Copyright © 2009 by Galen Currah, Ed Aw and George Patterson
This document may be freely copied, stored, distributed and sold.
During this decade, certain ‘universal factors’, common traits and basic practices of church-planting movements have become widely known and are now being taught in most countries. Consequently, Church Planter mentors and teachers are increasingly being called upon to advise, train and coach those who want to launch a Church Planting Movement (CPM), quickly, where conventional churches cost too much or reproduce too slowly. However, such workers can quickly prove disappointed, when CPM methods do not seem to work for them, even angry with you for misleading them.
Almost always, disappointing church planting results can be traced back to the first steps: starting with an unresponsive segment of the local population. The table below identifies eight less fruitful starting places and suggests eight better ones.
LESS RESPONSIVE AND TYPICALLY BETTER PLACES
IN WHICH TO START NEW CHURCHES
|
Less Responsive Places to Start |
Typically Better Places to Start |
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Christians who are willing to form a cell. Some imagine they will start cells with believers and multiply them. Such seldom happens, for believers seeking fellowship usually have little evangelistic urge or opportunity. |
Non-Christians who will open their home. This is what Jesus instructed the 12 and the 72 to do. Most non-believers have many unbelieving friends and relatives who they will invite in. |
|
Middle & upper class These people sense less need of help from God. Many who have material means and social status, when they count the cost of following Jesus, choose not to do so. |
Poor, working folk The poor are often willing to let God help them, and will be pleased when Jesus answers their prayers. They are also less likely to suffer much loss for becoming followers of Jesus. |
|
Satisfied & comfortable Rich or poor, many folk sense no need for more than what they currently enjoy. Some will waste your time discussing religion, spirituality and philosophy, fitting Jesus into their own beliefs. |
Inquirers & seekers There are always folks whom God has been preparing to receive his Good News. Ask God to bring you and some of them together. Answer their questions and teach them the Good News. |
|
Better evangelized fields Where the Good News is widely known, there are more spiritually blinded folk who have, anti-Christian feelings and philosophies. Unconverted Christians have also given the Good News a bad reputation. |
Neglected fields The power of God often appears strongest where the need is greatest. Certainly, God desires that all ‘un-reached’ populations hear his Good News. In un-evangelised regions, one meets more hostility and more receptivity, at the same time. |
|
Comfortable zones Where there are few needs, there is often little interest in finding God. Furthermore, most Christian workers often reside in more comfortable towns where they are needed less. |
Disaster zones Where believers meet material and practical needs of populations at risk, treating all equally, showing no favouritism, many disaster victims respond to God’s mercy and to his messengers. |
|
Resistant individuals Evangelism that seeks to persuade an individual to become a believer, usually fails to win others, so no church can start. |
Receptive households Most church multiplication happens among whole households. Seek to contact receptive heads of households. |
|
Westerners & the modern The Western nations have come through two hundred years of incessant propaganda touting naturalism, evolutionism, scientism and rationalism. Thus, their understanding is largely darkened to eternal realities. |
Non-Westerners & the post-modern The Good News speaks about spiritual things: God, a risen Intercessor, power over evil, a loving community operating with spiritual gifts. These realities make better sense where the population has highly-spiritual beliefs and practices. |
|
Socially marginal individuals Almost every new evangelistic effort and church plant will attract individuals whose character or personality repels others. Better not to build a new work around such folk. |
Socially connected individuals The Good News normally flows easily within social networks, amongst friends, relatives and co-workers. It is normally amongst the socially connected that churches will start and reproduce. |
|
The culturally distant It can take many years to learn the language, gestures and cultural cues and social etiquette that are required to communicate the Good News clearly and to train church planters. Keep learning while raising up locals who will do most of the work, as quickly as you can. |
The culturally near Evangelism, church development and spiritual gifts remain highly dependent upon local communication systems and complex cultural traits that you may lack. You can communicate better with folk within your own culture or a similar one. |
MentorNet #64 – Seven Essential Activities That Foster Church Multiplication
Wow, what a succinct overview of Do’s & Dont’s – This ought to be required reading
in every seminary, Bible college and local church.
It’s like George Patterson says, “Gear down”. If you find your self in experiencing the things found in the left column, you may not need to move geographically in order to see a church planting movement take-off. You may simply need to ‘gear down’ and find those in your community that are not comfortable, that are dissatisfied, and are in need.
Matt – Good insight – Thanks!
Dear Ed, Dr. Currah, Dr. George,
Thank you so much for your efforts in making available the Mentornet articles. When ever I see them, it is always encouraging to me and I am gaining many new insights.
Thank God that I have many resources through mentornet to learn more and to train our missionaries as well as pastors for the cross-cultural work.
What you listed at the right column are so much relevant to Ethiopian current mission field situation. It is great ecncouragemet, to decern these factors and to use them as God given oppoertunities and avanues to share the Godspel and to see the CPMs happening.
Desta
I love this stuff! Every time I read a mentor note I am encouraged that yes we are not crazy in what we are doing. Thank you George for all that you have taught us. We now are able to give out these very priciples although we sometmes feel like lone rangers.
I am evaluating my own ministry situation and want to work where God is working. I have been working with Iraqi Sudanese refugees for several years and have discovered a person of peace. I am changing my access ministry to micro-business start-up with the hope that I will work with those who speak significant English, dissatisfied with their meat production job and are ambitious. Any thoughts?
Steve
Steve,
I have never worked with Muslims, but have mentored a few who have. Your approach may depend somewhat on their educational level. For those who know and value the Koran, the Camel method works fairly well (using texts about Jesus in the Koran as a bridge to the New Testament. for help with this, you might contact Dr. George Robinson GainUM@gmail.com.
Prayer for healin Jesus’ name is what many church planters are using with good results in India with Muslims.
Also, less educated, poorer Muslims are normally the easiest ones with which to start a church planting movement.
Let me know specific things we can pray for, or questions.
your servant
George Patterson
Hi Steve,
Thanks for the question. George and Galen gave great input. If you would like to talk, please send an email to edward at acquirewisdom.com.
Blessings,
Ed
Hi, Steve,
We thank God for you and your service to his Name. You did not way where you work. If in or near the Middle East of North africa, then micro-enterprise should prove an appropriate to needs. These days, there are many sites and materials of best practices. A true “child of peace” is one who has family and friends whom s/he wants to bring to learn about Christ, and is not content to be a secret follower or seeker. Unless you yourself are Iraqi or Sudanese, you should likely stay in the background and enable your men of peace to be the contact points with others. Children of peace can help others learn the Good News even while still “unconverted” seekers. Provide them with stories and with photocopied bible stories pictures that heir hearers can share with others, in turn.