The Adoption Process

Adopt London is an initiative by IMB church planters living in London.  It is our goal to plant churches from the harvest.  Those dark places where the existing church cannot and are not going.  We ask all of our partners to focus on those who would not darken the doors of a church.  Engage in relationships that make sense and share the gospel from you heart.  London is a lost city with access to 190 nations and over 300 distinct language groups as a bonus the majority of people speak English.  There is no other city on earth with such international reach.  We believe if you reach London you reach the world. 

Those interested in planting churches in London should contact a London church planter and get further information.  Click on “Contact” in the menu bar to e-mail us today.  The process of adopting a borough is straightforward.  The Holy Spirit must drive decisions.  Please pray through the process of adopting a borough.

Step 1:  Evaluate the call to church planting in London.  Pray through the idea others who may be involved and seek out if this is right for your faith community. Begin the process of contact IMB church planters living in London.  “Use the contact menu above”

Step 2:  Research:  Look through the different boroughs listed on the website as well as outside sources. Pray with information, for the decision to come to London and attend a vision trip for church planting in London. 

Step 3:  Sign up for a vision trip.  Begin preparing spiritually, relationally, and strategically.

Preparation for adopting a borough of London is a spiritual decision.  It should not be approached with the wisdom of men but led by the Holy Spirit.  Pray and read the word of God before making a decision to adopt a borough.  While in London this emphasis on prayer and seeking the God’s direction is continued with a day of fasting and prayer. 

Seek ways before arriving to become relational in your own city before coming to London.  Dawson Trotman spoke to a group of missionaries once and asked the question who are you sharing Jesus with?  He then said, why are you going there to do something you are not doing here? (Paraphrased) Before attendees arrive they will receive pre flight exercises in preparation for meeting people in London.  Of course this cannot be enforced but those who complete the pre flight exercises always have a better experience than those who do not.  They also see a significant change in their personal walk with the Lord as well as a new hope for their city hearing the gospel.

Each vision trip will focus on five to seven key boroughs.  Of these boroughs we as that you prepare to adopt one of these.  Preflight:  Pray through a few areas of the boroughs.  Seek out information on them and become aware of the history, geography, and people groups living within the borough borders. On the ground in London: Begin thinking strategically.  While walking through the boroughs ask questions like “if I were to adopt this borough where could I engage in conversation with no believers.”  “Where would my church connect to this borough?”  “How do I talk to people and start conversations?”.  These questions and more will enable vision trip attendees to evaluate where God is leading their faith families.

Step 4:  Return home and pray through the adoption again.  Pursue the direction of the Holy Spirit and if would not hurt to fast before making a decision.  Once a decision has been made to adopt a borough or not please let the London church planters know about your decision.

Step 5:  Accountability:  Adopting a Borough is no easy task.  Which is why every faith community who adopts a borough enters into an internship.  This internship is where the London team will offer extra church planting conferences for specific training and give updates on all things new about Adopt London.  Borough strategist (those who adopt a borough) are encouraged to help each other along the way.  These stateside churches support each other in the task of London church planting by sharing information, resources, and ideas.  The London team is available and would love to meet your future teams.  Be sure to send us an e-mail to arrange a meeting time and place.  Skype calls throughout the year can be arranged in order to talk about strategy, encourage, and celebrate.

Prepare, and lead future teams to serve in your adopt borough.  As a Borough Strategist it is your job to strategically engage the borough and use the gifts, talents, and resources to their most effective ends.  The end goal is to see the borough reached and every person within its borders having the opportunity to hear the gospel.

Upcoming Conferences

Upcoming Conference Dates

• May. 14, 2012 - May. 16, 2012
• Sep. 17, 2012 - Sep. 19, 2012

Intense training happens on the ground in London twice a year for all BSC (borough strategy catalyst).  We call this conference BSC202, which is a specific training conference for all faith communities who have adopted a borough of London.
We focus on the three roles of a BSC:  logistics, strategy, and prayer.  It is important to note that not everyone is allowed to attend this conference, only those designated for the three roles above.
This conference will train BSC leaders in the specific roles listed above and how to lead teams for effective ministry while in London.  They will also help BSCers to develop strategic ways to reach the borough.  BSC202 is a necessary conference that will lead to significant effectiveness leading to church planting.

Upcoming Vision Trips

Upcoming Vision Trip Dates

• May. 9, 2012 - May. 12, 2012
• Sep. 12, 2012 - Sep. 15, 2012

Vision trips are designed to help churches decide if they are being led to adopt a borough of London.  This initiative mobilizes churches, organizations, and groups of believers for planting churches in London by reaching those far from the church.  Those attending the conference are trained in evangelism, culture, church planting, and a host of other skills needed to become a London church planter.   It is our desire to walk alongside you as you seek the Lord's will in the adoption process.  Borough strategists take the responsibility to reach their borough with the gospel.  Adopting a borough is not an easy task. This is why every borough strategy church goes through an internship and works with London church planters in developing strategic ways to engage the lost.  Just like a growing child needs direction and help, a borough strategist is always helping their borough grow closer to God. 
Adopt London invites any faith community to visit London for a vision conference on adopting a borough.  There are thirty three boroughs in London and each one needs adoption.  Boroughs are not limited to a single strategist but each borough needs at least one.  A borough can be adopted by any evangelical faith community---a  charity, a church, a business, or an individual. 
Sign up for a conference by contacting us via the contact menu above. 
Responsibilities of a BSC (Borough Strategy Catalyst):
1: Pre-requisite – To become a BSC you must attend a partnership conference for training and understanding the role of a BSC.
2: Research - Learn as much as possible about London and the boroughs focused on during the conference and your adopted borough.  Ask questions like "How can the gospel be communicated here?"  "What are some areas that may be a bridge to sharing the gospel?"  "What people groups are in this borough?" 
3: Strategy Development- Prayerfully develop a missiological strategy that utilizes the research from the borough.  The end vision of the strategy is a self-sustaining movement of the Gospel in a relevant, reproducible, and multiplying way which leads to a relevant church plant for the people of the borough.
4: Mobilize resources- Be a good steward of resources the Lord provides along the way.  This includes not-yet-believers and believers from the borough as well as financial and other non-financial resources.
5: Internship:  Each new BSC enters into an internship.  This is not the type of internship where all you are allowed to do is make copies and get coffee!  This is more of a  learn-while-doing internship.  BSC's are expected to be self-starters and strategic thinkers.  We are giving you the task of planting churches in your adopted borough.  London church planters are available to you and will walk with you through the process of planting a church.  However, it is the BSC's themselves who will organize and lead strategic trips into their adopted borough, utilizing the resources and gifts given to them to reach the lost.  We are available to you and will help you develop your strategy for reaching the borough.

Adopt a Borough

Your Information

Your Name*

Your E-mail Address*

Church Details

Church Name

Address 1

Address 2

City

State

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ZIP

Phone Number

Church Website Address

What is your church size?

Location of Church?

Urban Rural

Predominate age of church body?

Questions About Your Interest in Ministering in London

Which boroughs are you interested in?

Borough of Barking & Dagenham Borough of Barnet Borough of Bexley Borough of Brent Borough of Bromley Borough of Camden Borough of Croyden Borough of Ealing Borough of Enfield Borough of Greenwich Borough of Hackney Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham Borough of Haringey Borough of Harrow Borough of Havering Borough of Hilingdon Borough of Hounslow Borough of Islington Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Borough of Lambeth Borough of Lewisham Borough of Merton Borough of Newham Borough of Redbridge Borough of Richmond Upon Thames Borough of Southwark Borough of Sutton Borough of Tower Hamlets Borough of Waltham Forest Borough of Wandsworth City of London City of Westminster Kingston Upon Thames

Why are you interested in London?

What are the criteria for discerning a good Borough?

What types of ministry gifts/skill sets do you have to offer?

What countries have you worked in?

Does your church have a God-given calling to a specific ethnic group?

Of those interested in London what are their gifting and skills?

Is the interest in London driven by staff or laypersons?

Where else in the world has your church been involved?

Is there a certain people group your church is called to work with?

List the ways the congregation is involved in the community around your church.

Are there other ways individual members of your fellowship are involved in the community? (Hobbies, interest, unique gifting)

Where are the top three places the members of your fellowship spend their time?

How can the gifts, talents, hobbies, and uniqueness of your congregation be used in London?

Anything Else

Anything else?

Verfication

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