Download We`re building a Launch Team to get Heritage

We’re building a Launch Team to get Heritage Libertyville off the ground and
sustainable, and we’d love to ask you to prayerfully consider joining! The two-word
summary of what this team does is to help Connect and Build the church. Connecting
and Building looks different from person to person, and we’d be glad to meet and talk
through what that could look like for you.
I.
What are the different phases of a church plant and what is the
expected timeline?
Pre-Launch
Development
Phase
•
Pre-Launch
MeetingPhase
Launch
Post-Launch
Maturation/
SelfSustaining
Each phase is explained more fully in Appendix B.
II. Core Team Commitments
Getting a church off the ground is not an easy task, and it takes an enormous effort
from a group of people to make it happen. Below are some expectations that we ask
our Launch Team to live up to in order for our church to grow as healthy as possible.
1. Alignment with the DNA of Heritage
• Alignment with the following statements and agreement to not teach
anything contrary:
-Theological statement (Attached)
-Mission, Vision, and Values of Heritage Church. (Attached)
2. Faithfulness to follow, support, and speak well of the Leadership
• Few things can hamper the development of a church like disunity. We ask
that any disagreements or concerns be brought to the Leadership rather
than allowing gossip or slander to take root.
3. Walking in Christ-like love towards all
• This is evidenced by (but not limited to) demonstrating the fruit of the spirit
in relationships, honoring others with Christ-like speech that avoids gossip
and disunity, as well as bearing one another’s burdens through prayer and
service.
4. Healthy motives for joining the Core Team
• You are primarily interested in joining because you sense God stirring in
your heart to help a new church get off the ground, not because of any of
the following;
-To get more control/power in a new church.
-To avoid difficulties in your current church.
-Expecting to come on staff with Heritage down the road.
5. Active participation in the life of the church
• While we understand that schedules, season of life, and availability will vary,
we ask that Team members make ongoing engagement a priority. This is
demonstrated through faithful attendance of weekend services,
involvement in Small Groups, developing Christ-centered relationships with
others, as well as supporting church wide initiatives.
6. Invite
• We are launching a new church because we want more people in the
Libertyville township to find and follow God, and that will not happen apart
from our Team inviting others! This will look different for each of us based
on personality, relationships, and availability, but one way or another we will
all work to help others get connected to Heritage Libertyville!
7. Financial engagement
• It is not possible to reach maturity apart from the faithful and cheerful
giving of our Launch Team to support all facets of the church. This includes
regular tithing that helps with the ongoing expenses of the church, our
benevolence fund, as well as the continued work across Lake County
through Heritage’s church planting initiative.
8. One Year commitment
• The early days of a church plant are key on our path to sustainable health,
and this is not possible apart from the ongoing engagement of our Team
over the first year. We ask that each member commit to at least one year of
engagement, and then prayerfully reevaluate if they need to.
III.
Please review the Theological statement, Mission, Vision, and
Values of Heritage Church
•
Attached in Appendix A
I have read through this document, prayed through this opportunity, and would like to
commit to the following:
•
•
Support Heritage Libertyville in its theological statement, mission, vision,
and values.
To the best of my ability, live up to the Launch Team Commitments as
outlined in section II.
Printed Name:_________________________________________
Signature:_____________________________________________
Once you’ve completed this document, please email or call Mark Larson to set up a
follow up appointment.
Mark Larson-Campus Pastor-Libertyville
[email protected] 847-514-0297
Appendix A
The DNA of Heritage Church
ESSENTIAL BELIEFS
In essential beliefs we are resolute in our biblical conviction. In non-essentials we
practice liberty and love. (Rom. 14:1,4,12,22; 1 Cor. 13:2)
GOD IS OUR CREATOR AND LORD. We believe in the God of the Bible
who eternally exists in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit; and that these three are one God. He created all things by his will
and upholds all things by His powerful word.
JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD. We believe in the deity of the Lord Jesus
Christ. He is the manifestation of God in the flesh. We believe He was
conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. We believe Him
to be both true God and true man.
THE HOLY SPIRIT LIVES IN EACH CHRISTIAN FROM SALVATION. We
believe in the deity of the Holy Spirit. He is present in the world to make
men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He provides Christians with
power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing
what is right.
THE BIBLE IS GOD’S WORD TO US. We believe the Bible is God’s written
revelation to man. It is the ultimate source of truth for Christian belief
and behavior. It is inspired of God and therefore is absolute truth without
error.
PEOPLE ARE THE SUPREME OBJECT OF GOD’S CREATION. We believe
that man was created in the image of God, but by voluntary sin his entire
character was corrupted, and therefore all mankind are now sinners. We
believe that without exception every man is totally corrupt and needs a
Savior in order to restore a relationship with God.
SALVATION IS GOD’S FREE GIFT TO US, BUT WE MUST ACCEPT IT.
We believe that man is corrupt and can never make up for sin by selfimprovement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ alone as
God's offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin's penalty. Eternal
life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.
PEOPLE WILL EXIST ETERNALLY WITH OR WITHOUT GOD. We believe
people were created to exist forever. Even after death, every person will
be resurrected and will either exist eternally separated from God by sin or
eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally
separated from God is hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life
in Heaven. Heaven and hell are real places of eternal existence.
THE CHURCH IS THE VISIBLE GATHERING OF ALL THOSE WHO ARE
FOLLOWING CHRIST. We believe that all who accept the Lord Jesus
Christ as Savior, become part of His body, the universal church. Wherever
believers in Jesus Christ gather for worship, teaching of the Word of God,
and fellowship, under the authority of pastors and elders, this is an
expression of the local church.
OUR MISSION
W e e x i s t t o h e l p p e o p l e f i n d a n d f o l l o w G o d . Heritage Church is a community
of people that desires to serve you regardless of where you are in regards to
faith. Whether you have been following God for your entire life or are simply looking
for a safe place to ask questions, it is our desire to help you find and follow God.
OUR VISION
We are committed to building authentic biblical communities in every
t o w n s h i p i n L a k e C o u n t y i n o u r l i f e t i m e . There is 1 church for every 1,000 people
in America and yet there is 1 church for every 5,500 people in Lake County. Our
commitment is to place a local campus of Heritage Church in every township in Lake
County.
OUR VALUES
People visit local churches for a variety of reasons but if they stay, they stay for very
specific reasons. The values of Heritage Church reflect the reasons that most people
give as to why they remain at a church:
•
•
•
•
•
Transformational Teaching: At Heritage, the teaching is designed to make
biblical truth applicable to our everyday lives.
Passionate Worship: Every weekend service at Heritage offers an engaging
interactive worship experiences.
Life Change: Heritage is a place where people can find real life change
regardless of where they are in their faith walk.
Spiritual Development: The desired outcome of pursuing God together at
Heritage is that we grow in our faith in God and compliance with His Word.
Authentic Community: The greatest thing about life at Heritage is that we get to
experience it together. Every weekend service at Heritage offers an engaging
interactive worship experiences. Heritage is a place where people can find real
life change regardless of where they are in their faith walk.
Appendix B
What are the different phases of a church plant and what is the
expected timeline?
1. Pre-Launch development phase
The initial phase is focused on recruiting for the core group, developing a
leadership team, and setting up the logistics for the church being established in
Libertyville.
Primary needs: Prayer, commitments to the core group, planning.
Likely timeframe: 3 months
2. Pre-Launch meeting phase
The core group begins gathering and meeting together on a weekly basis for
study of the Word, prayer, worship, and planning.
Primary needs: Prayer, continued recruiting for core group, sacrifice,
participation in ministry activities, finances.
Likely timeframe: 3 months
3. Launch
We are prayerfully working towards a public launch of our church on Sunday
January 29th 2017. We will be established for long term ministry and open to the
community at large. Sunday services, children’s ministry, small groups, and
outreach will be the primary ministry focuses in the early stages of our church.
Primary needs: Prayer, sacrifice, finances, evangelism, discipleship, inviting,
help with weekly logistics.
4. Post-Launch
During this stage our church will further develop and grow as we prayerfully
work to add new ministries based on the needs of our church and community.
There will be challenges, victories, disappointments, celebrations, and bumps in
the road, but this is the period for our core group to shine!
Primary needs: Prayer, continued involvement, endurance, finances,
evangelism, discipleship.
5. Maturation/Self-sustaining
While we will always be in need of maturation and further development, a church
can reach a point of spiritual, ministry, and financial maturity where it can be
described as self-sustaining. We want to send out leaders and sacrificially give to
Heritage’s vision of reaching Lake County in Our Lifetime, and for that to happen
effectively and be reproducible, we must be in a position of health in the key
areas of finances, leaders, and ministry sustainability.