EP383 - Digital-First Church Planting, with Earl Davis
Earl Davis, an Air Force reservist and former pastor in Tucson, is planting Rest Point Church in the Atlanta area, and he wants to start digital first. He brought Jeff Reed his questions: how do you build a committed core team online, not just followers? What does a core team look like at 10, 25 or 50 people? When is it time to gather physically?
Jeff's answers:
1. Build trust before you launch a Sunday. Meet people on the platforms they already use, then move them into an asynchronous community like WhatsApp or GroupMe.
2. Launch as a church of small groups. A big launch Sunday without a trusted core team can fade fast.
3. Use the 10-10-10 rule of thumb: 1,000 people connected become 100 in community and 10 bought-in leaders.
4. Version one is better than version none. Don't get stuck perfecting content.
"It's not your person. It's God's person."
Earl leaves with a plan for two core teams: a digital one that stays digital, and a local one for the physical launch.
CHAPTERS
0:00 Welcome: digital-first church planting
2:04 Meet Earl Davis: Air Force, Tucson, now Atlanta
9:48 Earl's plan: start digital, plant physical later
15:55 Inviting people from other churches: it's God's person
24:03 Accountability and micro watch parties
28:36 Building a core team in an asynchronous community
36:22 BLESS: earn trust before you preach
39:47 A core team that grows: the Miami plant and small groups
47:13 Critical mass, the 10-10-10 rule and true hybrid
52:28 Biggest mistakes: content, Ai and version one
57:38 Which platforms reach whom
1:04:44 Questions from the chat, and what's next for Earl
Going deeper:
Digital church planting: https://thechurch.digital/guides/digital-church-planting/
Online small groups: https://thechurch.digital/guides/online-small-groups/
BLESS: https://thechurch.digital/guides/bless/
Hybrid church: https://thechurch.digital/guides/hybrid-church/
Join the theChurch.digital WhatsApp community: https://whatsapp.thechurch.digital
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This season: Scattered, one Bible study through 1 Peter for the whole digital church, at your own pace, with a short devotional every morning. Optional live sessions Tuesdays at 5:00 PM ET on Twitch: https://thechurch.digital/scattered/
Becoming theChurch.digital is the show for church leaders figuring out digital ministry in public.
https://thechurch.digital
@bethechurchdigital
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