Questions and Answers for the Catalyst Group Model:

I've read what the Catalyst Groups are about and have some attraction to the idea.   How do I go about choosing which group to check out?    Your decision may be guided by a number of criteria, but many will instinctively use the three ingredients of personality, passion and proximity.   It may help to look at each.   Personality : Everyone is attracted to leadership they admire, but some of us are naturally attracted to some leaders more than others.   We may or may not be able to define why we feel a natural "chemistry" with some, but that's okay.   That's why Jesus appointed 12 apostles, not just one.   Passion : Some Catalyst Group leaders will have well-defined passions that will largely determine who joins with them.   For Eran Holt, it's about youth pastors/youth ministry; for Otto Wegner, it's urban church planting; for Bob Kurka it's rural church health and community transformation.   When you correspond with a prospective Catalyst Group leader this summer, feel free to ask them about their passion.   Proximity : Since many or most groups will have regular meetings, being within reasonable driving distance will be a factor for most.

What authority will Catalyst Group leaders have?   The Catalyst Group leaders' authority will be relational, not legal.   Legal authority is vested in the District Presbytery.   Catalyst Groups will be driven by love, not law.   For those who are serving as both a district official and also as a Catalyst Leader, there may be moments when clarification will be needed, but the primary thing to remember is that Catalyst meetings are relational and do not carry the "official" overtones of sectional meetings.

To whom are Catalyst Group leaders accountable?   They are accountable to the Catalyst Group coordinator (Paul Grabill), the Superintendent and, ultimately, the Presbytery.   Leaders will meet as often as quarterly for mutual encouragement, growth and idea sharing.

What will Catalyst Group meetings look like?   They will be as varied as the leaders are.   The frequency will vary from group to group.   Some may invite guest speakers to come and pour into your life.   Some leaders may focus primarily on prayer/corporate ministry.   Some may use a curriculum, such as the cohort curriculum.   Some may organize group trips to specific places/conferences.   What is for sure is that the meetings will be informal and will have very little resemblance to the traditional sectional fellowship meetings.

If I join a group, can I ever change or am I in it for life?    It is totally your choice.   You can join, leave, change groups or be in no group.   Even though the Catalyst Groups are highly relational, they are primarily designed for your growth and benefit.   If you are finding a group not life-giving to you, you are free to act accordingly.

What if I miss some of the meetings?   It is very possible that you will be contacted by the Catalyst Group leader, but not because you are not fulfilling a legalistic expectation or are perceived as "disloyal."   If you miss and are contacted, the only reason will be because the leader cares about you and wants to make sure that everything is okay.

Who can join a Catalyst Group?   Basically those in vocational Christian ministry.   Any further details for any specific group would be determined by each Catalyst Group leader.   Normally it will be those involved in full or part-time ministry who have some kind of ministerial credentials, but some leaders may wish to expand their group to include (or even focus on) those who are in ministerial development.

Is membership limited to members of our district?   No, there are no geographical limits.   This is already happening in many places in our fellowship.   For instance, Ron Johnson, A/G pastor in Hampton, Virginia is seen as a spiritual father to hundreds of ministers, the vast majority of whom are overseas.   This model is designed to remove artificial geographical boundaries and allow natural relationships to determine how ministers connect.

Can I invite a non-A/G credential holder to join the group I join?    Actually, yes if your Catalyst leader is open to that.   While the Catalyst Leaders are required to be PDDC credential holders accountable to the district leadership, we have opened up the possibility for non-A/G credential holders to be part of the Catalyst Groups to allow for greater Kingdom influence.

Is the number of groups limited to the initial 17?    Absolutely not!!   If someone wants to be a Catalyst Group leader right now, they simply need to contact Paul Grabill and then have their name submitted to the Presbytery by the Superintendent.   In addition, Catalyst Group leaders will be strongly encouraged to spin off new groups/networks within the next 12-18 months.   This model is designed for perpetual reproduction.   It is our hope to have 40-50 such groups within 4 years.   For those who may feel some calling or aspiration to lead a mentoring network, we might suggest connecting with one of the original 17 and observing/receiving for 12-18 months before launching out.   It is important to note that there is no goal to see who have the biggest group, but rather an encouragement to have wide and lasting Kingdom influence/impact.   That happens best through reproduction.   Your leader is committed to you surpassing him/her in Kingdom effectiveness!!

Is leadership limited to Lead/Solo Pastors ?   Absolutely not.   Eran Holt is a prime example, and we expect many more groups to emerge that are led by staff pastors, evangelists, counselors, retired ministers and other kinds of ministries/callings.   One does not have to be a lead pastor to do mentoring, leadership development and help others experience Kingdom expansion.

It is said that the Catalyst Groups are, in part, about church planting and revitalization?   How will that happen?   This, again, will vary from group to group.   Some groups may make this their number one priority.   Others may see this naturally rising out of leadership development.   Creative funding and staffing issues will be sorted out as we go, but there will be no doubt that Catalyst Groups have Kingdom expansion and reproduction as a core value.   Regarding revitalization, we expect that some home missions pastors/congregations may choose to align themselves with strong Catalyst leaders and their congregations, realizing the advantage of tapping into the resources that would be available.   In the coming years we may see some home missions pastors, in fact, become staff pastors in those congregations (as is happening in other places).   In this model they no longer see themselves as having to compete with the strong congregation(s) in their region, but become team members, utilizing the strengths of the larger congregation/pastoral resources.

If I have more questions about Catalyst Groups, where should I take them ?   If it has to do with an individual Catalyst Group, please call or email the leader of that group.   If it has to do with the overall model, email Paul Grabill at pgrabill@aol.com.