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Church Planting
Learning Community

At Alpha Australia, our desire is for the Church to grow & thrive in our city and across the nation of Australia. We believe there is a need for a church planting & multiplication movement across the next generation. For churches to plant churches who plant churches.
We are sponsoring a learning community to springboard and resource church multiplication across Australia.

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What is a learning community?

In this context, it's a group of committed leaders coming together over two years to learn how to plant & multiply in their own contexts. To learn from experts, to learn from one another, and to constructively hold one another accountable to growing & multiplying the Australian Church.

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Who would be in the learning community?

We are inviting over 15 churches / denominations. Each with the senior leader and 1-6 other leaders, who have the collective influence to make decisions for their own church / denomination.

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What is the intended outcome of this learning community?

Our hope is that it spurns a movement of future planting & multiplication, an Australian-made toolkit, and active planting partnerships that emerge from our learnings and engagements over the two years. There will be plenty of time in the in-person meetings for your group to strategically plan towards your multiplication goals.

What is the content of the learning community?

The content would be determined by the needs of the group and learnings from global best practice. For example:
 

  • Clarifying models (microsite, multisite, fresh expressions, autonomous plants).

  • Leadership pipeline to develop planters and team.

  • Assessment tool/ planter profile.

  • Coaching/support/mentors for planting.

  • Financial models for planting.

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What is the financial investment?

Each participating church or network will invest $3,800 per year (payable in 4 equal installments across the 2 years), not including travel & accommodation costs.
 

Alpha Australia will provide sponsorship and seek additional trust funding to cover remaining costs. If you’re in need of some financial assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

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What are the key aspects of the learning community?

  • The bias is for multiple models that allows everyone to pick various ideas from various models that can be tested in the streets.

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  • Focus on developing our own contextualisation for Australia and specific church movements.

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  • Exposure to best practices from the UK, Europe, Australia, America, etc.

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  • Exposure to different models of planting including microsites, multi-sites from resource churches, fresh expressions/missional communities, and autonomous plants.​

  • Facilitated by an external skilled practitioner who is not tied to any particular model or approach and has access to a wide network.

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  • Developing best practice for multi-ethnic plants.

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  • Action-oriented: people involved are committed to planting at least one church by the end of 2025.

Who would facilitate the learning community?

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Brent Dolfo

Brent Dolfo has more than 35 years of experience in senior ministry leadership and has coached and consulted worldwide with movements such as Alpha International as well as with churches in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Europe.

He also has served as a designer and facilitator of Learning Communities on various continents with subjects ranging from Church Planting, Generosity, Digital Engagement, Evangelism and Leadership Development. Brent is married to Diana and they have three adult children- Braedon, Keynan and Tanika.

In his spare time, Brent is chairing the host committee for the 2022, 2023 Canadian Track and Field Championships.

Bishop Ric Thorpe

The Rt Revd Dr Ric Thorpe was appointed as Bishop of Islington in 2015 to oversee the Diocese of London’s work on church planting and growth. He serves the Church of England nationally as "bishop of church planting", supporting bishops, dioceses, church planters and pioneers, developing church planting strategies to plant new worshipping communities to reach new people in new and renewed ways. 

 

Ric is the director of the Gregory Centre for Church Multiplication, which offers training and support on church planting and growth for the full breadth of the Church, and heads the annual Multiply Church Planting Conference. He also works with Plant Anglican, the Anglican Communion Church Planting Network, and Exponential Europe. He is proud to support Tearfund as an Ambassador. He is married to Louie and they have three children.

Church Planting Learning Community Dates

Meetings

  • In Person: Four sessions in person over the course of the two-year commitment.
     

  • On Zoom: Approximately 8 Zoom calls over the course of two years.

     

In Person​

  • Who is Alpha for?
    Alpha is for everyone who is willing to have an honest conversation. No matter your background, history, or beliefs. You are welcome.
  • What happens at Alpha?
    Every Alpha is different but the core elements stay the same. There is time for connection with one another, be that a meal, snacks or cup of tea over Zoom. Then, we watch a video together, and afterwards we have a conversation about. In the conversation time, you share what you think. You can say as much or as little as you want, and nothing is off limits. Seriously.
  • How much does Alpha cost?
    Alpha is free!
  • How long does Alpha go for?
    Alpha is a series of sessions. However, you are welcome to come along for one week and see if its a fit for you. No pressure.
  • How do I sign up for Alpha?
    Use the 'Find an Alpha' tool above to sign up for Alpha, or use the get in touch via the contact form so the Alpha Australia team can connect you to the best Alpha for you.
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