in mobilizing and multiplying reproducing churches locally and participating in regional and global movements.
3. Assessment We objectively determine a leader's call, giftedness, character and preparation for ministry.
4. Training We arrange training events that equip leaders with up-to-date information and current strategies for effective ministries.
5. Coaching We ensure that every planter has a trained coach and every interested pastor an experienced mentor. Both seek to help leaders succeed through sharing spiritual guidance, emotional support and skill development.
6. Funding We seek to develop funding strategies that will fuel our growing movement and assist each leader with his personal support.
7. Resourcing We provide state-of-the-art resources to assist leaders to make a kingdom impact in their communities.

A) Standards for Church Planters

1. Agreement with the Church Planters expectation guidelines
2. Completion of an Expectations Interview
3. Approval by an Assessment Center or agreed upon Assessment Process
4. Approved Church Planting Plan/Proposal with a clearly developed Model for Church Planting
5. Basic training in Church Planting, equivalent training or expertise, or coaching, mentoring and supervision.
6. Relationship with a Church Planting Coach beginning with approval by the Districts Missions Committee and continuing for 3 years, unless mutually agreed upon by the Planter, Coach and Director of Missions.
7. Annual review by the Coach and/or the Director of Missions
8. Connection with and intention to affiliate with Converge Southwest

B) Standards for New Churches

1. Clearly developed mission, vision, core values, and strategy statements (as a part of church planting plan/proposal)
2. Monthly financial updates submitted to District office beginning with private worship, yearly financial reports submitted to the CSW office; both until self supporting status has been achieved
3. Personal financial support to be at a minimum of 75% before preparatory worship begins. (Preparatory worship being any group meeting beyond launch team/core group meetings)
4. 40 adults minimum in launch team/core group before preparatory worship will begin
5. 60-80 adults min. in preparatory worship or launch team/core group before public services are launched
6. Financial support to Converge Southwest to begin 12 months after public launch (Minimum of 6% of offering income, beginning the second year, to be directed to CSW for missions)
7. Constitution and bylaws which demonstrate commitment to minimum requirements for CWW member churches; a) commitment to CWW Affirmation of Faith, b) commitment to believer's baptism by immersion, c) local church membership comprised of individuals who profess faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and public testimony through baptism, d) governance which includes both spiritual leadership and congregational involvement, and e) active participation in the mission of CSW and CWW.
8. Initial Membership and initial Leadership Team established, Constitution and bylaws adopted, and affiliation process completed within 24 months of launch.
9. Significant involvement in parenting or partnering a new CSW church by fifth anniversary.
10. Commitment to birthing before significant involvement in building development
11. Self supporting status within 4 years of deployment, and development towards self support status according to agreed upon model
12. Yearly ministry plan including plan to meet congregational and community outcomes