Throughout our Family of Churches, you will meet men who are preparing to plant churches by participating in a 1-2 year residency. These are our Church Plant Residents. Our strategy in Church Planting is gospel-shaped, spirit-empowered, Godly men! We are not looking for the super-start celebrity. We are not looking for the guy with the largest following, or the person with the insightful theological blog. We asses potential Church planting residents by evaluating their character, competencies, calling and cultural alignment to Citylight Family. Below is a more detailed profile for ideal Church Planting Residents.
“the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men
2 Timothy 2:2
who will be able to teach others also.”
CHRIST LIKE CHARACTER.
A leader in the church is required to be qualified according the Scriptures. The following character qualities are the biblical qualifications for serving (1 Timothy 3:8-13) as a Citylight Church Planting Resident.
Above Reproach, Dignified and Blameless(1 Tim 3:8, 10)As a visible and developing leader at Citylight, you must have a reputation of conducting yourself in a dignified way. It is important to note that “dignified” serves as a summary to all the other qualifications. You must have a good reputation within the body in order to lead it. However, you must also have a good reputation with those outside the body of Christ.
Not Double Tongued/Gossip(1 Tim 3:8) – As a leader at Citylight, members of our church family will share the best and the worst parts of their lives with you. You will be tempted to share that information with others, to slander and to gossip. As a leader of God’s church you must use wisdom for knowing when/how much to share with others (e.g. your supervisor, elders, etc.)
Life Matches Doctrine (1 Tim 3:9)– As a leader in the church, any and all ministry must be done with a “clear conscience.” If you profess to hold “good doctrine” and yet your life is without spiritual fruit, or comprised by unreported sin there is a problem.
Not addicted to much wine/temperate (1 Tim 3:8) – As a leader of the Citylight, youmust show restraint and moderation. You are called by God to lead the church andtherefore must be controlled (as much as possible) by the Holy Spirit. When leaders lack the ability to avoid addictions or detrimental habits they prove themselves to be lovers and servants of something other than God.
Not greedy for dishonest gain(1 Tim 3:8) – As a leader of God’s church you are called to be someone who does not love money. You must not feel entitled to any standard of living, income, property, or leisure. Jesus must remain you primary treasure.
Husband of one wife.(1 Tim 3:12) – A leader must be “one-woman-kind-of man” distinctly marked by sexual faithfulness to his spouse and to Jesus. This is an ongoing battle for everyone; however, a pattern of repentance, transparency, sexual purity and health must be in place to lead in God’s church.
Manage household well (1 Tim 3:12) – Leaders must lead their children and their ownhouseholds well. You must lead your own family in a way that models faithful, gospel centered leadership in the home. You are called to be a good primary teacher, theologian, decision maker, conflict resolver, disciplinarian, servant, and protector for your family.
PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES.
The following are a few of the categories that will be used for weighing the potential readiness of a potential church planting resident.
Excellent Teacher, Preacher and Communicator. 1. Exegetical Preaching. A candidate must value and have the tools required to preach exegetical unites of Scripture. 2. Contextual Understand. A candidate must be able to understand their ministry context and bring the gospel to bear on a specific people and audience. 3. Gospel Centered. A Candidate must value and be committed to not simply preaching principles from a passage but showing how a passage points to, looks at, or looks back at Jesus Christ. 4. Spirit Lead. A canaille must unrest the role of the Holy Spirit in the task of preaching and teaching. 5. Engaging & Winsome Delivery. A candidate must have the ability to not simply inform heads, but engage hearts by communicating God’s Word in a winsome, clear and compelling way.
Missional Lifestyle. 1. Demonstrates a passion to reach others through relationships & evangelism. 2. Is personally sharing the gospel with others in a way non-christians can understand-Is cultivating meaningful relationships & rapport with non-Christians, through service and hospitality. 3. Understands the cultural context of a city and community.
Disciple- Maker. 1. A candidate must have a demonstrated the ability to not just produce new converts but mature new believers into healthy disciples of Jesus. 2. Disciple Making Communities. A candidate must value living in biblical community with others and helping to lead such communities on mission. This means, not just leading yourself as a disciple maker, but leading a community that exist to make disciples of Jesus in a neighborhood or network. 3. Disciple Makers. A candidate must know how to equip existing disciples to become disciple makers. 4. Leaders. A candidate must know how to multiply, equip and empower new group leaders.
Leader of Leaders. 1. Vision Casting. A Candidate must be able to cast a preferred future reality and call others into that vision. 2. Reproducing. A candidate must be able to reproduce leaders to serve in the church and in the community on multiple levels. 3. Enduring. Portrays resilience under opposition & setbacks 4. Equipping. A candidate must be committed to “equipping the saints for the work of ministry”. This means not just doing for others, but equipping them to do. 5. Resourceful. Able to accomplish goals, and tasks with limited resources. 6. Courageous. Is able to leader others where they would not other wise lead themselves, this means taking faithful risks. 7. Generalist. A candidate must be able to manage the details and execution of many different projects at one time. 8. Doer & Execution. A candidate must be able to excite their vision or carry out their ministry responsibilities. If they are not gifted in areas, they must have the ability to build healthy teams to cover their “gaps”. This means, we are looking for doers, not just dreamers.
Starter & Steward. 1. Pioneer. Able to start and sustain new things. 2. Culture Builder. Able to build a healthy culture and ethos in a community. 3. Enthusiastic. Able to bring energy, vision and passion to new things-Endurance. Willingness and ability to work intensely for an extended period of time. 4. Stewardship. Has demonstrated wise stewardship of ones time and resources.
Team Player. 1. Leads With Others. A candidate will have the ability to work with others, and work in a collaborative culture. This means working in authority, while along side others, and under authority.
CONVICTION AND CALLING.
Men who can share a clear testimony of how they encountered and have been transformed by Jesus.
Who can share the “WHY” behind their sense of calling into ministry and church planting?
Who have been affirmed by local elders, and leaders that they demonstrate a Christ like character and have used gifts to build up the body.
CULTURAL AND THEOLOGICAL ALIGNMENT.
Men who are in accord with the cultural and theological distinctive’s of a Citylight Church. Culturally we are:
Joyful. We celebrate God’s Grace!
Empowering. We empower Leaders Early. There is freedom to fail.
Generous. We send our best. God’s generous and thus we desire to be as well.
Transparent/ Authentic. We are honest in all things.
Encouraging. Call out greatness in others and look to bless and affirm.
As a church planting Family, we are always praying for and are looking and needing more laborers… “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers.” Luke 10:02.
Join us! For more information on a church plant residency, connect with one of our churches.