long haul In for the Long Haul: Planning a Financial Future This article is part of the series "In for the Long Haul," explaining Orchard Group's commitment to back church planters as they establish churches in cities. Planning for a flourishing
church planting in practice Hiring Staff: Five Recommendations From Brian Kruckenberg, lead planter of New City Church You’ve read the books, gone to school, gone through assessment, raised money, worked and reworked your vision statement, found a
church planting in practice Business Books for Church Planters From Nick Parsons, Director of Recruitment Church planters often fall into one of two categories regarding business and leadership books. One group uncritically embraces whatever method sits atop the current
church planting in practice Legal Pitfalls to Avoid From Greg Hubbard, Orchard Group Director of Operations “THERE ARE TWO THINGS IN LIFE YOU CAN'T AVOID..."As a church planter or church leader, there are some things we don’
church planting in practice Finding a Facility From Brent Storms, Orchard Group President and CEO One of the biggest challenges of starting a church in a center city or urban context is finding the right facility for
church planting in practice Essential Tips for Church Planters By Brent Storms, President and CEO I’ve been hanging around church planters for twenty years. I planted a church fifteen years ago, and since then I’ve interviewed, assessed,
church planting in practice Values that Shape Culture By Mike Hickerson, lead pastor of Mission Church in Ventura, CA When we started Mission, I would love to tell you we knew exactly what we were doing…we didn’
church planting in practice Church Planting Then and Now From Luke Greer, Director of Partnership From Attalia Paul and Barnabas sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that
church planting in practice Finding the Right Venue Scott Ancarrow faced an early challenge when he led a church plant in Baltimore- finding the right facility. Where a new church meets, especially in city centers, dramatically affects who is able to come, and whether or not new people will be able to
church planting in practice Church Planting Partnerships The story of every church plant is also the story of partnering churches. New churches get their start with the prayer, personnel and financial support of other churches! Lorenzo Smith of Collective Church in West LA shares of how that support is encouraging to
church planting in practice Go To Where the People Are Derrick Puckett recognized that many times people won't come to church, even if they are spiritually seeking. So Renewal Church in Chicago makes a habit of getting outside the walls of church- whether that's playing basketball or going to neighborhood celebrations! As a side
video Part of the Family Over a period of years, Jordan Rice became increasingly convicted about the need for spiritual growth and change in Harlem. He left behind his law career to study theology and entered a training program for church planting. A year and a half ago, he
churches Get Back to Me in 20 From Brent Storms, President and CEO You might not know why you’re doing what you’re doing now for another twenty years. Sorry. It’s true. Twenty years ago this month, my wife and I packed up our meager belongings and moved from
on cities City Similarities From Luke Greer, Director of Partnership As I stepped from the platform into the car, the familiar sights, sounds, and smells of the subway assaulted my senses: a suit-wearing executive barked orders on his iPhone before losing coverage, teens sporting Yankees caps and loosely-laced
on cities Want to Change Culture? Engage the City from Greg Hubbard, Director of Operations Many people are watching the emerging U.S. presidential races with keen interest (or dismay). We are concerned about the state of our culture. We long for a positive future. If only we could elect a leader who
staff We've Been Learning for a Long Time from Brent Storms, President and CEO Orchard Group has been starting churches in and around New York City since 1948. That means a lot of organizational learning from trial and error, failures and successes. Three visionary leaders preceded me as President. Hundreds of board
on cities What Churches Will Look Like in 2050 From Nick Parsons, Director of Recruitment “It’s difficult to make predictions, especially if it’s about the future.” - Mark TwainThe 1989 film, Back to the Future II, made some incredible predictions about what the year 2015 would look like. The film correctly
church planting in practice Prayer for Today Living God, Plant in me a bold faith that dares to see new possibilities, a sure knowledge of your promises that is not bullied by fear, a strong conviction that there is far more of you than what my eyes can see, and a
planters What Can You Expect When You Plant a New Church? Thinking about planting a church? Are you already a few steps in and have questions? Join our bonus session at Exponential West on October 5th. We have a lineup of great speakers who have planted churches that are flourishing in their cities. We'll discuss
churches Creativity in Church Planting It started with a guy who had a giant screen and a projector. MISSION CHURCH in Ventura, CA wanted to find a way to have fun with families in their city over the summer. As they reviewed their staff, their volunteers, and all their
on cities Intercultural Leadership From Dr. Brian Leander, Orchard Group Board member “Look at the last ten people you’ve texted,” a church planter recently challenged his congregation. Listeners pulled out their phones to scroll through their screens. “Now, how many of them look just like you?” Take
churches Healthcare and New Churches From Greg Hubbard, Director of Operations OBAMACARE.The word itself (is it a word now?) evokes strong emotional responses in most people, whether positive or negative. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare’s more proper name) has been a source of anxiety
church planting in practice Hope in Dark Times A recent Sunday morning service at Forefront Church in New York City closed with a time of open prayer. It was a risky move. Have you ever been in a group of a few hundred people and been invited to pray out loud? It
institute Orchard Institute You may have heard some of the startling statistics concerning cities: For the first time in history more than half the world’s population lives in cities.By 2050 more than 70% will live in cities.Nearly half of American millennials want to live
church planting in practice Church Planting Operations 101 From Greg Hubbard, Director of Operations As a church planter or church leader, there are certain things we don’t like to think about (like death and taxes) that we cannot avoid. I can’t give official legal advice in this forum, but I
