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CHURCHPLANTING MOVEMENTS

INTRO

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They Who Sit In DARKNESS …

OUR BURDEN:

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IN 1998, THE OVERSEAS LEADERSHIP TEAM OF THE INTERNATIONAL MISSION BOARD ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING VISION STATEMENT:

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“We will facilitate the lost coming to saving faith in Jesus Christ by beginning and nurturing Church Planting Movements among all peoples.”

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WHAT IS A CHURCH PLANTING MOVEMENT?

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“A Church Planting Movement is a rapid multiplication of indigenous churches planting churches within a given people group or population segment.”

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THREE KEY COMPONENTS ARE...

• Rapid• Multiplicative Increase• Indigenous Churches

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Let’s Look At Some CPM Examples…

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LATIN AMERICA PEOPLE GROUP

• Background• IMB Involvement• Results

129

11741306

1918

0

500

1000

1500

2000

1989 1995 1997 1998

Southern Union ChurchesFrom your readings in the booklet Church Planting Movements describe…

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LATIN AMERICA PEOPLE GROUP

• Background• IMB Involvement• Results

95 100106

155

450545

846929

1140

1340

0200400600800

100012001400

1989 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998

Northern Union ChurchesFrom your readings in the booklet Church Planting Movements describe…

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EAST ASIA PEOPLE GROUP

• Background• IMB Involvement• Results

3 9 2676

195

550

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998

ChurchesFrom your readings in the booklet Church Planting Movements describe…

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EAST ASIA PEOPLE GROUP

• Background• IMB Involvement• Results

Members

83 600 2400

9600

25300

55000

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998

From your readings in the booklet Church Planting Movements describe…

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SOUTH CENTRAL ASIA GROUP

• Background• IMB Involvement• Results

28 36 78220

547

1200

2000

0200400600800

100012001400160018002000

1989 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998

ChurchesFrom your readings in the booklet Church Planting Movements describe…

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1 6 6 10 2043

78

123

194

020406080

100120140160180200

1982 1992 1994 1996 1998

Baptist Churches

THE KHMER OF CAMBODIA

• Background• IMB Involvement• Results

From your readings in the booklet Church Planting Movements describe…

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CHURCHPLANTING MOVEMENTS

PART ONE

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TEN UNIVERSAL ELEMENTSPART ONE

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ONE: PRAYER

Prayer is fundamental to every Prayer is fundamental to every Church Planting Movement. It Church Planting Movement. It is typically the first element in a is typically the first element in a master strategy plan, and it is master strategy plan, and it is the vitality of the missionary’s the vitality of the missionary’s prayer life that leads to its prayer life that leads to its imitation in the life of the new imitation in the life of the new church and its leader.church and its leader.

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TWO: ABUNDANT GOSPEL SOWING

A Church Planting Movement A Church Planting Movement does not emerge where does not emerge where evangelism is rare or absent. evangelism is rare or absent. The law of the harvest applies The law of the harvest applies well: well: “If you sow abundantly “If you sow abundantly you will also reap abundantly.”you will also reap abundantly.”

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The converse is also true: The converse is also true: wherever government or social wherever government or social forces intimidate and stifle forces intimidate and stifle Christian witness, Church Christian witness, Church Planting Movements are Planting Movements are effectively eliminated.effectively eliminated.

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THREE: INTENTIONAL CHURCH PLANTING

In every Church Planting In every Church Planting Movement someone Movement someone implements a strategy of implements a strategy of deliberate church planting deliberate church planting before the movement can get before the movement can get underway.underway.

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FOUR: SCRIPTURAL AUTHORITY

Church Planting Movements Church Planting Movements rest solidly on the authority of rest solidly on the authority of the Word of God. Even when the Word of God. Even when the Bible hasn’t yet been the Bible hasn’t yet been translated into the heart translated into the heart language, its authority is language, its authority is unquestioned.unquestioned.

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FIVE: LOCAL LEADERSHIP

In CPMs, missionaries walk In CPMs, missionaries walk alongside local believers alongside local believers cultivating and establishing cultivating and establishing local leadership rather than local leadership rather than doing it themselves.doing it themselves.

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SIX: LAY LEADERSHIP

Church Planting Movements Church Planting Movements are driven by lay leaders. are driven by lay leaders. These leaders are sometimes These leaders are sometimes bi-vocational and always come bi-vocational and always come from the general profile of the from the general profile of the people being reached.people being reached.

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SEVEN: CELL OR HOUSE CHURCHES

In a Church Planting Movement In a Church Planting Movement churches begin as small churches begin as small reproducible cell churches of reproducible cell churches of 10-30 members meeting in 10-30 members meeting in homes or storefronts.homes or storefronts.

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EIGHT:CHURCHES PLANTING CHURCHES

As CPMs enter a multiplicative As CPMs enter a multiplicative phase of reproduction, the phase of reproduction, the churches themselves plant new churches themselves plant new churches. Nothing disqualifies churches. Nothing disqualifies local lay believers from winning local lay believers from winning the lost and planting new the lost and planting new churches.churches.

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NINE: RAPID REPRODUCTION

Rapid reproduction is evidence Rapid reproduction is evidence that the churches are that the churches are unencumbered by non-essential unencumbered by non-essential elements and the laity are fully elements and the laity are fully empowered to participate in this empowered to participate in this work of God.work of God.

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TEN: HEALTHY CHURCHES

CPMs consist of healthy CPMs consist of healthy churches carrying out the five churches carrying out the five purposes of: 1) worship, 2) purposes of: 1) worship, 2) evangelism and missions, 3) evangelism and missions, 3) education and discipleship, education and discipleship, 4) ministry, and 5) fellowship. 4) ministry, and 5) fellowship.

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PART TWO

CHURCHPLANTING MOVEMENTS

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TEN COMMON FACTORSPART TWO

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ONE: WORSHIP IN THE HEART LANGUAGE

Worship in the common heart Worship in the common heart language of the people keeps it language of the people keeps it accessible and within reach of accessible and within reach of all members of the community all members of the community and allows everyone to and allows everyone to participate in a new church’s participate in a new church’s formation.formation.

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TWO: EVANGELISM HAS COMMUNAL IMPLICATIONS

Contrary to the Western Contrary to the Western emphasis on individualism and emphasis on individualism and personal commitment, CPMs personal commitment, CPMs typically spread through typically spread through communal lines and family ties.communal lines and family ties.

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THREE: RAPID INCORPORATION OF NEW CONVERTS INTO THE LIFE AND MINSTRY OF THE CHURCH.

In most Church Planting In most Church Planting Movements, baptism is not Movements, baptism is not delayed by lengthy discipleship delayed by lengthy discipleship requirements….requirements….

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……instead, discipleship often instead, discipleship often precedes conversion and precedes conversion and continues indefinitely. New continues indefinitely. New believers become immediate believers become immediate witnesses, disciples, and even witnesses, disciples, and even church planters.church planters.

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FOUR: PASSION & FEARLESSNESS

Church Planting Movements Church Planting Movements are characterized by passion are characterized by passion and a sense of urgency. New and a sense of urgency. New believers exhibit a boldness in believers exhibit a boldness in the face of opposition. While the face of opposition. While boldness may invite boldness may invite persecution, it also fuels a persecution, it also fuels a Church Planting Movement.Church Planting Movement.

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FIVE: A PRICE TO PAY TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN

Church Planting Movements Church Planting Movements often emerge in difficult often emerge in difficult settings where following Jesus settings where following Jesus Christ may lead to severe Christ may lead to severe persecution or death.persecution or death.

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SIX: PERCEIVED LEADERSHIP CRISIS OR SPIRITUAL VACUUMA country or people group that A country or people group that has experienced a loss of has experienced a loss of leadership or a spiritual void leadership or a spiritual void coming from war, natural coming from war, natural disaster or displacement may disaster or displacement may create a ripe environment for a create a ripe environment for a Church Planting Movement.Church Planting Movement.

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SEVEN: ON-THE-JOB TRAINING FOR CHURCH LEADERSHIP

If new church leaders must If new church leaders must leave their churches for leave their churches for extended periods of theological extended periods of theological training, the momentum of the training, the momentum of the movement diminishes. The movement diminishes. The most beneficial training brings most beneficial training brings education close to the action.education close to the action.

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EIGHT: LEADERSHIP AUTHORITY IS DECENTRALIZED

In a CPM every cell or house In a CPM every cell or house church leader has all the church leader has all the authority required to do authority required to do whatever needs to be done in whatever needs to be done in terms evangelism, ministry, terms evangelism, ministry, and church planting without and church planting without seeking higher approval.seeking higher approval.

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NINE: OUTSIDERS KEEP A LOW PROFILE

To encourage indigeneity, To encourage indigeneity, missionaries draw local missionaries draw local believers into leadership roles believers into leadership roles through participative Bible through participative Bible studies and mentoring from studies and mentoring from behind the scenes.behind the scenes.

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TEN: MISSIONARIES SUFFFERMany engaged in Church Many engaged in Church Planting Movements have Planting Movements have suffered illness, derision and suffered illness, derision and shame. Students of CPMs shame. Students of CPMs suggest that the affliction may suggest that the affliction may be related to a higher spiritual be related to a higher spiritual price required for rolling back price required for rolling back the darkness (Rev.12:12).the darkness (Rev.12:12).

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PART THREE

CHURCHPLANTING MOVEMENTS

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Nine OBSTACLES TO CPMSPART THREE

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• Why would anyone do this?Why would anyone do this?

• What is the issue?What is the issue?

• What are the biblical requirements?What are the biblical requirements?

ONE: IMPOSING EXTRA-BIBLICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CHURCH

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• Certain elements in every culture Certain elements in every culture are challenged by the gospelare challenged by the gospel

• Other features are simply expressions Other features are simply expressions of our diversityof our diversity

• When a people group must When a people group must abandon its own culture abandon its own culture and embrace a foreign and embrace a foreign culture to come to culture to come to Christ – a major Christ – a major obstacle exists!obstacle exists!

TWO: LOSS OF A VALUED CULTURAL IDENTITY

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THREE: OVERCOMING POOR EXAMPLES OF CHRISTIANITY

• The challenge created by those The challenge created by those who have preceded uswho have preceded us

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FOUR: NON-REPRODUCIBLE CHURCH MODELS

• Non indigenous churchesNon indigenous churches

• Can this evangelism tool, this Can this evangelism tool, this approach to church planting, this style approach to church planting, this style of worship, etc., be reproduced by these of worship, etc., be reproduced by these local believers?local believers?

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FIVE: SUBSIDIES CREATING DEPENDENCE

• The importance of external supportThe importance of external support

• The “Help that Hurts”The “Help that Hurts”

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SIX: EXTRA-BIBLICAL LEADERSHIP REQUIREMENTS

• Who can be a pastor in your context?Who can be a pastor in your context?

• What are the biblical requirements for What are the biblical requirements for church leadership?church leadership?

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SEVEN: PLANTING FROG RATHER THAN LIZARD CHURCHES

• What is the difference between frogs What is the difference between frogs and lizards?and lizards?

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A PREPODERANCE OF MULES

• We need horses rather than mulesWe need horses rather than mules

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EIGHT: LINEAR, SEQUENTIAL THOUGHT AND PRACTICE

• A new way of thinking is neededA new way of thinking is needed

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NI NE: PRESCRIPTIVE RATHER THAN DESCRIPTIVE STATEGIES

• Danger of reducing CPMs to a checklistDanger of reducing CPMs to a checklist

• The importance of continually seeking The importance of continually seeking out what God is doingout what God is doing

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Office of Overseas Operations

International Mission Board

of the Southern Baptist Convention

P. O. Box 6767 • Richmond, VA 23230, USA