"What (and who) is the Pastoral Team?"

(Updated May 13, 2019)

This is a question I’ve gotten off and on at various times over the last 6 months or so, and have been intending to whip up a full explanation to provide some additional clarity. First, some context…

Where we’re headed: “Particularization”

As a Presbyterian church, we believe that the most biblical form of church government is elder-led (“Presbyterian” comes from the Greek word  for “elder”).  In our denomination, the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a church plant becomes an established church when its first group of elders are nominated, trained, and ordained. (For more info on this process or what it means to be a church in the PCA, come to our next Membership Class this Fall!)

That process is lengthy and requires both a critical mass and a level of stability in order to do well. Inducting our first class of members last May was a massive step in that direction, but we are aiming for Particularization sometime in the Fall of 2021 (which would still be 1-2 years ahead of schedule for a church plant like ours).

Where we’ve been: Rapid Initial Growth

In August 2016, our launch team of 40ish people doubled in size within the first 3 months after launch, and by Easter 2017 over 120 people called The Table their church home. To say that growth has been “unexpected” is an understatement! We had no idea The Table’s vision would gain so much traction so early, and were thus initially caught flat-footed in more ways than one! More people meant needing more pastoral leaders to both help care for those families God brought to The Table, and help us continue to reach our Neighbors at the same time.

While we do have denominational and financial oversight through the Session (what the PCA calls each church’s board of elders) at Rocky Mountain Presbyterian Church in Westminster, those elders are not involved in our day-to-day ministry (nor could they be!). They don’t know our specific context, our specific people, or our specific vision. They just are not in the place to provide that kind of leadership.

Thus, in the spring of 2016 I invited a couple mature leaders who demonstrate elder-like qualities to step up into what we dubbed the “Pastoral Team,” as a temporary, 3-4 year stop-gap until we’re able to go through an elder training process.  Current active members include Adam Argo, Rocky Dunlap, Jeremy Gillespie, and Ken Harris (invited Spring 2019 on an initial trial basis to make sure it’s a good fit for both him and us), plus myself. As an ordained Pastor whom we are developing and teaching over the next 2 years how to plant a church using similar creative solutions, our Church Planting Resident (Justin Chappell) has a "view" and a "voice" on the team, but not a "vote" (since his time with us has always had a planned end-date).

This decision has turned out to have had a massive impact: as of this update, we have over 120 people in Cohorts, our average Sunday attendance this Spring has been over 170 (adults + children), and this team has been shepherding every step of the way!

If you haven’t heard about this until now, it’s because we've been busy enough simply functioning as a Pastoral Team that communicating it has taken a back burner (albeit, for too long).

Where we are now: Pastoral Team Roles & Responsibilities

Much like an engaged couple should start “practicing” being married long before they formally tie the knot, it is good for us to function, as much as we are able, as a Presbyterian (elder-led) church as early as possible. Both individually and as a team, the Pastoral Team functions as unofficial/unordained elders with the following responsibilities:

• Provide additional perspective on vision, strategy, and some key leadership decisions to make sure we aren’t operating in an echo chamber…

• Help carry the responsibility of shepherding those who are hurting and need more acute or long-term care from church leadership…

• Steward The Table’s vision and help instill it into every area of ministry, both by personal example and direct leadership…

• Maintain accountability for finances, budgeting, and ministry alignment with strategic goals…

None of those on the Pastoral Team are guaranteed or fast-tracked for being an elder at The Table. They will all have to go through the exact same process as everyone else. In fact, doctrinal differences (e.g. infant baptism) may preclude one or more of them from being ordained as an elder when that time comes, but they are happy to serve in this role anyway!

And I don’t want to rush past that last part… It is that kind of sacrificial posture and not-for-my-glory humility that qualifies each of them for this role. The leaders listed above were specifically invited to share this responsibility because they have already been demonstrating a character, competency, and capacity for it through their commitment to The Table. They don’t only “get it,” they also “do it” already and bring people along with them - not because they were asked to do so, but because they live and breathe what Christ has called our church to be: the flourishing presence of Jesus in every sphere of life.

All that said, if you have any questions not covered here, please know you can always reach out to me (Brad) or any other member of the Pastoral Team! Until we train and ordain our first elders, consider the Pastoral Team to be who you can take any care or shepherding need to, especially if you aren't sure where else to turn. That is (literally) what we're here for!

New Church Planting Resident: FAQ

If you received our most recent newsletter, you know that we are ecstatic to be bringing on our new Church Planting Resident: Justin Chappell, along with his wife Caitlyn! They will be moving out here late summer (2017), and Justin will be officially starting a 3-year residency at The Table in either September or October, with the goal of subsequently planting in Longmont. We've communicated VERY little about this so far because this has been an on-and-off conversation for a few months now, and we didn't want to get our collective hopes up before we knew it was going to happen. Because of that relative silence, and because you may or may not be familiar with what a "church planting residency" is, here is a quick FAQ and overview of what all this means for us...

Q1 :: What is church planting residency? What will be Justin's role at The Table?

The purpose of a residency is to develop an already-experienced pastor with the opportunity to 1) develop in those leadership skills and abilities unique to church planting, 2) familiarize with a local cultural context and community, and 3) discern the specifics of location, vision and strategy ahead of actually planting. This gives a potential planter a community support system and the opportunity to learn (and fail!) before everything is on the line (much like an incubator for startups and entrepreneurs in Boulder). The specifics of his role are largely TBD, but will be built around his leadership development needs (primarily) and The Table's ministry needs (secondarily).

Q2 :: We aren't even a year old yet! Why are we doing this so early?

You're right, it is VERY early! I have literally never even heard of a plant as young as The Table bringing on their first resident, so you are not wrong about that (then again, a LOT of what we do has never been tried before)! The opportunity for a resident to jump in on a church plant at this very early stage is INVALUABLE as it is RARE. The biggest reason is this: we didn't go out looking for this opportunity, it just kind of... happened. God quite miraculously opened several doors at the same time. Within the span of just a few months, 1) we've had an unexpected number of families from Longmont connect to The Table, 2) Justin and Caitlyn fell in love with Longmont, 3) our presbytery approved us to host a residency, and 4) we were given a significant grant to help fund it (the last two of which happened only 24 hours apart!). Yes, we are still a little in shock over how quickly and powerfully God has moved in all this.

Q3 :: Why will the residency take 3 years? That seems really slow...

This timeline gives Justin and Caitlyn the chance to be fully immersed and part of the City of Longmont, and it gives us the chance to be more fully established to send them with people and resources. Also, during the last year of his residency (pending approval) he will be functionally planting the new church as a ramp up into launch, so it's really more like a 2 year residency and a very well-supported onramp into launch. 

Q4 :: Wait... you said "pending approval," does that mean there's a chance he may not plant?

Correct. The residency is also an evaluation process to make sure the potential planter is called and equipped to plant. This is not intended to be an additional hoop to jump through, but to be a discerning process for the host church (us) and the prospective planter's family - after all, it's a huge stress and one of the hardest things you can do in ministry even when you ARE clearly called! All that said, if we didn't think Justin and Caitlyn were a good fit or had that potential, we wouldn't have invited them here! (Have I mentioned how excited we are?)

Q5 :: What has The Table financially committed to Justin? 

As an Acts 29 Member Church, we have committed to giving a portion of our internal giving to church planting (to a few different sources, more than half of which can be designated in support as we choose). Between that and the aforementioned grant we were given for the purpose of hosting a resident, we're able to give Justin a significant head start on his fundraising. Very very little of what we've committed is above or beyond those two factors (hence, "miraculous"). The rest of his financial need is up to him to raise from outside The Table. This is both necessary because we are not even remotely self-sustaining yet, and the ability to fundraise is a vital skill every planter needs to learn and practice (i.e. it's part of his leadership training and development). If you're at The Table and want to support their work, start/increase/continue your giving to The Table as your home church! 

Q6 :: What does this mean for me if I live in Longmont? 

For now, absolutely nothing... well, except that you'll be getting a couple amazing new neighbors! For all the reasons mentioned above, don't start making plans or worrying about who is going with them or who is staying at The Table (either way, 100% voluntary). Three years is a long time (we're not even one year old!), and when the time comes, we'll talk more specifically and help you both discern and follow God's calling on your life - whether that's staying here or being sent! 

Q7 :: How can I help or be a part of all this? 

The same way you can be a part of what God is doing at The Table - continue to Know God, Love People, and Cultivate Beauty (our Mission). The more established and mature we are as a church, the more we will be able to bless Justin and Caitlyn when we send them with people and resources to plant in Longmont. In other words.. Pray! If you're not in a Community Group, join one! If you are, but haven't invited your neighbors, what are you waiting for! If you're not serving on Sunday morning, step up and help out with Table Kids, run slides, and/or contribute your musical skills! If you're not giving sacrificially, prayerfully do so!

In other words, generously give of your time, treasure, and talents for the good of your church family.

Q8 :: (Insert Question Here)

If you have any other questions not covered here, let us know! For a church as young as The Table, everything is new, so we know there will be many more questions along the way.