Since everything went public this weekend, we have received a lot of interest and even more questions. I thought it might be helpful for me to run through some Frequently Asked Questions that we’ve heard:

Where is Browns Mill Church currently meeting? We are not yet holding any meetings with a core group, but we plan to do so beginning in January at the latest. Tim Coleman (Lead Pastor) and are currently finalizing our strategic plans and working through all the necessary first steps of planting a new church.

Where and when will Browns Mill Church begin holding services? We do not have a physical location secured for the church at this time. There are some sites that we are interested in so please pray that God will grant us favor in finding a meeting location. We will begin holding monthly services on Easter  Sunday, April 12th, 2009, and weekly services on Sunday, September 13th, 2009. In between the monthly services, we will be having social events to build community and develop deeper relationships.

How did we chose the Newnan/Summer Grove area? There were a number of locations that we prayed about–Savannah and Chattanooga were options outside of the Atlanta area and Senoia, Newnan and Henry County inside the Atlanta area. As we prayed, God continued to open up opportunities through relationships in the Newnan area. One church planter we talked to reminded us that relationships are the rails that the Gospel travels over in Scripture and it is no different today. So, we began walking toward the open door of the Newnan/Summer Grove area and God never closed the door!

Aren’t there already a lot of churches in Newnan/Coweta County? Yes and no. When you drive down the Highway 34 corridor between Peachtree City and Newnan, you will pass a number of churches. However, according to recent statistics from the North American Mission Board, there is not a single county in the U.S. that is even 50% reached. In addition, if you were to take each church in Coweta County and fill every available seat at every available worship service, you wouldn’t even be able to accommodate 25% of the population of Coweta County. Every year in North America, 4,000 churches close their doors and only 1,000 new churches are planted.

What affiliation(s) will Browns Mill Church have? We are currently going through the process of affiliating with the Southern Baptist Convention working directly with representatives from the Georgia Baptist Convention. We will also likely affiliate with other like-minded networks (Willow Creek Association, etc.). While doctrinally Browns Mill Church will adhere to Southern Baptist tenets, it will be more inter-denominational in its ministry approach.

What will your role be (Kevin)? The best way to describe my role is that of an executive worship pastor. My job description is to design the systems and processes that will make worship as a lifestyle a reality for all those who connect to Browns Mill Church. This is the “expanded ministry role” that I believe God has called me to and it will encompass the weekly worship gatherings and the areas of spiritual growth including outreach and discipleship (they all tie into worship). Tim and have a very close working relationship so that even though he will be the lead pastor, we share many of the leadership responsibilities and decisions. I will be actively involved in leading worship, although I will not be the only worship leader. My heart is to train up as many worship leaders as I can.

What are you going to be doing between December 5th and when Browns Mill Church launches? Will you still come to Dogwood? After December 5th, I will be focusing on learning as much as I can about church planting. For over 13 years, all I have seen on Sunday mornings is what I’ve planned and produced. The four of us (Tim & Nicole and Suzanne & I), and our families, plan to visit other church plants and other churches to glean what we can from what others are doing. I also plan to pursue interim worship leading opportunities so I don’t lose touch completely with that passion. It will also help us financially as we face an uncertain financial future as we seek to raise support for what God has called us to.

How can I help? First, you can pray. Pray for God’s provision for Browns Mill Church and for provision for Tim and I. You can also do as our pastor recommended and pray about joining us! Second, you can give. On the weekends of November 15/16 and 22/23, Dogwood will be receiving the II Corinthians Offering on our behalf. There will be opportunities to directly support Browns Mill Church in the future once we achieve our own 501c3 (non-profit) status. There will be many more hands on ways to help soon, but these are currently the most practical things you can do to help us!

Is there a website I can go to for more information? We have reserved the URL www.brownsmillchurch.com, however, we do not yet have the resources to put up a fully functioning website. Within days, we hope to have at least a precursory page with some pertinent information about Tim and I, our timeline, etc. We plan to use some of the resources we receive from Dogwood’s II Corinthians Offering to have an official website developed.