Then on Wednesday, October 7th, 2009, I had the joy of giving a message in the evening at 6 p.m. at the Christ Landmark Church Ministries in Ibadan on “Why Do Some Churches Reproduce” to pastors, workers, and lay leaders.
The following day, Thursday October 8th 2009, what a privilege it was to lecture to some 80 or more students (all men) at the Immanuel School of Theology (Anglican and Methodist combined) on “Why Do Some Churches Reproduce?” in two parts. Sections 1 to 8 in the first 1 and ¼ hours with questions, a break and sections 8 to 14 in another 1 and ¼ hours followed by questions.
Then in the evening there was a session at 6:00 p.m. at Christ Landmark Church Ministries to pastors, workers, and lay leaders on two themes: 1) Five kinds of leaders needed for a growing movement and 2) Qualities of an effective church planter.
On Friday, October 9th 2009, what a joy it was to preach the gospel at the evening evangelistic meeting at 6:00 p.m. at Christ Landmark Church Ministries on “Christ is able to transform your life” (Acts 16:11 to 34). At the invitation some 10 to 15 came forward for salvation and then others for specific needs such as alcoholism, drugs, demon possession, consecration, etc.
On Saturday, October 10, 2009, there was a 10:00 a.m. meeting of ladies in the Christ Landmark Ministries Church. Noreen spoke to them: “Six Qualities of a Godly Woman.” There was real interest with good questions being fielded by Noreen afterwards.
On the Lord’s Day, Sunday, October 11, 2009, we were at the closing meeting of the 13th Convention of the Christ Landmark Ministries in Nigeria. I spoke on Isaiah 6:1 to 9 on the Vision that Revives us: A Vision of God, self, and the need of the world.
On the Monday, October 12, 2009, Dr. Fatokun and his brother Samuel drove us to the Nigerian Baptist Seminary in Ogbomosho, Oyo State where from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. I spoke on“Why Do Some Churches Reproduce?” 1st session and then 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. “Why Do Some Churches Reproduce?” 2nd Session as well as “Seven Principles for Church Planting and Reproduction.” Noreen spoke to the wives of the students in this seminary from 1:00 to 2:30 on “Six Qualities of a Church Planter’s Wife.” Good group of students.
On Tuesday, October 13, 2009, we traveled to the Evangelical Seminary of West Africa (ECWA) in Igbaja, Kwara State. 9:15 to 10:30 1st Session “Why Do Some Churches Reproduce?” plus questions 10:50 to 11:45 “Why Do Some Churches Reproduce?” 2nd Session. What a privilege to minister to these wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ preparing for the ministry.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Ministry Trip to Nigeria in October 2009
We thought that it would be good to share what God is doing in Nigeria and here is the first part of our report.
Report on Nigeria Ministry from October 1st to 21st 2009
We left Indianapolis on Thursday, Oct 1st and flying through Dulles and Frankfurt arrived in Lagos on Friday, Oct 2nd at 4:45 p.m. We were greeted at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport at Lagos, Nigeria in West Africa by Rev. Dr. Samson Fatokun and his family after exiting the airport. We were driven in his van to his home in Ibadan, about 147 kilometers to the north of Lagos.
Nigeria is a warm beautiful country with an amazing history. It was revealing to travel this long highway with Samson and his family as we dodged potholes, broken down sections, police checkpoints, masses of people and trucks. Apparently the road was more crowded because of a huge evangelical camp meeting taking place between Lagos and Ibadan with something like a million people attending. It took us almost 5 plus hours to navigate our way to his home in Ibadan. Dr. Fatokun has three children, Joy, Peace, and David, and his wife’s name is Christiana. He is an associate pastor at the Christ Landmark Ministry Church at Apete near his home.
On Saturday October 3, 2009, we met pastor Stephen Omegai who is pastor of the Christ Landmark Ministry Church near where Samson lives. He came to greet us and to share his vision of evangelism resulting in new churches being planted and multiplying. He uses a bus to do this evangelism and calls the ministry “Seek and Save.”
Right away was also asked to visit the “All Nations for Jesus Church” right near Samson’s home to share with some of the leaders he is training.
Then on Sunday, October 4, 2009, we started out by a greeting and visit to the Christ Landmark Ministry Church pastored by Rev. Omegai. We were warmly greeted and ask to say a word. Then everyone went outside for a group photo. The Nigerians love to take pictures and to be in a picture. We then went on to the large Christ Landmark Church where we are to be ministering this week for a greeting and short sharing.
We finally arrived at in The Redeemed Evangelical Mission Church pastored by Rev. Khandie, a large church that has planted some 26 daughter churches and is in the process of planting its 27th daughter church and plans to plant a 28th daughter church in November of this year. I spoke with translation into Yoruba on “A Living Church According to Acts 2:37 to 47. I later discovered that the attendance that morning in his church was 464 (so this church really tracks its attendance to know what is going on.) About three came forward in response to an invitation to receive Christ or be baptized. In the evening at 5 p.m. Noreen spoke to about 40 to 50 ladies on living as a godly woman. There was a good response to her teaching.
On Monday October 5th, we left early Monday morning to travel to Irele-ese-odo in the Odon State, Niger Delta and arrived at the Bishop’s Court and met Bishop Akinbuluma, head of the Missionary Diocese of Irele-ese-odo, a good friend of Samson Fatokun from University days. We had a good Nigerian meal and were escorted to the church for a parade leading up to the church accompanied by the Diocese band where we were also greeted by the mayor of the town. We went into the church and then out again to inspect the brigade and back to the church for an official greeting given by a number of people. Our time there finished with a lecture I gave on “Why Do Some Churches Reproduce?”
On Tuesday, October 6th, we continued ministry in the Missionary Diocese of the Anglican Church in Irele-ese-odo with a 9:50 to 10:45 study on Balanced growth – quantity, quality, and structure. Then from 12:00 to 1 p.m. “A Guide Plan for the Planting of Daughter Churches” and then 1 to 2 p.m. “Qualities of an Effective Church Planter” an abridged study. We finished with a final study from 2:30 to 4 p.m. on “Seven Principles for the planting, growth, and multiplication of Churches.” During this time, Noreen did study with ladies on “Six Qualities of a Godly Woman:
Report on Nigeria Ministry from October 1st to 21st 2009
We left Indianapolis on Thursday, Oct 1st and flying through Dulles and Frankfurt arrived in Lagos on Friday, Oct 2nd at 4:45 p.m. We were greeted at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport at Lagos, Nigeria in West Africa by Rev. Dr. Samson Fatokun and his family after exiting the airport. We were driven in his van to his home in Ibadan, about 147 kilometers to the north of Lagos.
Nigeria is a warm beautiful country with an amazing history. It was revealing to travel this long highway with Samson and his family as we dodged potholes, broken down sections, police checkpoints, masses of people and trucks. Apparently the road was more crowded because of a huge evangelical camp meeting taking place between Lagos and Ibadan with something like a million people attending. It took us almost 5 plus hours to navigate our way to his home in Ibadan. Dr. Fatokun has three children, Joy, Peace, and David, and his wife’s name is Christiana. He is an associate pastor at the Christ Landmark Ministry Church at Apete near his home.
On Saturday October 3, 2009, we met pastor Stephen Omegai who is pastor of the Christ Landmark Ministry Church near where Samson lives. He came to greet us and to share his vision of evangelism resulting in new churches being planted and multiplying. He uses a bus to do this evangelism and calls the ministry “Seek and Save.”
Right away was also asked to visit the “All Nations for Jesus Church” right near Samson’s home to share with some of the leaders he is training.
Then on Sunday, October 4, 2009, we started out by a greeting and visit to the Christ Landmark Ministry Church pastored by Rev. Omegai. We were warmly greeted and ask to say a word. Then everyone went outside for a group photo. The Nigerians love to take pictures and to be in a picture. We then went on to the large Christ Landmark Church where we are to be ministering this week for a greeting and short sharing.
We finally arrived at in The Redeemed Evangelical Mission Church pastored by Rev. Khandie, a large church that has planted some 26 daughter churches and is in the process of planting its 27th daughter church and plans to plant a 28th daughter church in November of this year. I spoke with translation into Yoruba on “A Living Church According to Acts 2:37 to 47. I later discovered that the attendance that morning in his church was 464 (so this church really tracks its attendance to know what is going on.) About three came forward in response to an invitation to receive Christ or be baptized. In the evening at 5 p.m. Noreen spoke to about 40 to 50 ladies on living as a godly woman. There was a good response to her teaching.
On Monday October 5th, we left early Monday morning to travel to Irele-ese-odo in the Odon State, Niger Delta and arrived at the Bishop’s Court and met Bishop Akinbuluma, head of the Missionary Diocese of Irele-ese-odo, a good friend of Samson Fatokun from University days. We had a good Nigerian meal and were escorted to the church for a parade leading up to the church accompanied by the Diocese band where we were also greeted by the mayor of the town. We went into the church and then out again to inspect the brigade and back to the church for an official greeting given by a number of people. Our time there finished with a lecture I gave on “Why Do Some Churches Reproduce?”
On Tuesday, October 6th, we continued ministry in the Missionary Diocese of the Anglican Church in Irele-ese-odo with a 9:50 to 10:45 study on Balanced growth – quantity, quality, and structure. Then from 12:00 to 1 p.m. “A Guide Plan for the Planting of Daughter Churches” and then 1 to 2 p.m. “Qualities of an Effective Church Planter” an abridged study. We finished with a final study from 2:30 to 4 p.m. on “Seven Principles for the planting, growth, and multiplication of Churches.” During this time, Noreen did study with ladies on “Six Qualities of a Godly Woman:
Sunday, February 21, 2010
More "Ups" in Church Planting
Here are three more "ups: or joys in planting a new church:
Sixth, there is the joy of planting a small church. Does this sound contradictory? This joy is taken away from many church planters who, if not careful, look at large churches and think that their church is nothing in comparison. Christian Schwarz, In his new book Color Your World with Natural Church Development: Experiencing all that God has Designed you to be (St. Charles, IL: ChurchSmart, 2005), gives a wonderful example of this. In speaking with a pastor of a church in Denmark, he discovers this pastor to be discouraged because he only has a church of 40 people. When Schwarz asked him how many he had 5 years ago, the pastor replied, “about 20.” Schwarz continues, “Did you catch what he said? Their church went from 20 to 40 people in five years? If a mega-church of 20,000 grew at that rate, it would have 40,000 attenders in just five years.” (p. 35). Schwarz has also discovered, in researching churches all over the world, that the larger a church grows the less it experiences quantitative and qualitative growth. So rejoice in what God is doing and don’t look down on the smallness of your church.
Seventh, there is the joy of leaving the work (this is a strange joy for it is mixed with the sorrow of tears in our eyes or heart) and not being needed anymore. Then it is a joy to look back and see that God started the work and he continues it. It is exhilarating to know that a new church has been planted in a region where it will continue to be a living body of believers and will shine for Christ and there is no need for your presence or help. Thus you can go on and see a new church planted in another region. I will never forget the day I turned over the keys for the facilities where our church had been meeting in France. I had to hold back the tears. But after there was the joy of seeing this church move ahead under godly national leadership.
Eighth, there is the joy of seeing the planted church multiply. When we left the Orly Church in France in 1974, Daniel Bordreuil (the French pastor who took responsibility for the church) declared, “O I see, this is a church that plants churches so I guess we should continue.” The result was the planting of two further congregations. And then there was the joy of seeing one of the daughter churches plant its own daughter church so that there was now a first granddaughter church. It has been a joy to challenge the pastor of that granddaughter church to plant a daughter church. This would mean four generations of churches—a goal only God can accomplish.
But an even greater joy is to work in such a way that new churches start with a vision that you share with national believers. This means that you don’t plant the first church at all. Others do it so that from the beginning the work is truly indigenous. This is the joy we are having as we see the great potential in Thailand. We will talk more about this in the section on the newer paradigm of church multiplication. This is the joyful direction we must take more and more so that we see the “sustained multiplication of churches having a missionary sending capacity.”
If you are a discouraged church planter, listen to what God says, “I will build my Church” and not “you will build his church.” He is the Great Planter for what he plants always grows. Paul describes him as “God, who makes things grow.” (1 Cor 3:7b NIV) Just look to him and do ministry by his working and grace and keep that wastebasket handy to throw your letter of resignation in when you get the down times. Weeping may come in the night but there is joy in the morning. Church planters can experience this joy in their lives and ministry.
Sixth, there is the joy of planting a small church. Does this sound contradictory? This joy is taken away from many church planters who, if not careful, look at large churches and think that their church is nothing in comparison. Christian Schwarz, In his new book Color Your World with Natural Church Development: Experiencing all that God has Designed you to be (St. Charles, IL: ChurchSmart, 2005), gives a wonderful example of this. In speaking with a pastor of a church in Denmark, he discovers this pastor to be discouraged because he only has a church of 40 people. When Schwarz asked him how many he had 5 years ago, the pastor replied, “about 20.” Schwarz continues, “Did you catch what he said? Their church went from 20 to 40 people in five years? If a mega-church of 20,000 grew at that rate, it would have 40,000 attenders in just five years.” (p. 35). Schwarz has also discovered, in researching churches all over the world, that the larger a church grows the less it experiences quantitative and qualitative growth. So rejoice in what God is doing and don’t look down on the smallness of your church.
Seventh, there is the joy of leaving the work (this is a strange joy for it is mixed with the sorrow of tears in our eyes or heart) and not being needed anymore. Then it is a joy to look back and see that God started the work and he continues it. It is exhilarating to know that a new church has been planted in a region where it will continue to be a living body of believers and will shine for Christ and there is no need for your presence or help. Thus you can go on and see a new church planted in another region. I will never forget the day I turned over the keys for the facilities where our church had been meeting in France. I had to hold back the tears. But after there was the joy of seeing this church move ahead under godly national leadership.
Eighth, there is the joy of seeing the planted church multiply. When we left the Orly Church in France in 1974, Daniel Bordreuil (the French pastor who took responsibility for the church) declared, “O I see, this is a church that plants churches so I guess we should continue.” The result was the planting of two further congregations. And then there was the joy of seeing one of the daughter churches plant its own daughter church so that there was now a first granddaughter church. It has been a joy to challenge the pastor of that granddaughter church to plant a daughter church. This would mean four generations of churches—a goal only God can accomplish.
But an even greater joy is to work in such a way that new churches start with a vision that you share with national believers. This means that you don’t plant the first church at all. Others do it so that from the beginning the work is truly indigenous. This is the joy we are having as we see the great potential in Thailand. We will talk more about this in the section on the newer paradigm of church multiplication. This is the joyful direction we must take more and more so that we see the “sustained multiplication of churches having a missionary sending capacity.”
If you are a discouraged church planter, listen to what God says, “I will build my Church” and not “you will build his church.” He is the Great Planter for what he plants always grows. Paul describes him as “God, who makes things grow.” (1 Cor 3:7b NIV) Just look to him and do ministry by his working and grace and keep that wastebasket handy to throw your letter of resignation in when you get the down times. Weeping may come in the night but there is joy in the morning. Church planters can experience this joy in their lives and ministry.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Ups in Church Planting
First of all, the joy of seeing a new church created by God’s grace in a region where there is little or no witness. My wife and I can remember the thrill of starting a new church in the growing city of St. Quentin-en-Yvelines—a city of over 100,000 with no evangelical church at all (note: here I am not playing a semantic game saying there was no evangelical church like ours). There was simply no evangelical church of any kind. And this city was growing at the rate of almost 1,000 people moving in each month. After some beginning struggles, the church was planted, grew, saw two new daughter churches planted and was turned over to a godly pastor who ably continued the ministry. Now there is a goal of seeing a third daughter church planted by collaboration between the mother church and one of the daughter churches previously planted. What a joy it is to see God at work multiplying churches.
Second, there is the joy of seeing God do unusual things to open doors. Although there are discouragements in church planting, there is the “up” of seeing God do special things when a new church is planted. It is thrilling to stand back and see the Lord “plant” his church. 1 Cor 3:6 states in the original Greek “I planted (at a certain moment), Apollos watered (at a certain moment), but all the time (force of the verb here) God was making it grow.” What a joy to see God at work bringing people to himself in his wonderful sovereignty. In every church plant we have been involved in we have seen God give us divine rendezvous opportunities that we could have never finagled ourselves.
Third, there is that joyful word “sovereignty” I just used—seeing the wonderful hand of God at work. At Corinth, perhaps in a moment of church planter “down” time, God says to Paul, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you for I have many people in this city who are my people.” (ESV). Lean hard on that. God is at work before you ever got there and he will lead you to prepared hearts by opening new doors.
Fourth, there is the joy of starting a new church that can be free from the baggage that older churches tend to carry. It has been said that “it is easier to have a baby than to raise the dead.” Now we now that God can raise the dead but what a joy it is to be able to use creativity to see a new church with new ideas (always faithful to the Word of God) that fits better in a new context. So a church planted in 2005 can be a church that fits the 2005 context better (without compromise) than a church that is having a hard time coping with needed change.
Fifth, there is the joy of empowering leadership in a new church that is not always possible in an older church. I remember the joy of seeing God use people who would normally not be used in an older or larger church because others were doing the ministry and they were “pew-sitting.” What a joy to see them discover their gifting and learn to pray, evangelize, serve, preach, and teach others. Did you know that most Christian workers come from small churches? I believe that is because they are pioneering their gifts in a pioneer situation. In an Australian church plant, my wife and I watched in amazement as a man who said he could not pray in public led the Lord’s Supper and shared the meaning of Christ’s death. He had blossomed in an atmosphere of church planting.
Second, there is the joy of seeing God do unusual things to open doors. Although there are discouragements in church planting, there is the “up” of seeing God do special things when a new church is planted. It is thrilling to stand back and see the Lord “plant” his church. 1 Cor 3:6 states in the original Greek “I planted (at a certain moment), Apollos watered (at a certain moment), but all the time (force of the verb here) God was making it grow.” What a joy to see God at work bringing people to himself in his wonderful sovereignty. In every church plant we have been involved in we have seen God give us divine rendezvous opportunities that we could have never finagled ourselves.
Third, there is that joyful word “sovereignty” I just used—seeing the wonderful hand of God at work. At Corinth, perhaps in a moment of church planter “down” time, God says to Paul, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you for I have many people in this city who are my people.” (ESV). Lean hard on that. God is at work before you ever got there and he will lead you to prepared hearts by opening new doors.
Fourth, there is the joy of starting a new church that can be free from the baggage that older churches tend to carry. It has been said that “it is easier to have a baby than to raise the dead.” Now we now that God can raise the dead but what a joy it is to be able to use creativity to see a new church with new ideas (always faithful to the Word of God) that fits better in a new context. So a church planted in 2005 can be a church that fits the 2005 context better (without compromise) than a church that is having a hard time coping with needed change.
Fifth, there is the joy of empowering leadership in a new church that is not always possible in an older church. I remember the joy of seeing God use people who would normally not be used in an older or larger church because others were doing the ministry and they were “pew-sitting.” What a joy to see them discover their gifting and learn to pray, evangelize, serve, preach, and teach others. Did you know that most Christian workers come from small churches? I believe that is because they are pioneering their gifts in a pioneer situation. In an Australian church plant, my wife and I watched in amazement as a man who said he could not pray in public led the Lord’s Supper and shared the meaning of Christ’s death. He had blossomed in an atmosphere of church planting.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Ups and Downs in Church Planting
I thought it would be good to discuss in a realistic way some of the ups and downs of church planting. In the in this week's blog and then next week move to the up times. Help in Planting and Multiplying Churches (HPMC) that we send out we have started a section on "Struggles in Church Planting" which is similar but here I want to discuss first of all what causes the "down times."
Why is it that church planters have their “ups and downs” in ministry? I got the idea for this from chapter 13 “Handling the Ups and Downs” in a book of church planting. The author talks about the fact that church planters get real “up” times from the joy of seeing a new church created but also have “down” times. And sometimes the “downs” can be as great as the “ups.”
THE DOWNS
First of all, “downs” come from too closely identifying the church you are planting with your ego. I read this quote recently, “Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls your ego falls with it.” I would apply this to church planting by putting the words “church plant” in the place of the word “position.” When we live by the success of our church plant instead of by faith and looking to God, we easily fall into a “down” time.
Second, “down times” come from counting too much. I am sincerely convinced that we need to keep accurate records and to learn from present trends but we need to watch out for what one has called “bodies, bucks, and buildings.”
Third, “downs” often come from not getting enough rest or balance in our lives. That is why you never want to think about resigning on a Monday morning. Wait a while and things will get better. When I interviewed TEAM missionary Pete Peterson in France about what was needed to start a new church, he replied, “a wastebasket.” Then he added, “so that you will have a place to throw your letter of resignation into.”
Fourth, “downs” come from not watching our spiritual disciplines. I remember a particular down time in my life when I sensed emptiness because I was not being fed spiritually by time alone with God.
Fifth, “downs” come from a sense of inadequacy when the task of church planting with all its facets seems too much for us. Who can say that they are “adequate” for this very demanding ministry? This turns us to the powerful Word of God that states, “our sufficiency is from God.” (ESV) 2 Cor 3:6
Sixth, “downs” come from forgetting that this is tough work. It is a struggle to see a new body of believers formed and growing. If we expect difficulty it will help us to be like William Carey who, when asked the secret of his staying power, replied, “I can plod.” So plod on, church planter, and you will see the fruit of your labor.
So these are the “downs” of the church planter and the reasons for them. In my next blog I will shift to the “ups” of the church planter. What gives a church planter joy and fulfillment? This is not just something we’ve thought up but these principles have encouraged us to keep on in spite of the “downs” over a period of 39 years of church planting and multiplication. These principles encourage us now as we work as consultants to church planters.
Why is it that church planters have their “ups and downs” in ministry? I got the idea for this from chapter 13 “Handling the Ups and Downs” in a book of church planting. The author talks about the fact that church planters get real “up” times from the joy of seeing a new church created but also have “down” times. And sometimes the “downs” can be as great as the “ups.”
THE DOWNS
First of all, “downs” come from too closely identifying the church you are planting with your ego. I read this quote recently, “Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls your ego falls with it.” I would apply this to church planting by putting the words “church plant” in the place of the word “position.” When we live by the success of our church plant instead of by faith and looking to God, we easily fall into a “down” time.
Second, “down times” come from counting too much. I am sincerely convinced that we need to keep accurate records and to learn from present trends but we need to watch out for what one has called “bodies, bucks, and buildings.”
Third, “downs” often come from not getting enough rest or balance in our lives. That is why you never want to think about resigning on a Monday morning. Wait a while and things will get better. When I interviewed TEAM missionary Pete Peterson in France about what was needed to start a new church, he replied, “a wastebasket.” Then he added, “so that you will have a place to throw your letter of resignation into.”
Fourth, “downs” come from not watching our spiritual disciplines. I remember a particular down time in my life when I sensed emptiness because I was not being fed spiritually by time alone with God.
Fifth, “downs” come from a sense of inadequacy when the task of church planting with all its facets seems too much for us. Who can say that they are “adequate” for this very demanding ministry? This turns us to the powerful Word of God that states, “our sufficiency is from God.” (ESV) 2 Cor 3:6
Sixth, “downs” come from forgetting that this is tough work. It is a struggle to see a new body of believers formed and growing. If we expect difficulty it will help us to be like William Carey who, when asked the secret of his staying power, replied, “I can plod.” So plod on, church planter, and you will see the fruit of your labor.
So these are the “downs” of the church planter and the reasons for them. In my next blog I will shift to the “ups” of the church planter. What gives a church planter joy and fulfillment? This is not just something we’ve thought up but these principles have encouraged us to keep on in spite of the “downs” over a period of 39 years of church planting and multiplication. These principles encourage us now as we work as consultants to church planters.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Final Structures that Hinder Spontaneous Expansion
Ninth, a rigid ecclesiastical structure for church planters that does not allow for non-formal approaches to pastoral training. This means that the structures of the church fellowship or denomination are rigid in their insistence that all pastors must have formal theological education. This system discourages older men who will not be able to attend a formal theological training to enter into the ministry of church planting. This kind of structure lends itself to an “elitist” approach to leadership –in other words the leaders have had training that the average person does not have and so they are incapable of ministering as they should.
Also this structure eliminates the Holy Spirit who gives gifts as he wills and not on the basis of diplomas. This kind of structure would have eliminated Charles Haddon Spurgeon from ministry for he had no formal theological training. Although he did start a pastor’s training college during his ministry, it had as a requirement that those who were accepted for training should be gifted in preaching and winning souls.
Church multiplication is not antagonistic to theological education. It is simply that holding back multiplication because of structures that do not allow for decentralized training will hold back the planting of new churches. See David Garrison’s answer to the question “What is the role of theological education?” in church planting movements in his book Church Planting Movements, pages 269-270.
Tenth, an unhealthy structural dependence upon funds from outside of the region to insure church multiplication. Dependency upon the flow of funds to finance pastors and church planters will always finally be a structure that becomes a stricture for when there are no more funds available, then there will be no more churches planted.
But a structure that finds not only church planters from the harvest but also finds funds for the harvest will have no limit as to its potential. In my July 2005 article in the Evangelical Missions Quarterly, I explained that churches that reproduce do not make finances central to their reproductive cycle. When I asked a church planter in Grenoble, France, whose church had planted some six daughter churches, how much he had given to help those new churches, he replied, “nothing” (Vajko 2005, 297).
Funding is not wrong but what is wrong is making the planting of new churches dependent upon available funds for as soon as the funds stop so will the church planting and multiplication. In all effective church planting movements, unpaid lay leaders are predominant and provide the church planters to see true multiplication. See my study adapted from a presentation by D. McGavran (Vajko 2009).
Eleventh, a structure that limits church planting to traditions and does not allow for the flexibility of the Spirit of God. There is a great biblical example of this not being done in the churches planted by the Apostle Paul. At the beginning, there was a concern in Jerusalem that the churches Paul planted be bound by the structures of Christian Judaism as seen in the Jerusalem Church.
But in Acts 15, the apostles and elders came to the conclusion that there must be freedom by the Spirit to form churches that had Christian liberty.
So we must allow for the fact that where the Spirit of God is, there is liberty. Structures that want to stricture church planting will always hinder spontaneity.
Twelfth, a structure that wants all church planters and churches that has a cookie-cutter rather than a God-formed freedom approach. This is similar to example number 11 above, but merits further development for it is not just a question of liberty but also of creativity in philosophy of ministry. Just as a daughter may resemble her mother to a degree, many daughter churches resemble their mother church from previous experience. However, we all know that a mother that wants her daughter to be exactly like her is heading for many problems.
So a daughter church must have the liberty in its functional structures to be different from the church that founded it. Our experience of daughter church planting in France taught us that by letting the new church planter develop a church that creatively evangelized not only saw his church grow but also plant a new church. We appreciated that in Australia the daughter church that we were part of planting was given freedom to be itself and not a cookie-cutter type of the mother church.
Also this structure eliminates the Holy Spirit who gives gifts as he wills and not on the basis of diplomas. This kind of structure would have eliminated Charles Haddon Spurgeon from ministry for he had no formal theological training. Although he did start a pastor’s training college during his ministry, it had as a requirement that those who were accepted for training should be gifted in preaching and winning souls.
Church multiplication is not antagonistic to theological education. It is simply that holding back multiplication because of structures that do not allow for decentralized training will hold back the planting of new churches. See David Garrison’s answer to the question “What is the role of theological education?” in church planting movements in his book Church Planting Movements, pages 269-270.
Tenth, an unhealthy structural dependence upon funds from outside of the region to insure church multiplication. Dependency upon the flow of funds to finance pastors and church planters will always finally be a structure that becomes a stricture for when there are no more funds available, then there will be no more churches planted.
But a structure that finds not only church planters from the harvest but also finds funds for the harvest will have no limit as to its potential. In my July 2005 article in the Evangelical Missions Quarterly, I explained that churches that reproduce do not make finances central to their reproductive cycle. When I asked a church planter in Grenoble, France, whose church had planted some six daughter churches, how much he had given to help those new churches, he replied, “nothing” (Vajko 2005, 297).
Funding is not wrong but what is wrong is making the planting of new churches dependent upon available funds for as soon as the funds stop so will the church planting and multiplication. In all effective church planting movements, unpaid lay leaders are predominant and provide the church planters to see true multiplication. See my study adapted from a presentation by D. McGavran (Vajko 2009).
Eleventh, a structure that limits church planting to traditions and does not allow for the flexibility of the Spirit of God. There is a great biblical example of this not being done in the churches planted by the Apostle Paul. At the beginning, there was a concern in Jerusalem that the churches Paul planted be bound by the structures of Christian Judaism as seen in the Jerusalem Church.
But in Acts 15, the apostles and elders came to the conclusion that there must be freedom by the Spirit to form churches that had Christian liberty.
So we must allow for the fact that where the Spirit of God is, there is liberty. Structures that want to stricture church planting will always hinder spontaneity.
Twelfth, a structure that wants all church planters and churches that has a cookie-cutter rather than a God-formed freedom approach. This is similar to example number 11 above, but merits further development for it is not just a question of liberty but also of creativity in philosophy of ministry. Just as a daughter may resemble her mother to a degree, many daughter churches resemble their mother church from previous experience. However, we all know that a mother that wants her daughter to be exactly like her is heading for many problems.
So a daughter church must have the liberty in its functional structures to be different from the church that founded it. Our experience of daughter church planting in France taught us that by letting the new church planter develop a church that creatively evangelized not only saw his church grow but also plant a new church. We appreciated that in Australia the daughter church that we were part of planting was given freedom to be itself and not a cookie-cutter type of the mother church.
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