WHAT IS A COALITION OR AN ALLIANCE OF CHURCHES?

It is a group of local churches networking and partnering together to focus on reaching one unreached people group or geographical area with the Gospel.

HOW MANY CHURCHES ARE INVOLVED?

The number of churches in a coalition varies according to need, relationships, the people group, and need. There is a critical mass that is needed in order to function.

HOW DO CHURCHES GET INVOLVED - FOUR CATEGORIES?

There are three categories of involvement: prayer, projects, partnering, and parenting. A church can join at any level at any time. For a coalition to operate successfully, there needs to be churches at every level. It's a partnership between different congregations to share their giftedness with each other and focus on one people group.

The PRAYER level churches agree to institute an extraordinary prayer movement among their congregations for the unreached people group. This involves prayer walking, special times of prayer, 24/7/365 prayer, and every age level of the church involved.

The PROJECT level of involvement in a Coalition is when a church agrees to fund and participate in a project aimed at reaching the unreached people group. It could be taking a short term trip to the place where the people groups is located and participate in a project, or providing funding (partial or full) for a project such as Scripture translation, publishing or distribution, or monthly support for national church planters.

The PARTNERING level is the leadership core of the coalition. It requires a membership fee based upon the attendance of each local church. The core group of partnering churches "adopt" the people group and make a long range commitment to reach them... no matter how long it takes. Their focus is on finishing the task.

The PARENTING level is an "adoption" of the people groups as a church. This means a lifetime commitment to provide an opportunity for the people group to have a chance to know the Gospel. This commitment level means as long as it takes and whatever it takes. This is obviously a serious decision and should be entered into with the leadership of the Holy Spirit after the church corporately has fasted and prayed that this is God's will for them.

WHAT OTHER COMMITMENTS ARE REQUIRED OF CHURCHES?

Churches are expected to host a "Finishing the Task" Seminar for their leadership and membership. This training is focused on the concepts and principles of "The Church is the missionary." It is a four hour seminar taught by EPIC International staff which gives perspective to the task and involvement of church members.

Additionally, churches are to develop a strategic plan that is created from within. EPIC provides staff to assist each church in customizing the principles to their congregation. There is no set plan... just concepts and principles that each church demonstrates according to their personality.

Churches at the partnering level are expected to participate in a vision trip for church leadership to the field of the UPG. This is for the purpose of developing a comprehensive strategy for birthing a church planting movement among the UPG.

A Coalition or Alliance belongs to the local churches partnering. The effectiveness of the organization rises and falls upon the commitment of the churches. Churches share in the execution of the essential elements of a coalition: media communication, website development and maintenance, logistics for short term trips, accounting, prayer tools, etc.

WHAT IS A FACILITATOR?

A facilitator can be a person, organization, or even a church. The facilitator provides leadership for the start-up stage of a coalition. The goal is for the group of churches to eventually take the leadership provided by the facilitator. This time period various according to the coalition, people group, and activities.

The role of the facilitator may include but not limited to:

  1. Coordination - When churches approach a partnership they usually need someone to handle the logistics of on-site development
  2. Create engagement - identifies ways for the Western church to be engaged with the UPG - this requires structuring training for both the churches and the field personnel
  3. Comprehensive planning - this is the development of a comprehensive strategy for reaching the UPG - can include putting into place the six key elements of church planting movements
  4. Cultural orientation - provides orientation for the western churches about their UPG and their country and effective evangelism and discipleship
  5. Communication - the facilitator provides the big picture of what God is doing and has the ability to translate it into effective communication to the participating churches in the coalition
  6. Coaching/Mentoring - the facilitator focuses on two directions at once - they have the expertise to know what is going on in the field and the passion to ignite a global vision in the partnering churches. They have the ability to balance the process of handing off the work to the churches and not control or stifle ownership by the churches.
  7. Credibility - the facilitator loans their credibility to the coalition and vouches for their integrity as they enter a field
  8. Combination - complex coalition involve multiple partners - some can include western churches, national, national organization, NGOs, agencies, and both formal and informal networks. The facilitator combines these multi-faceted entities to focus on the UPG and partner with the coalition.
  9. Continuity - partnerships are not static and must be continually analyzed and move from one stage to another. The facilitator often must help partners negotiate these changes.


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