FAQ

What is Stadia?
What does “Stadia” mean?
What does “New Church Strategies” mean?
What does it mean that Stadia is a “Provision Ministry Partner?”
What is a church planting network?
What is Stadia’s role in a church planting network?
What kind of financial commitment does a church or organization have to make to be a part of a church planting network?
What does the network provide to the church plant?
What are the requirements to be included in a Stadia-supported church planting network?
How is Stadia funded?
Does Stadia make loans to churches?

What is Stadia?
Stadia: New Church Strategies is a nationwide ministry that assists in starting (“planting”) new churches all across the United States. We do this by championing collaborative church planting networks throughout the United States, including partnerships with existing church planting associations and church planting churches. It is not Stadia’s intent to assume the responsibilities of, or take the place of, existing church planting associations or agencies, but to come along side those entities, when invited.

What does “Stadia” mean?
Stadia is a Greek word – a unit of measurement used in New Testament times. The length “one stadia” is equivalent to about one-tenth of a mile. Stadia is the unit of measurement used to describe the Holy City in Heaven in Revelation 21:16: “The city was laid out like a square…12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long.” (NIV) We chose the word Stadia as our name because we believe the size of Heaven will be measured by the number of souls that are there, and because we believe that planting new churches is the most effective method for winning the lost.

What does “New Church Strategies” mean?
The phrase “New Church Strategies” describes our ministry. We are in the business of providing strategies for new churches (“church plants”) – connecting them to the resources they need for assessment, training, mentoring, and funding.

What does it mean that Stadia is a “Provision Ministry Partner?”
The Provision Ministry Group (www.Provision.org) is the parent corporation of three ministry-related entities, providing support to the local church in various forms of ministry. Other ministry partners include Church Development Fund (www.CDFonline.org), providing financial resources (loans and investments) to churches, and Visioneering Studios (www.VisioneeringStudios.com), specializing in Christian church and para-church campus development. Provision offers “back-office” services to its ministry partners, including information technology, human resource, finance, accounting and marketing support.

What is a church planting network?
A typical network is four or more churches/organizations which have come together to plant a new church. These grassroots networks will work collaboratively to raise up leaders, provide financial resources, coaching, training and administrative/management support.

What is Stadia’s role in a church planting network?
Stadia will serve as one of the partners in the plant, and will provide financial grants, help coordinate services as desired, and facilitate the operations of the network. The participating partners determine the model, the funds required, and length of support necessary for each new church.

What kind of financial commitment does a church or organization have to make to be a part of a church planting network?
On average it takes $200,000 to start a healthy, dynamic new church. In a network of four churches/organizations, each supporter commits $16,667.00 per year for three years to start the new church, a figure within the means of many churches. With more than four churches in a network, the commitment is even less. The church planter is expected to raise additional outside support during this same period, as defined by the network. Stadia will be one of the funding partners of each project of which they are a part.

What does the network provide to the church plant?
The network churches support the new church through their existing infrastructure and resources, or select from proven service providers. Providers with a demonstrated commitment to new church work, high-quality customer services, and reasonable cost will participate in the network. The services provided include, but are not necessarily limited to, those listed below. Stadia maintains a list of recommended providers in the following areas:

• Assessment
• Coaching
• Training / Planning Lab
• Project Management / Support Services
• Payroll Services
• HR Benefits
• Donor Management
• Bookkeeping / Accounting Services
• Creative Programming Support

What are the requirements to be included in a Stadia supported church planting network?

• The church planter (and spouse) will undergo formal assessment, with Stadia confirmation of the selection
• The church planter (and spouse) will participate in a training / planning lab
• The church planter will maintain an ongoing relationship with a coach for at least 30 months from the time of hiring
• The new church will be affiliated with the Christian Church/Church of Christ movement.
• The new church will tithe on offerings to church planting, from its beginning. Recipients of the tithe will be negotiated on a per-plant basis.
• All partners will commit to multiplication principles (planting future churches through multiplying networks)
• Network partners will form a Management Team for the new church
• The church planter will raise outside support (amount to be agreed upon by the network)

How is Stadia funded?
National operations for Stadia are funded by a generous annual grant from Stadia’s sister ministry, Church Development Fund. Regional operations are funded by local fund-raising conducted in each region. One of the purposes of Stadia’s national operations is to build a quasi-endowment that will make grants available to new church plants across the country.

Does Stadia make loans to churches?
No. Stadia does provide financial support to church plants during their first three years of existence, but we are not in the business of lending (visit www.CDFonline.org for information on church loans).