Filter By Ministry

How is your training program structured?

Learning & Development

NewSpring Learning and Development trains staff and volunteers in several ways. On live training days, staff come from across the state for worship and teaching. We also break into smaller classes on staff culture, leadership, integrity, and ministry skills.

All staff meetings, which happen live on training days and weekly via video, address the culture and direction of our church.

Additional training happens via on-demand online courses, deep courses where pastors teach on specific topics over a longer period of time, podcasts, and short how-to videos on various processes.

What is the goal of your staff training programs?

Learning & Development

NewSpring Learning and Development exists to develop people and grow our church. We seek to make all of our training practical, personal, unifying, and inspirational.

What are some of the classes your staff takes?

Learning & Development

Some of our most popular classes cover topics such as:

  • Striving vs. Abiding
  • Getting Things Done
  • Raising Kids in Ministry
  • Practical Pastoring

Can I observe a class?

Learning & Development

Yes! Schedule a time to visit a training day here.

What does Communications do?

Communications

Communications works with ministries to help NewSpring communicate clearly and consistently in every community we serve. Our staff handles marketing and promotion for anything that affects all 14 campuses, from Sunday gatherings to churchwide events and conferences. We manage NewSpring’s social media accounts and maintain the church’s brand standards for writing. Nearly every word you see online, in our buildings, or out in the community comes through this team.

How is your team structured?

Communications

The communications director leads a social media manager, a communications coordinator, a content coordinator, and a project manager. 

  • The communications director and communications coordinator work with ministries to develop communication plans for new events, initiatives, and series. 
  • The social media manager works with a team of volunteers to maintain NewSpring’s social media presence and provide care and customer service to those who reach out online. 
  • The content coordinator maintains NewSpring’s brand voice by writing, editing, and shaping our church’s written content. 
  • The project manager turns communication plans into actionable projects, ensuring everyone has what they need to complete projects on time. 

Projects that take collaboration from three or more support ministries become a New Project Request (or NPR). For example, this webpage was a collaboration with Technology, Communications, and every ministry represented. 

These projects are led by the project director. The project director identifies the teams needed to pull off that person’s vision and ensures each piece of a project moves from one team to the next without losing the focus of what the requestor had in mind. This frees up campuses and ministries to spend more time shepherding people and less time shepherding projects.

Do you have volunteers?

Communications

Yes! Volunteers help create social media content and provide care and prayer in social spaces. We also have a team of volunteer writers who help create the articles and devotionals on our website.

What is the vision of this team?

Guest Services

Connections exists to see, serve, and connect with everyone who comes to NewSpring on Sunday. By serving people individually, we get to partner with God and help guests who attend on Sunday find their place in our church family. We accomplish this through Connect Class, greeting, parking, ushers, atrium teams, and more!

How are the staff and volunteer teams structured?

Guest Services

Each campus’s Connections director leads up to five volunteer and/or staff coordinators. Connections coordinators are responsible for leading up to six volunteer team leaders. This is the suggested structure, but we also trust each Connections director to think beyond Sunday logistics and put the right people in place to shepherd volunteers at their campus.

How do you follow up with guests?

Guest Services

After a conversation with a guest, volunteers fill out a digital form called a follow-through reminder. This form is connected to Rock, our church management software, and allows the volunteer to record the person’s name, their preferred method of contact, and notes from their conversation. 

When the volunteer submits a follow-through reminder, they automatically receive a reminder email or text within 24 to 48 hours. This reminder includes the guest’s preferred method of contact and a second follow-up form. The volunteer then follows up with the guest using their preferred method of contact, fills out, and submits the follow-up form.

How do you care for your volunteers?

Guest Services

We intentionally structure teams so one staff member is not trying to shepherd a large group of volunteers on their own. Staff and volunteer leaders meet with their teams to discuss how to advance the vision of Connections, as well as how they are growing in their relationship with God. We trust each Connections director to accomplish this through training events, lead team meetings, Sunday volunteer meetings, and one-on-one time with volunteers.

What does Sunday look like for a first-time guest?

Guest Services

The team primarily responsible for hosting first-time guests is the atrium, or lobby, team. Every Sunday, the atrium team aims to see, serve, and connect with first-time guests before and after gatherings. Atrium team volunteers wear lanyards that say, “How can I help you?” They move freely around the atrium and someone is also near the “New Here?” signs at each campus.

If someone identifies as a first-time guest, either by introducing themselves or turning on their flashers in the parking lot, a member of the atrium team shows them around, gives them a gift, and answers any questions they have. 

The goal is to connect with first-time guests before each gathering begins, but we know that isn’t always possible. So during the gathering, we invite first-time guests to connect with our atrium team before they leave and receive the same experience.

How is your team structured?

Creative

NewSpring Creative includes artists (graphic designers, motion graphic designers, filmmakers, producers, a photographer, and an art director) as well as a creative operations team (project managers and an operations director). Each area has a team leader, who reports to the creative team director. We also have volunteers who work alongside our artists.

What is your creative process for supporting Sunday services?

Creative

The creative operations director sits in weekly creativity meetings with the Teaching Team and representatives from every support ministry. He or she then brings any projects from that meeting back to the artists. As a team, we’ll brainstorm, plan, produce, deliver, and review each project.

What ministries is this team responsible for?

Discipleship

Discipleship is responsible for groups, group leader development and support, care, financial assistance, financial coaching, and baptism.

How are your teams structured?

Discipleship

Groups have hub leaders, coaches, and group leaders. These leaders form a Volunteer Groups Core Team. Hub leaders help guide groups vision for their demographic (i.e., men’s groups, women’s groups, and married couples’ groups). Coaches support groups vision by investing in the health of their group leaders. Group leaders are members of our church family who lead a group. Group leader development happens in men’s and women’s mentoring groups. Mentors are highly vetted male and female volunteer leaders within the church and community.

Care Teams are made up of service leaders and care volunteers. Service leaders are volunteers assigned to lead care volunteers during Sunday services. During the week, care and financial coaching responsibilities are distributed among care volunteers according to their gifting, skill set, and availability.

Baptism Teams include a service leader who is assigned to lead baptism volunteers in set-up, tear down, and pastoral care.

How do you follow up with people?

Discipleship

Our goal is to follow-up with everyone we care for within 48 hours using the recipient’s preferred method of contact.

How does someone join NewSpring or become a member?

Discipleship

A member of the NewSpring family is anyone who engages with our church beyond Sunday attendance. This could include serving, joining a group, leading a group, tithing, or attending classes. Internally, we would consider anyone active in our church as a member of our family. But we welcome anyone who claims NewSpring as their church home.

What kind of discipleship resources do you offer your small groups and attendees?

Discipleship

Small groups have access to a number of resources on RightNow Media. Our church also publishes devotionals and articles online.

Does NewSpring have an ideal building size?

Facilities

Right now, our ideal campus would be 45,000 square feet with an 800-seat auditorium. This would be similar to the size and layout of the Clemson and Powdersville campuses.

Do you do your cleaning in-house or contract?

Facilities

Contract.

What is the smell in your facilities?

Facilities

We use ScentAir dispensers in the public areas of our buildings. The scent is white blossom tea.

Does NewSpring always buy their facilities?

Facilities

We prefer to own our facilities, but that’s not always possible. We have (and still do) rent or lease some spaces.

Do you share blueprints of your facilities?

Facilities

Yes! To get blueprints of a building, email us at network@newspring.cc.

How is the staff structured?

Finance

The Finance Team includes the finance director and the director’s assistant, accounts payable director and several accounts payable coordinators, and an accounts receivable director.

Does NewSpring have a budget?

Finance

Yes, we set an annual budget.

What are the financial capabilities available in Rock?

Finance

Rock, our church management system, allows people to give online or on the NewSpring App. We use Rock for all contributions to the church, from tithes and offerings to mission trip payments.

How are Fuse staff and volunteer teams structured?

Fuse

Every campus has a Fuse director who leads a high school group leader, a middle school group leader, a high school support volunteer leader, a middle school support volunteer leader, and a new serve leader.

What happens on a typical Fuse night?

Fuse

A typical Fuse night for high schoolers begins with a volunteer meeting at 6:15pm on a Wednesday. At 6:30pm, doors open for students to check in and spend time with friends and volunteers. Service happens from 7pm to 8:15pm. Parents start picking up students after service. Some Fuse Groups also meet after service during pick up.

A typical Fuse night for middle schoolers begins with a volunteer meeting at 3:45pm on a Sunday. At 4pm, doors open for students to check in and spend time with friends and volunteers. Service happens from 5pm to 6pm. They will break off into small groups for the last 15 minutes of service. Parents start picking up students after service.

How do you lead and organize your volunteers?

Fuse

Volunteers serve as high school Fuse Group leaders, middle school Fuse Group leaders, high school support volunteers, or middle school support volunteers. 

Fuse Group leaders help students develop community by meeting in small groups to study the Bible. Fuse Groups meet on Wednesday or Sunday nights after Fuse, or during the week. 

Support volunteers help make Fuse happen. They create the environments students experience, park and direct traffic, and check in students on Fuse nights. 

What are NewSpring’s work hours? How does that work for each team?

Human Resources

The work week for NewSpring employees is Sunday through Thursday. Weekday office hours are Monday through Thursday from 9am to 5pm. Sunday office hours vary according to an employee’s position and ministry area. Because some areas of ministry require teams to be present and available outside of regular office hours, NewSpring allows ministry directors to make small adjustments to their team’s weekday hours in order to balance the hours worked each week.

Do you have a staff handbook?

Human Resources

Yes. Our Policies and Procedures Handbook is available to all staff members on Rock. Policies and procedures are also discussed at new hire orientation. This handbook contains policies and office procedures for all NewSpring staff members, so we require each employee to acknowledge that they’ve reviewed and understood it.

How do you know when a role needs to be added?

Human Resources

Team supervisors or ministry directors can request a new hire or position. A proposal detailing the need and desire for the new role is submitted to the lead team for approval. Once approved, that position is added to a list of open roles available to hire. If an employee leaves staff, the supervisor must get approval to rehire that position based on need.

Do you have an org chart?

Human Resources

Yes. NewSpring’s org chart is updated weekly with any staffing changes. A PDF of the org chart is readily available to our staff on Rock.

What does a sabbatical look like?

Human Resources

After completing six consecutive years of employment at NewSpring, a staff member is eligible to take a sabbatical during their seventh year.

The length of the sabbatical varies, depending on position level. Sabbatical weeks must be taken together. Additional vacation time can be taken adjacent to the sabbatical weeks if the employee needs more time off. Full salary and benefits are provided to employees during their sabbatical. NewSpring also provides a $1,000 stipend to equip employees for sabbatical rest.

Sabbatical applications must be approved by the employee’s supervisor and lead team pastor. Once approved, the employee meets with a member of the staff health team to review their sabbatical plan and set goals for their time away. After a sabbatical, employees follow-up with staff health to discuss what God revealed during their time off and what they learned heading into the next season of ministry.

How is the staff structured?

Technology

The Technology director leads the team, which includes an Operations team, Engineering team, and Infrastructure team. When projects come in from ministry areas, our project manager gathers information and coordinates the resources and team members needed to fulfill the ministry’s vision.

Systems administrators design and maintain our church’s IT systems. They also handle day-to-day training and troubleshooting with our staff. The Operations team handles purchasing, the church’s eBay store, employee cell phone contracts and repairs, and any technical details related to staffing changes.

Which systems do you use?

Technology

  • RockRMS - Rock is our church management system. It is used for many reasons, including, checking in children and volunteers, managing people data and giving records, external email and text campaigns, as well as internal communication.
  • G Suite - We use the Google Suite for email, calendars, word processing and document collaboration, mobile device management, and device management (i.e., Chromebooks and check-in stations).
  • Jamf-Pro - We use Jamf-Pro for device management of our Mac laptops and Mac desktops.
  • Windows Server - We are a full Windows shop on the server side. We utilize Active Directory for user, groups, and permissions management. We use Azure as our virtualization platform.
  • Cisco Meraki - We currently use Cisco Meraki as our wireless system.

How do you use network and streaming?

Technology

NewSpring provides Internet connections at all permanent locations and some portable locations. Our network is set up with an Internet connection at permanent locations. At portable locations where we aren’t able to provide Internet connections, we provide mobile data cards. The Internet connections we provide allow us to stream the message to the campus, check in kids and volunteers, and provide guest wireless access when possible.

What kind of check-in equipment do you use?

Technology

We currently use the following equipment for check-in:

  • Asus C201 laptop
  • Zebra gx420d with cutter or a Zebra zd420 with wireless and cutter
  • Zebra QLn420

How do you manage your support process?

Technology

We encourage our staff to request tech support via email or phone call.

Support requests that come through email are collected in a system called DeskPro. This allows us to assign the request to the appropriate team member and track the ticket status.

Our support phone number rings a phone in the Technology office and forwards to the cell phone of whoever is on-call for after hours issues. Any request received via phone usually results in our team creating a ticket for the user. Generally, only emergency issues are addressed outside of business hours. An emergency issue includes problems that will impact Sunday gatherings and broken cell phones.

Which Church Management System do you use?

Technology

We use RockRMS, and we’d love to talk to you about why you should, too. Email network@newspring.cc to set up a time to talk to us about Rock.

Was your website created in-house?

Technology

Yes. We are using RockRMS as our CMS, which powers both newspring.cc and newspringnetwork.com

How do you manage the health of your team? And related to that, how do you prioritize tasks?

Technology

We use a decision matrix to prioritize tasks. Every task that comes in runs through the matrix to determine its overall priority score. We review the task board weekly to make sure we are working on time-sensitive tasks and high priority tasks.

How are your staff and volunteer teams structured?

KidSpring

Every campus has at least one KidSpring staff member who leads volunteer leaders over each area (nursery, preschool, elementary, special needs, guest services, production, and new serve). Those leaders lead the volunteers who care for kids in KidSpring.

What is a typical Sunday like for kids and families? What about for your volunteers?

KidSpring

When families check in their children, they receive printed name tags and matching parent tags. Then, they drop off their kids in their age-appropriate rooms. Kids participate in activity stations, large group, and small group while their parents attend the adult gathering. Volunteers arrive early to meet with their teams and remain with the kids until parents have picked them up.

What is your ministry’s vision, values, and standards?

KidSpring

KidSpring is a place where kids learn about Jesus on their level. We execute that vision by focusing on safety, creative Bible teaching, age-appropriate environments, relationships, and fun. Standards, such as volunteer-to-child ratios, series theming, and room schedules, help support these values.

How does KidSpring check-in work?

KidSpring

We use Rock, our church management system, for check-in. After searching for the child by name, the system suggests an age-appropriate room based on the child’s previous attendance, grade, and/or age. A volunteer manages each check-in computer to ensure every child attends the most appropriate room.

What does KidSpring look like for a child with special needs?

KidSpring

Every child matters to us and deserves to hear about Jesus on their level. In Spring Zone, children and young adults with special needs have buddies who meet them where they’re at and help them understand the good news that Jesus loves them.

How is the leadership team structured?

Lead Team

The Lead Team’s goal is to create and maintain a life-producing culture where God’s Word can be taught, the Gospel can be proclaimed, and God can be worshipped in Spirit and truth. 

NewSpring’s Lead Team, or elders, includes three pastors who are equal in authority but distinct in responsibility. Brad Cooper oversees culture and direction. Shane Duffey oversees campus pastors and ministry teams. Michael Mullikin oversees operations teams.

The Leadership Support Team is comprised of unpaid NewSpring members from around the state. These men advise the elders and help set budgets and salaries. Members of the Leadership Support Team are chosen by the elders and serve a three-year term. 

What does it look like to make leadership decisions as a team?

Lead Team

Each lead pastor has the authority to make decisions for the teams he leads. Decisions that affect the entire church or involve multiple ministries are brought to the whole team for discussion, prayer, and consideration. The Lead Team then prays and discusses until they reach a unified decision.

Where did the idea of team leadership come from?

Lead Team

NewSpring adopted team leadership for several reasons:

How many missions trips does NewSpring take each year?

NewSpring Nations

The number of trips varies from year to year. For 2020, we planned nine foreign mission trips to Guatemala.

Does NewSpring give to missions? How are those decisions made?

NewSpring Nations

NewSpring gives 10 percent of everything we receive to local and foreign missions. Using lots of input from NewSpring Missions, the Lead Team makes the final decision on where we invest locally and globally.

How are your staff and volunteer teams structured?

Production

Every campus has a creative arts director who leads the production coordinator and worship leader. The worship leader is responsible for shepherding the band. The production coordinator is responsible for shepherding audio, video and lighting volunteers.

What does service producing look like?

Production

The service producer is responsible for the atmosphere in the service. They cast vision for what the Lord is leading the team to accomplish that day and help everyone involved execute that goal.

How are your staff and volunteer teams structured?

Rally

Rally has two staff members, the Rally director and Rally operations director. Together, they lead coordinators who oversee communications, culture, Rally Groups, and volunteers. These coordinators are volunteers who lead other volunteers.

On a campus level, Rally point people build teams to help connect 18- to 25-year-olds to Jesus and each other.

Who is invited to Rally?

Rally

Anyone between 18 and 25 years old is invited to attend Rally gatherings and Rally Groups. Rally Group leaders who are old than 25 are invited and encouraged to attend Rally gatherings with their group members.

Who makes up the volunteer teams if 18- to 25-year-olds are the ones attending?

Rally

Rally is a ministry for 18- to 25-year-olds, led by 18- to 25-year-olds. We are passionate about helping young adults identify and operate in their giftings. That’s why the majority of Rally’s volunteers and leaders are young adults themselves. We welcome older adults with a passion for college students to get involved, but we intentionally try to build teams and identify leaders who are between 18 and 25.

What does a Rally night look like?

Rally

Rally gatherings happen the first Tuesday of every month at the Clemson and Columbia Campuses. People from across the state travel to attend Rally. We believe this generation is full of creativity and passion, and as a result, each Rally night is uniquely different.

The two things you can expect at every Rally night are good food and God’s Word. We believe in doing life together, so we dedicate nearly an hour at the front of the night to sharing a meal and connecting with friends. After mealtime, we gather to worship, hear an encouraging message, and challenge and pray for one another. We also end the night in community by sharing dessert.

Does Rally do things with the attendees outside of the big gatherings?

Rally

Rally Groups are the lifeblood of this ministry. Gatherings and groups are both important, but we believe life change happens in close community. We encourage young adults to meet in small groups as much as they meet in big gatherings. Our hope is that every 18- to 25-year-old will be connected to a Rally Group in their community.

What is the vision for this ministry?

Safety exists to safeguard environments so men and women can hear from God and be activated to impact others.

How are the staff, volunteers, and contract safety roles structured?

Most campuses have a Facility and Safety director, who works with contract law enforcement officers and leads the safety coordinator. Safety coordinators, who are often volunteers, lead service leaders, and Safety volunteers.

What kind of incidents are included in your safety policies?

NewSpring has processes and procedures for handling a variety of incidents, including active shooter threats, inclement weather, mandatory reporting, backpack and bags, and use of AEDs. Policies are created by our Safety Support team and implemented at all campuses.

How is your teaching team structured?

Teaching Team

The Teaching Team is comprised of four pastors, each with unique teaching gifts. The lead pastor of culture and direction leads the Teaching Team. 

The team plans series and messages together, leaning into each other’s experience and feedback while crafting messages. Spiritual Formation works alongside the Teaching Team to provide prophetic and practical guidance on the teaching rhythms and content. 

The Teaching Team preaches most Sundays. However, it’s not unusual for our church to hear from other gifted communicators throughout the year, including student pastors, campus pastors, and guest speakers.

How do you decide who speaks and how often?

Teaching Team

The pastor with a unique burden, experience, or anointing for the topic is given the opportunity. Sharing the Sunday load equally is not the goal, but has often been our experience.

Will this team ever change?

Teaching Team

The team will change as our needs change. Because success is succession, we hope to identify and equip pastors who can join the Teaching Team in the future. 

What qualifies someone to be part of the teaching team?

Teaching Team

The Lead Team must clearly see a gift to teach and the character to support their gifting (Romans 12:6-8, James 3:1). 

What does a typical week look like for the Teaching Team?

Teaching Team

  • The Teaching Team participates in weekly planning and creative meetings to help craft the Sunday experience.
  • They also participate in a weekly Teaching Team meeting to help develop their sermons. While sermons often begin in the heart of a single pastor, messages are brought to the entire team for feedback and development. 
  • The Teaching Team helps shepherd our staff and connect with the people of our church. 
  • In addition, the Teaching Team helps to develop the communication skills of younger pastors and teachers.

How is the worship team structured?

Worship

The majority of our campuses have a full-time worship leader. Worship leaders steward the atmosphere for worship at their location and lead a team of non-staff worship leaders. Worship leaders report to the creative arts pastor at their campus.

The Worship Support team serves the campus worship leaders and their teams by providing vision, support, and operational resources. The central worship team also coordinates and stewards the process of writing and producing original music.

What standards are your non-staff musicians held to?

Worship

We want to create a culture of leaders with integrity of heart and skill of hand (Psalm 78:72). To create that culture, all of our musicians are expected to uphold the following standards:

  • Love God and love people.
  • Live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
  • Live out NewSpring’s vision to connect people to Jesus and each other.
  • Commit to our no ordinary family.
  • Be prepared.
  • Be punctual.
  • Memorize your parts/lyrics for gatherings.

Do you do auditions? What is the audition process like?

Worship

Occasionally, we hold auditions in person, but the vast majority of auditions happen online. In the online audition process, musicians and vocalists submit a video of themselves playing or singing one of the songs listed. We provide the resources to sing or play along with. We also ask those auditioning to answer a few questions and tell us a little about themselves.

How do you schedule who plays when and where?

Worship

The worship leader at each campus schedules the musicians and vocalists for their campus. Band members and vocalists rotate often to best serve the church, the team, and the individuals.

How do you plan the Sunday worship set across all the different campuses?

Worship

Our goal is to take people on a journey, shepherding them into the presence of God. Campuses plan their setlist from a series song bank of 18 songs. This helps our church remain unified in the songs we sing while giving campus worship leaders the ability to craft the journey for their campus.

From time to time, in order to support a specific message theme, we will plan for unified moments where we all lead the same song at the same time across all locations.

What are Connect Classes?

Guest Services

Connect Classes are a series of four classes for anyone that is ready to step into the NewSpring family. These classes are the best place to learn what our church believes and what God wants for every individual. 

In Connect Classes, we teach on God’s promises to save us, free us, give us purpose, and make us into a family. Connect Classes are designed to be interactive. Participants sit at round tables with a volunteer table host, and the material is taught through a combination of live teaching from the local facilitator and video teaching from our Teaching Team. 

A new series of Connect Classes begins on the first Sunday every month. Connect Classes happen during each Sunday gathering. This allows participants to attend a Sunday gathering, then a class (or vice versa). It also gives parents access to childcare through KidSpring.