St Paul �Coptic�Service

Engaging people to Christ, on the foundation of the Christian Orthodox Faith, and according to the Holy Tradition of the Coptic Church.

Vision

Mission

Our Mission is to deliver the Living Christ within us and show His endless love, to all the uninvolved Christians, unbelievers and Churched people  in whatever countries which are in need and willing to accept our service. We strive to draw people’s attention to the goal of our existence and afterlife destination, which is the Kingdom of Heaven, and to gain souls to Christ through establishing a church, running sustainable projects and preparing suitable calibers  to be rooted on the Faith of the Mother Coptic Orthodox Church , and to be equipped for evangelism and pastoral care. St. Paul Coptic service will humbly give the needed help and support, avoiding the authoritarian image;  this will be achieved through loyal servants who sincerely believe, carefully study, faithfully explain and relevantly apply the word of God through the Mother Church.

Service Methodology

7 Milestones

Team Building

Milestone 1

M1. Team Building

M1. Team Building

Team building through:

• Education course
• Training in Egypt
• Joining country/function team and attending development courses ( Weekly meeting – courses at the institute )
• Preparation for missions together
• Vision, mission & values
• Codes & rules orientation

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Exploration

Milestone 2

M2. Exploration

1. Online research by team
2. On-ground exploration missions by the team
3. During exploratory missions, collect all possible contacts that can help in the service.
4. Study the culture, rules and regulations during exploratory missions
5. Exploratory missions to answer 2 main questions
1. The preferred location for service.
2. The best approach for the service.

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M2. Exploration

Consider

• 2-3 members in mission
• Start by capital
• Explore MAX 2 more nearby villages
• Don’t … buy a land – buy a building – Start a business or NGO … unless you are sure of the place and approach.

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M2. Exploration

Expected Results by accomplishing EXPLORATION:

• Service location.
• Contacts.
• Country needs.
• Target group
• Following year missions plan.

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Building Reputation

Milestone 3

M3. Building Reputation

Several missions with different activities :

• To introduce the Coptic church
• To maintain good reputation among locals & officials.
• Address people’s needs.
• Find the best location.
• Decide if it is better to rent or buy service residency.
• Find out how to establish NGO & register a church.
• Plan for the tasks and jobs needed from a resident.

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M3. Building Reputation

Consider

• Continuous missions at the same place
• Select the a reachable location, a place where the resident or the priest can settle.
• Use wisely your contacts with other churches and authorities.
• Don’t buy a property on this early stage (exceptions to be discussed)

M3. Building Reputation

Expected Results by accomplishing BUILDING REPUTATON:

• Good reputation for the Coptic Church between locals and officials.
• Decide the best location of the service residency.
• Decide if it is better to rent or buy service residency.
• Best sustainable service approach.
• Find out how to establish NGO & register a church.
• The tasks and jobs needed from a resident.

Existence

Milestone 4

M4. Existence (Resident)

1. Assign a resident.
2. Resident to arrange for regular meetings and activities
3. Resident to start having group of disciples from locals.
4. Resident to study Community development activity.
5. Start NGO & Church registration.
6. Resident to prepare the service residency.
7. Resident to arrange focused missions

M4. Existence (Resident)

Consider :

1. Resident main task is evangelism not necessarily following projects or constructions.
2. Team, in Egypt, not to feel that their task is ended
3. Targeted missions to
1. Lead to our vision.
2. Support the resident
3. Focus on the locals’ needs
4. At the selected place ONLY

Coptic Church

Milestone 5

M5. Coptic Church

1. Assign Coptic priest
2. Coptic Priest to start :
• Communicating with locals on one-to-one basis.
• Regular spiritual meetings and Liturgy
• Catechumens’ course.
• Following locals ready for baptism.
• Run the community development activity.
• Plan focused missions by the team.

M5. Coptic Church

Consider

• We can not start by local priest.
• Main target is evangelism not pastoral care for Egyptians or other Christians from sister churches.
• Start by simple small chapel .
• To build a big church there should be a considerable congregation of baptized locals.

Growing Church

Milestone 6

M6. Growing Church

Coptic Priest to continue :

1. Maintain the service in the church and work on increasing the congregation by:
• Baptizing ready locals
• Regular liturgy , Sunday school , other meetings.
• Servants’ preparation courses.
• Empower local servants to lead the spiritual meetings.
• Local priests’ preparation.
• Start sustainable development activity (Clinic - Nursery - School…etc.) if possible.
2. Start exploring new locations in the country.

M6. Growing Church

Consider :

• Use a catechumens course for preparing for baptism
• Don’t rush in baptizing people
• Don’t promise any financial support for baptized locals or servants

Empowered Church

Milestone 7

M7. Empowered Church

1. Have a local priest , empowering and following him to take-over the service in the church
2. Sustainable service (Liturgy-Sunday school-meetings…etc.)
3. Empowered local servants to lead the spiritual meetings.
4. Sustainable development project.
5. Have evangelism course to local servants
6. Complete hand-over of the church with follow-up
7. Moving to the new location to establish a new church

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M7. Empowered Church

Consider :

• Keep following the local priest.
• Make sure that you have planted an evangelistic church.

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