Forum Kick-off Training
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Nov 7-8, 2014

Cornerstone Evangelical
Presbyterian Church
Why A Forum?

Go and make disciples of all nations

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Pray the Lord of the harvest will send workers

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Matt 28:19
Matt 9:38
Parable of the talents

Matt 25:14-30
How Do We Disciple
the Nations?

Goer

Sender

Enabler
Objectives for this Session
1.
Be able to explain the content and purpose of
the Forum to someone who has never heard of it
2.
Understand church coordinators job description
3.
Be familiar with promotional tools available
4.
Understand the eleven-week church countdown
schedule
What is MissionNext?
MissionNext is a ministry organization
dedicated to connecting people
with the good works God is preparing them
to do for the Kingdom.
What is MissionNext?
Areas of Focus
• Finishers Project – Boomers and above
• MissionXplore – Younger adults
• MissionTeach – Educators
• BAMmatch – Business as Mission
What is MissionNext?
How we do that in practice
•
Connect people with ministry opportunities
matching their interests and life experience
using web matching
……The eHarmony of the missions world
•
The Journey Deepens – Weekend retreats
•
Forums – Weekend seminars
Who should attend a Forum?

A weekend seminar for individuals desiring
to invest their lives well for God’s Kingdom
………The parable of the Talents
Forum Goals

Enable churches to mobilize their
people to learn God’s next step for
them in service
…….Make disciples

Provide a concrete path for people
that want to serve God locally or
internationally
……Workers for the harvest
Forum Content
Plenary
God’s Heart
For the
World
Workshops
Networking
Practical
Issues
Ministry Reps
Peers
Plenary Sessions

Worship, music and teaching on the Biblical call
to Disciple the Nations.
Seminars

Eighteen different seminars to discuss practical
issues with those that have been there
Networking

Interact with Mission Agency reps to talk about
opportunities to serve
Forum Schedule
 Friday 7:00 pm
 Welcome/opening sessions
 Networking with ministry organizations
 Saturday
 7:00 Continental breakfast available
 8:00 Opening session and ministry networking
 10:00 Breakout seminars
 Noon lunch – Plenary session around lunch tables
 1:00 Breakout seminars
 2:30 Breakout seminars
 3:30 Ministry networking
 4:00 Closing session
 5:00 pm Adjourn
Registration
• Registration is online at www.missionnext.org
click on:
• Registration cost is $69 ($89 after Oct 25)
• Admission to all Plenary sessions, Breakouts
and Networking sessions
• Continental breakfast
• Lunch
• Conference notebook
About the Money
 MissionNext staff raise their own support
 2 part-time paid office people
 Mission agencies pay a booth fee
 Sponsoring churches help cover expenses
 Registration fee covers travel expenses for guest
speakers, seminar leaders, lunch and
notebooks
 Excess funds, if any, go to pay for MissionNext
website mgt and design and office staff
Registration Fees

Everyone pays to attend

There are two free scholarships for every 20
people your church signs up

Some churches underwrite cost for their
people to attend
Church Coordinators Role
 Primary point of contact
 Church-wide awareness
 Employ multi-pronged approach to promote the
Forum
 Provide a compelling presentation about the Forum
 Targeted messaging
 Frequently & Consistently
 Use available ‘tools’/content
 Leverage all local church communication channels
Church Coordinators Role

Recruit team: Prayer / Presenters / Information table

Coordinate with pastor/church staff
 Church leadership support is key
 Keep leadership in the loop
 Provide periodic updates
 Follow/respect church protocols
 Implement “Countdown Schedule”

Explain registration process
 Offer in-church registration assistance to those who are
computer illiterate

Goal: minimum of 20 registrants
Promotional Tools
 www.missionnext.org - SE Michigan Forum / Events /
Host a Forum / Leadership Team Notes

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Eleven-week countdown schedule
Color flyers & Posters (available as handouts)
Talking Points
MissionNext logo
Church Bulletin inserts (available as handouts)
Church Bulletin text/paragraph
2-minute video
PowerPoint Deck
MissionNext website
Promotional Channels
 Face-to-Face: Personal Invitation to all !!!
 Preferred & most effective way to communicate!!
 Announcements during Sunday Worship
 Sunday School Classes
 Church & Community Bible Study Groups
 Home Groups
 Choir
 Prayer Groups
 Staffed Information Table
Promotional Channels





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
Church website w/link to MissionNext website
Sunday Bulletin / Newsletter
Email
Facebook
Twitter
Digital Signage
Bulletin Boards
What Really Works
 Social Media is growing by leaps and bounds
 It certainly has its place BUT
……Personal invitations are critical !!!
 Like church attendance, people respond best to oneon-one interaction.
Countdown Highlights
 Church leadership on board
 Build promotional calendar
 Use the best tools for your church in conjunction with
church media person
 Multiple contracts with adults
 Congregation
 Adult classes
 Home groups
 Bible studies
……Personal invitations are critical……
Who You Gonna Call?
• Sue Walker
• 810-227-1886
• swalker@cornerstoneforlife.com
• Janine Fruehan
• 248-701-8689
• Janine.Fruehan@att.net
• Dave Estill
• 480-248-0643
• Dave.Estill@MissionNext.org
Summary
 You are a guiding hand to “Investing your
talents well”
 Meet often with your prayer partner
 Make sure you are on Forum prayer chain
 Talk to church leadership immediately
 Build your promotion schedule by Aug 22
using the Eleven-week Countdown