FANNING THE FLAME
Fanning the Flame (FTF) is a fourteen-month coaching ministry built upon the ten strategies of biblical church health taught in the Embers to a Flame Conference. FTF is not a "program," it is a commitment by a church’s leadership to continually seek to be a more healthy church. This is a lifelong journey. It is NOT something we can engage in for a season confident that we have arrived. It is a marathon, not a sprint.
The Japanese have a word for this, "Kaizen." It means having a heart for a continuous, unflagging commitment to incremental improvement. Just so, God's Word consistently calls us to be faithful, constant and obedient; in other words, we are to "... run with endurance the race that lies before us."
In order to accomplish this, we will diligently seek to achieve three major objectives through the FTF process:
• A review of all ten strategies for authentic biblical church health. We will explore all ten strategies and find ways, where appropriate, to "drip" them down into the life of the church. The goal, at the end of our journey, is to make sure that the leadership of the church has a thorough grasp on the essentials of the ten strategies.
• Drive down prayer as the most critical and essential element in the DNA of a local church. Martin Luther said that "prayer is the daily business of the Christian.” John Calvin said "We see that nothing is set before us as an object of expectation from the Lord which we are not enjoined to ask of Him in prayer.” John Wesley said, "There is nothing without prayer…. " Prayer is a constant focus throughout the 14 month period.
• After taking a church health survey and discovering the area that you need to address first, we will then develop a strategy to help you address the particular needs of that area. This process of identifying the area and then working on correcting the weakness is a lifelong process that you should make a part of the fabric of your church as you seek incremental improvement toward health.
SINGLE MODEL COACHING
The Individual model is the more intense model offered in Fanning the Flame. By choosing this model, your church will be in a one-on-one relationship with the coach. The coach himself will lead the monthly review meetings for the FTF Leadership Team.
Spiritual Foundations Weekend
Someone from the Embers staff will come and lead your congregation in a two-day retreat on the Spiritual Foundation of Biblical Church Health.
Fourteen on-site coach visits:
1) Administer the church health survey and lead the FTF team through the storyboard process for vision development.
2) Lead your FTF Leadership Team in a two-day planning retreat.
3-14) Lead monthly review meeting one through twelve.
MULTI-CHURCH MODEL COACHING
The Multi-Church model brings 3-4 churches together to work through the FTF 14-month process. Each month, the coach will lead the pastors of each Jethro Team church in the monthly review meeting via phone and internet. The pastors then are responsible to lead their own FTF Leadership Teams in their monthly meetings.
Spiritual Foundations Weekend
Someone from the Embers staff will come and lead your congregation in a two-day retreat on the Spiritual Foundation of Biblical Church Health.
Three on-site coach visits:
1) Administer the church health survey and lead the FTF team through the storyboard process for vision development
2) Lead your FTF Leadership Team in a two-day planning retreat.
3) One visit during the process as determined by the FTF Leadership Team.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT FANNING THE FLAME MINISTRY
Who sponsors the Fanning the Flame Ministry?
Fanning the Flame (FTF) is a ministry of Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Alabama.
FTF is a kingdom-focused ministry and works with any church that affirms the Apostle’s Creed.
Who are the FTF coaches?
All FTF Coaches are Christians who fully affirm their faith in accordance with The Apostle’s creed or the Statement of Belief of the National Association of Evangelicals. While common grace practices are employed to help in this coaching process, the Bible is our final authority and is the only rule for faith and practice. Our coaches are called to the ministry of church revitalization and are fully trained to coach in this ministry.
Who will be our coach?
While all our FTF Coaches are capable to coach in any situation, the Embers Staff will prayerfully consider which coach would be the best fit for your church and the particular challenges that may be facing your church at the moment.
When does Fanning the Flame begin?
The Single Model Coaching of Fanning the Flame begins as soon as the church signs and returns the FTF Terms of Engagement. The MultiChurch Coaching model begins as soon as we have signed copies of the FTF Terms of Engagement for at least 3 churches.
