Ready, Fire, Aim!

On Thursday evening, 19 May 2011, over forty adults gathered in the wonderful facilities of the Salvation Army in Mackay to see the launch of a new Christian Reformed Church in Mackay, a town which is listed among the ten largest growing regional centers in Queensland.  This meeting was organised by Ninette Nell and Dolla Marneweck, local residents of Mackay, in consultation with myself, Jack De Vries, representing the Christian Reformed Churches of Australia (CRCA), and Wayne Crouch, one of the pastors of Bray Park Community Church.   A number of table hosts prepared the hall, set up tables, and prepared a feast of all kinds of food.   Little did we anticipate the overwhelming positive response to this information meeting.

As people enjoyed the food, I shared with all those in attendance information about a new Reformed church in Mackay.  Following this information session people were given chance to ask questions, share comments, and then everyone was asked to respond.   Would they be interested in being part of this new church and of the launch team?   Personally I had hoped that by the end of the evening at least eight (8) people would volunteer to be part of the launch team.  Prior to meeting Wayne and I spent time in prayer asking God for these 8 people.  After we collected the response cards, we were overjoyed to see how God has answered our prayers.  Not only did 37 adults (representing 23 family units) express interest to be part of this new church, but 12 adults put their hand up to be part of the launch team. 

Steps Forward

Not everybody who wanted to be at this information evening were able to attend, so let me give a summary of what we discussed.  After sharing the vision of the CRCA, a vision to reach the lost for Christ and multiply churches throughout Australia and beyond, I gave an overview of the huge potential for a thriving new Reformed church in Mackay.   The projected population growth of 96,000 from 2006 through 2031, coupled with the fact that migration will account for the majority of this growth, underscores the definite opportunity for planting a new church.   Following this overview I outlined the steps envisioned for the start up of this new church.   This start up would happen in two phases.    

Phase One

Phase One would begin immediately and take approximately 2-3 months.   Phase One will include:

▸ Recruit/form a launch team

▸ Develop a Mission Action Plan (MAP)

▸ Establish links with sponsoring church:  Bray Park Community Church

▸ Secure funding with the CRCA Church Planting Taskforce; and

▸ Identify/hire church planter/pastor

The key element in Phase One is the development of a MAP.   This MAP will clarify the direction of this new church and shape the priorities.   The Launch Team would be responsible to put this MAP together.   This would result in:  

▸ A schedule of Biblical Values

▸ A clear Vision Statement 

▸ A compelling Statement of Mission

▸ Identifying Key Ministry Areas

▸ A set of achievable Goals for each Key Ministry Area; and 

▸ The name of this new church

With the formation of the Launch Team, the next immediate step will be the  development of the MAP.  Pastor Wayne Crouch of Bray Park will work with the Launch Team to put this plan together.  This will happen over the months of June and July.   Launch Team meetings will happen fortnightly and suggested dates for these meetings are 14, 28 June and 12, 26 July.   As soon as the Launch Team has been contacted, these dates will be confirmed.  The other steps of Phase One will be implemented in the months ahead in consultation with myself and Bray Park Community Church, the proposed sponsoring church.

Phase Two

Phase Two will result in this new church going public.   This phase also will include a number of steps:

▸ Prepare for ‘going public’

▸ Begin small group ministries

▸ Begin pre-launch services

▸ Launch the new church in Mackay

Much preparation needs to happen before this new church can go public, including finding a place for public worship and ministry, setting a public launch date, making budgets and securing equipment, having a marketing strategy, an assimilation and discipling plan, and above all, having the prayer support of family, friends, and sponsoring churches of the CRCA.   Phase Two is still several months away but will begin once most of Phase One is completed. 

People were given opportunity to ask questions and offer suggestions at this information evening.   Many did.   I reaffirmed the commitment of the CRCA to multiply churches, but not just any kind of church – churches which are committed to reaching people with the gospel.   While this new Reformed church in Mackay will attract many South African(SA) migrants and provide a vibrant spiritual home for them, this new church in Mackay will also reach out to Aussie friends, neighbours, co-workers, and fellow students at school.  For this reason, English will be the primary language in this new church.  But like many of our CRCA churches who have a significant number of members with a SA background, this new church will also have Afrikaans focused events.   These migrant focused events will also be a way to reach out to new SA migrants.

I also reaffirmed the CRCA commitment to partner with our church plants.   This new church in Mackay will not be alone, but will have a sponsoring church.   A partnership is now being sought with Bray Park Community Church as the sponsoring church.  They will make a decision in June.  In any case, there will be a sponsoring church who will provide encouragement, coaching, and assistance where needed.   The church planting taskforce will also ensure that the pastor of this church will be partnered with an experienced church planter for coaching purposes.

And finally, in response to a number of comments, I stressed that once a commitment is made for this new church plant by people in Mackay, it will begin straightaway.   Everyone who expressed an interest in this church will be kept well informed every step along the way.  We have a website developer who has already volunteered to develop a website for this new church plant.  This website could be a key resource for communication, feedback, and increasing awareness and interest among migrants and others in Mackay.  Besides the website, newsletters will be distributed and every opportunity provided for people to give feedback, input, and/or ask questions.   Communication is vital, and this report of the information meeting is the first of many future reports which will be distributed.

Ready, fire, aim! Yes, we need to get ready.  The Launch Team needs to develop the MAP.   But the time is now to get on with the task of planting a new Reformed church in Mackay.  Get ready – then fire!  Begin the task!   And as we get on with the work, we have to keep our aim in the right direction.  There will be times we might have to adjust our aim – but if we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, we will not grow weary and lose heart (Hebrews 12:2-3).   Let us be in prayer, much prayer, for the Launch Team, for each other, for the many unchurched whose paths will intersect with the people of this new church.  And give thanks to God that as we go about this task, we go not alone, but Jesus promises to go with us.  He will never leave us nor forsake us.  To Him be all the glory!