Extended Family
An Extended Family Church is a church planted outside of Central Arkansas in a different geographical region of the state that carries the Summit name, mission, vision, & values.
Planting an Extended family Summit Church
Watch this video explaining what an Extended Family Summit Church is.
FAQs
What is an Extended Family Church?
An Extended Family Summit Church is a church planted outside of Central Arkansas in a different geographical region of our state that will carry the Summit name as well as the same mission, vision, strategy, and values as The Summit Church in Central Arkansas.
How does an Extended Family Church operate differently than our current churches in Central Arkansas?
An Extended Family Summit Church will have the opportunity to use everything we produce at The Summit, but is not required to operate within the same ministry calendars or sermon series. All Summit Churches around our state will connect around a couple of key vision-casting seasons or emphasis each year. Extended Family Summit Churches will not receive ongoing support by our Central Team (communications, finance, facilities).
Will we plant more Extended Family Summit Churches in the future?
Yes. We believe that this method of church-planting in other regions of our state can be reproduced over and over again, helping us cooperate with God to accomplish our 20/20 vision of spiritually influencing every county in Arkansas and planting 100 churches in North America. A small percentage of each Extended Family Church's budget will pay it forward for future church-planting in The Summit Network.
Will we plant more churches in Central Arkansas?
Yes. We believe that we will plant more churches in Central Arkansas in the same format that we have in the past in Conway, Saline County, and Vilonia.
How will we support and resource an Extended Family Church?
The church planter, or lead pastor, will be sent to plant with partial funding for the first two years. This funding is a percentage that is set aside from our regular One Fund giving at The Summit. The planter must raise supplemental financial support outside of this pre-determined amount set by our Elders. The Summit will provide a church planting launch package as well as access to all future best-practices and resources.
What type of leadership accountability is given to an Extended Family Church?
An Extended Family Church must be an elder-led church. The lead pastor will be sent out to plant with the oversight of several leaders, current Summit Elders, and Bill Elliff (Founding & National Engage Pastor, leader of the Summit Send Church Planting Residency) as an advisory board for a season, until local Elders can be elected. Long-term leadership and connectivity is maintained by our Directional Pastor, Executive Pastors, and National Engage Pastor.
What are the determining factors for sending someone to plant an Extended Family Church?
The future lead pastor must meet the biblical qualifications of a pastor and elder and complete the one-year Summit Send Church Planting Residency. The Directional Team of the Summit (in Central Arkansas) must affirm the calling of the church planter and determine if God is initiating the planting of a new Summit Church in a different geographical region of our state.