MiniChurch and Making Leaders

Ralph Moore believes in “simple church”—it has to be simple and it has to reproduce.

1. MiniChurch

At the heart of Hope Chapel's strategy of reproducing disciples, leaders and churches is the “MiniChurch”. Ralph intentionally name his small groups MiniChurches and their leaders “undershepherds”. The MiniChurch is the primary place of pastoral care and disciple-making.

MiniChurches meet weekly to review the message from the weekend services. The format is simple and reproducible:

Head—what did you learn?
Heart—what did God say to you?
Hands—what will you do?

MiniChurch is the building block for the local church and the farm system for future leaders.

2. Leadership farm

Faithful group members who are making a contribution to the lives of others are recruited as apprentice leaders and provided with training. Faithful apprentices become MiniChurch pastors.

MiniChurch pastors who are effective in multiplying groups and leaders are invited into the “Pastor Factory”. They meet weekly to read through books on leadership and theology. The learning environment is relational and simple.

The focus again is on Head (what did you learn from the reading?) Heart (how did God speak to you?) and Hands (what will you do?).

The Pastor Factory is the fishing pool for future pastoral staff at the mother church and future church planters to be sent out.

The learning continues once a leader has completed the Pastor factory. Hope Chapel leaders are all expected to be life long learners and trainers of others.

Resource: How to Start a MiniChurch