Raising Rabbits Not Elephants: An Exploration of the GSE Process of Church Planting

Raising Rabbits not Elephants is a book exploring the Gatherer/Shepherd/Elder church starting process. GSEs are simple, no cost church starts using the GSE process to get there. One of the greatest challenges church leaders face in North America is how to effectively start new churches. We have a church-starting problem. The GSE process is a very effective church starting process. GSEs are new churches that are started by identifying a gatherer, combining them with a shepherd, and in tandem they begin a new church. Gatherer: A gatherer is a person who is a people magnet (they are male or female); someone who is very natural in personal makeup in connecting to other people. They are ones who are open to a new vision of how to work in the harvest together in forming new churches. Shepherd: A person gifted from Jesus as a shepherd; someone who is willing to use their gift to see spiritual well-being develop among those gathered.Elder: A biblically qualified elder who enters the group sometime down the road. Takes the newly formed church to greater biblical establishment.There are many advantages to using GSEs. GSEs are great in engaging greater lay involvement; express moderate growth; require no dedicated mission funding; benefit with regional connection; is a highly efficient process; and reproduces easily.