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1. Introduction
1.1. DEFINING OF TERMS
1.1.1. Church Planting Graham Cheesman (1997:58) quoted Malphurs Aubrey by defining church planting as a planned process of beginning and growing new local churches, which implies that (a) it is a process that involves planning; (b) it is an intentional activity; (c) it had to do with church multiplication and growth. Dennis J. Mock (1989:21) emphasize the fact that, “Church planting is an integral part of missions. And that a church that is not actively involved in local or „foreign‟ (cross-cultural) missions is out of the will of God.” 1.1.2. Church Growth According to Christian A.Schwarz (2002:10), “Church Growth is simply a church that has grown to maturity stage spiritually and is it able to reproduce herself both by becoming a sending church and through the development of sister churches in nearby communities.” Christian A. (2002:126) went further to explain that Church growth is not an attempt to manufacture the growth, but rather it is an effort to release the biotic potential which God has put into every church. It is our task to minimize the obstacles to growth (the “environmental resistance”)-both inside and outside the church. Since we have very little control over outside factors, we should concentrate on the removal of obstacles to church growth and multiplication within churches. The church growth can happen “all by itself.” God will do what he promised to do. He will grant growth (1 Corinthians 3:6). Therefore, church growth in the power of the Holy Spirit does not mean ignoring God‟s principles. It means putting the biblical principles to work in the churches as much as possible even when they seem unusual, hard to follow, or even hurt.
1.2. WHY PLANT CHURCHES
1.2.1. INTRODUCTION
One of the most asked questions about church planting is - "Why plant more churches? So many churches are closing down, so many churches are nowhere near full, so many churches are struggling to stay afloat-why plant more?" Here are 12 reasons: 1.2.1.1. JESUS TOLD US TO DO IT. Matt. 28:19,20. "Go therefore and make disciples.....baptising them teaching them to observe all things I have commanded..." We cannot effectively make disciples and teach them the commands of Christ outside a church setting. An evangelistic campaign declares the gospel. It brings people to a place of decision but it doesn't fully teach them all the things that Jesus commanded us. This can only be done in a church setting. When properly understood we see that the Great Commission is specifically a commission about Church Planting. 1.2.1.2. THE EARLY CHURCH SET THE PRECEDENT Throughout the book of Acts, we see that whenever the disciples went about fulfilling the Great Commission, they planted churches. Illustrations i) Acts 8:5-12 Philip plants a church in Samaria. ii) Acts 9:1-2,19 Believers had planted a church in Damascus. iii) Acts 9:31 By now there were churches throughout all Judea, Galilee and Samaria iv) Acts 9:32-35 A church was planted in Lydda.
v)Acts 10:24-48 Peter established a Gentile church in Caesarea vi) Acts 11:19-26 The persecuted believers planted churches in Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch vii) Acts 13:2-14:28 Paul's first missionary journey the biggest single church planting venture up to that point. viii) Acts 15:40-18:23 Paul's second missionary journey all to do with church planting and strengthening existing churches, ix) Acts 18:24-21.25 Paul's third missionary journey again he planted churches and strengthened established ones 1.2.1.3. HISTORY SHOWS US THAT CHURCH PLANTING AND REVIVAL ARE CLOSELY LINKED i. The New Testament Church is the first example. ii. History tells us that each of the apostles involved in church pilanting in various countries a. Peter went as far as Babylon, b. John worked amongst churches in Asia Minor and Ephesus c. Andrew-Scythia, Greece and Asia Minor d. Philip - Phrygia e. Bartholomew - Armenia f. Thomas - Parthia, Persia and India g. Matthew- Ethiopia. h. James (the younger) - Palestine and Egypt i. James (the older) - Jerusalem and Judea j. Jude Assyria and Persia. iii. In 422 a man called Patrick had a vision for Ireland In less than 30 years, he baptized over 100, converts and planted scores of churches He became known as "the man who found Ireland all heathen and left it all Christian iv) John Wesley and George Whitfield were both great men of God. a. George Whitfield was by far the greater orator and drew the larger crowds. b. John Wesley is by far the most remembered because he used the strategy of church planting which resulted in the Methodist Movement. v) William Booth and the Salvation Army became a powerful force because of Church Planting. vi. Most major evangelical denominations we have today can trace their beginnings to a revival which manifested itself through Church Planting vii) In 1910, a man called John G. Lake it to South Africa. In five years he helped plant 125 white churches, and 500 native churches. viii) In South America today, entire nations directly proportional to Church Planting experiencing revival and it is
1.2.1.8. NEW CHURCHES RELEASE MORE PEOPLE INTO EFFECTIVE MINISTRY
i. Many gifted people Many gifted people utilizing their spiritual gifts sitting in established older churches not fully ii) It is a recognised fast that the fastest way of maturing a Christian give them a responsibility such as caring for a new Christian iii) New churches tend to release more people into utilizing their spiritual gifs, which results in a more effective witness in the community. 1.2.1.9. CHURCH PLANTING IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE METHOD IN THE TASK OF REACHING THE WORLD i. The world's population is growing at an alarming rate. ii. Adding people to churches will not keep up with the growth rate. iii. The only way to effectively evangelize and establish disciples is through church planting multiplication iv) Australia has had a gospel witness for 200 years but there is still a vast proportion who not clearly heard the gospel. Obviously, we need more churches to reach more people 1.2.1. 10. CHURCH PLANTING STIMULATES EXISTING CHURCHES i. The best thing that happen to an old established church, at times, is for a new church to be planted nearby. It becomes a reminder that we need to be constantly addressing our goals and cannot afford to become complacent or lazy. ii. New churches also add to the spiritual awareness of a community and everyone benefits as a result 1.2.1.11. NEW CHURCHES ARE THE MAIN KEY TO DENOMINATIONAL GROWTH i. It is a fact that no-one can deny. Denominations that fail to plant churches are decreasing in membership. Lyle Schaller reports that every denomination that records an increase in membership also reports an increase in the number of congregations Conversely, every denomination that records a decrease in membership also reports a decrease in congregations ii. The growing denominations understand this principle and consequently are aggressively targeting church planting. 1.2.1.12. OUR GOAL IS TO SEE THE WHOLE WORLD FILLED WITH HIS GLORY" CHURCH PLANTING IS GOD'S KEY TO SEEING THIS COME TO PASS i. Jesus said in Matt 16:18b, "I will build my church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. The picture Jesus gives us is a strong progressive visionary church that is plundering hell and populating Heaven. A church that is taking enemy ground. A church that is unstoppable. ii) Our target is to fill the whole earth with the glory of God and ultimately for His will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven CONCLUSION Church planting is not an option it is a priority. We can never afford to sit back and be glad of what we already have, when there is still so much ground to capture. Church Planting is God's method of bringing in the harvest. It needs a be approached with the Vigor of an army that knows it can We need
to understand that we have been given the power to destroy the works of darkness and see the glory of God fill our world. This will be done when Christians from all walks of life, all nationalities and all social groups band together with a passion burning in their hearts to plant churches for the glory of God.
1.3. Profile of Church Planter
1 .3.1. A DEFINITE CALL OF GOD
Before you can plant a church you need to have a specific call from God to do so. It may not be as dramatic as Paul's (Acts 26:16-18) or as reluctant as Jeremiah's (Jer 1:4-10). It may be a simple response as Isaiah's (Is 6:8) but nevertheless there needs to be a deep understanding that God is sending you. Good ideas never build strong churches. They must be God ideas. A church planter needs to hear the Great Commission from the Great Commissioner and know without a doubt that he/she has been sent out to do the great task of church planting. 1.3.2. WRONG REASONS TO PLANT A CHURCH i. A strong desire to preach but no-one will give you an opportunity. Maybe you need to do a course on preaching so that you have something to preach about. Usually God opens up opportunities for those who really have something to say. ii. Frustrated where you are at because you can't do what you want to do. Sometimes this is a sign of immaturity. It's best to wait and learn some principles of submission. When it's time to start your own church it is not frustration that you build on but the directive of God. We need to learn to discern between the frustration of impatience and the stirrings of God to move us on. iii. Can't get an invitation to pastor an established church. In some cases God could be using this as an opportunity to push you into church planting. However, in most cases it is because there isn't enough development evidenced. Sit under an experienced pastor and gain some more practical experience if you have already been to bible school. If you haven't had any formal training, find a bible school that has a course on church planting and enroll. iv) Out to prove something. Get the attitude sorted out. You can never build anything solid on a negative foundation. When one is out to prove something it stems from a hurt or a feeling of inferiority. We can only build solid churches on positive motivations. v) Need to get some experience and church planting seems like a good opportunity to practice ministerial skills. Church planting is not for the inexperienced. People should never be seen as experiments we practice on. The best experience is gained alongside a seasoned minister who can correct your mistakes. Church planting will only be successful when it has gripped your vision and you become totally focused on this one thing. Once we have dealt with the motivation factor, which must stem from a distinct call of God, then we can address some of the characteristics needed to develop an excellent church planter. The following list is intended to be a guide as to what a church planter needs to develop. The aim is not to condemn but to encourage development in the following areas. 1.3.3. SPIRITUAL QUALITIES 1.3.3.1. A PERSON OF PRAYER Church growth should never become so mechanical and scientific that it removes God from the equation. He is the Great Commissioner (Matt 28:18-20), the Gift Giver (1 Cor 12:4-6), the Giver of the
1.3.4. THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS
First of all, let us look at the 4 major gift lists: i) Eph 4:11 Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, Teacher. ii) Rom 12:6- 8 - Prophecy, Service, Teaching, Exhortation, Giving, Leading, Mercy. iii) 1 Cor 12:8- 10 - Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, Faith, Gifts of Healing, Working of Miracles, Prophecy, Discerning of Spirits, Tongues, Interpretation of Tongues. iv) 1 Cor 12:28 - Apostle, Prophet, Teacher, Miracles, Gifts of Healings, Helps, Administrations, Tongues. By taking out the gifts that are repeated, we can then formulate the following list:
- Apostle - An ambassador of the Gospel, one who is sent out with a Divine commission.
- Prophet - An inspired speaker, one who proclaims a message from God.
- Evangelist- A preacher of the Gospel, one who declares the good news about Christ.
- Pastor- A shepherd, one who cares for the flock of God.
- Teacher- An instructor, one who explains and instructs the Word of God.
- Service- One who attends, runs errands, a waiter, a servant in the House of God. Exhortation - One who draws near to implore, exhort or console, an
- Exhortation- One who draws near to implore, exhort or console, an entreater.
- Giving - A giver, one who shares, and imparts.
- Leading- To stand before, to preside, to rule, one who maintains order.
- Mercy - To have compassion, to be tender, one who shows pity.
- Word of Wisdom - A word that is wise, a statement that reflects God's wisdom.
- Word of Knowledge - A word that knows, a statement that reflects God's understanding.
- Gift of Faith A total persuasion, no room for doubt, fully convinced.
- Gifts of Healing- Enabling to administer supernatural cures.
- Working of Miracles - Mighty works, great power, supernatural abilities.
- Discerning of Spirits - The ability to judge and make a ruling about spiritual matters.
- Tongues - Speaking languages one has not naturally learned.
- Interpretation of Tongues-Being able to interpret languages one has not naturally learned.
- Helps - To give relief
- Administrations - To steer, to be a director.
Ideally, a church planter should have all of these gifts evident in their life to some measure. Ideally every Christian should have some measure of all these gifts outworking through their lives as well. However, sad to say we don't live in an ideal world. Church planters need to excel in at least one of the first five gifts. I say ideally because there are always exceptions to the rule. However, because the first 5 gifts are all preaching, declaration gifts, it is very difficult to plant a church without one of these strong preaching gifts. It is very difficult to gather a crowd if the church planter isn't a soul winner. The evangelistic gift needs to become evident in order to add new souls into the Kingdom. Church planting is more than just rearranging Christians from one church to another, its about increasing God's Kingdom. Of the next 6, Exhortation and Leading need to be evident in the church planter's life. Exhortation is needed because people will stop going to a church that slams them every week. They need to be encouraged, uplifted and given a word of hope. Leading is essential because every ship needs a captain. If the church planter is reluctant to lead, someone else will gladly stand up and do the leading. At this point the church is in trouble. Every prospective church planter needs to increase their leadership gift and learn new leadership skills. The next 9 are the power gifts that Pentecostals so often emphasize. God gave us these gifts primarily for the profit of the church. Church planting takes on a dynamic dimension when the power gifts are operational. The Book of Acts and Paul's epistles are all about the "demonstration of the Spirit and of power", versus "the persuasive words of human wisdom". (1 Cor 2:4) 1.3.5. THE NATURAL SKILLS What I mean by natural skills are those skills that diligent people pick up by: 1) Reading books 11) Attending Courses. in) Observing and analyzing the experiences of others. iv) Learning from one's own life experiences, both positive and negative. Some of the natural skills needed by a church planter are: A Visionary no one really wants to follow someone without vision. Vision is the ability to excite and enable people to see a cause. What cause is greater than the extension of God's Kingdom? A People Person some people are more task orientated than people orientated. Church planters need to be the latter. They need to be able to relate to the unchurched and get people on side. They need to be alert to what is happening in their community and be there to be a voice. They need to be able to build bridges between the church and the world. A Communicator - can get people to see and understand what they are trying to say. They are able to relate to people and feel rapport with them. A Motivator - they are able to get themselves motivated and in turn provide motivation for others. A visionary church planter who is a people person and is able to communicate and motivate people to follow Jesus will never preach to empty seats. There will always be a crowd who will come and hear the message from this person. This type of church planter will not draw an apathetic, lethargic crowd of pew warmers but will draw together an army that is on fire with zeal. When these people are correctly taught the Word of God in Spirit and truth then they are well on the way to establishing a formidable church that will pulverize enemy opposition and add soul after soul into the Kingdom of God.
1.4. Spiritual Qualities of a Church Planter
1.4.1. Personal Relationship with Christ: A church planter must display a genuine, transformative relationship with Jesus Christ. This is more than knowing about Jesus; it involves being born again (John 3:16) and walking closely with Him daily.
1.4.11. Relational Skills: The ability to build and nurture relationships is critical. A planter must connect with people empathetically, communicate effectively, and foster a sense of belonging and teamwork within the church community. 1.4.12. Leadership by Example: A church planter must embody Christ-like qualities in every aspect of life, inspiring others through their actions to follow Jesus. As Paul said, "Imitate me as I imitate Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1). 1.4.13. Passion for the Great Commission: Church planting is rooted in the mission to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20). A planter must be driven by a deep desire to see lives transformed by the gospel and churches established as communities of faith. 1.4.14. Holiness and Purity: A church planter’s life should reflect moral and spiritual purity. They should strive to live a holy life, keeping themselves free from sin and worldly distractions, and setting an example for others in their congregation.
1.5. Principles of Church Planting
8 Church Planting Principles
1. The Principle of God’s Place Joshua 1: Therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them even to the children of Israel. 2. The Principle of God’s Presence Joshua 1: There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. 3. The Principle of God’s Preparation Joshua 2: And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. 4. The Principle of God’s Power Joshua 3: And Joshua said unto the people, sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you. 5. The Principle of Prominence Joshua 3: And the LORD said unto Joshua, this day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee. 6. The Principle of Performance—Walk by Faith Joshua 3:
And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people.
7. The Principle of Praise Joshua 4: Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever. 8. The Principle of Provision Joshua 8: And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves.
2. Church Planting in the Ministry of Jesus
3. Church Planting in the Ministry of Paul
4. Need of Church Planting Today
- Advancement of God's Kingdom: The church must move beyond maintaining existing congregations to planting new ones in "virgin territories." The rapid population growth and the vast number of unreached people necessitate this effort.
- Fulfilling the Great Commission: Church planting is integral to fulfilling Jesus’ command to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20). It ensures that the gospel reaches every corner of the world through regular gatherings for teaching and fellowship.
- Churches as Teaching Hubs: Churches are vital as they facilitate the regular teaching of God’s Word, nurturing believers and creating communities centered on Christ.
- Breaking the Cycle of Church Stagnation: The book critiques the modern trend of Christians shifting between churches, which gives a false impression of growth. True growth occurs when new believers are added to the body of Christ through evangelism and church planting.
- Challenges of Obedience: The Jerusalem Church serves as a cautionary example. Despite their unity, growth, and prosperity, they resisted planting new churches until persecution forced them to obey God's command. The Antioch Church, on the other hand, is commended for their obedience and missionary zeal.
- Equipping and Sending Leaders: The book stresses the importance of training pastors and church workers. The "superstar mentality" in ministry must be replaced with a focus on multiplying leaders and sending them into the mission field.
- The Power of Sacrifice: Church planting often involves personal and financial sacrifices. However, these sacrifices align with the biblical call to seek first God's kingdom, trusting Him to provide for other needs.
- Impact of Preaching and Teaching: Jesus’ ministry of preaching, teaching, and healing serves as the ultimate model. The book argues that these activities bring about lasting transformation and are central to the mission of the church.
- Church Planting in the Context of Eternity: Christians are reminded that their works, including church planting, will follow them into eternity, unlike material achievements, which are fleeting.
- Global Challenges: The rise of competing ideologies, such as Islam, calls for an urgent response from Christians to establish churches in underserved regions.
of many ethnic congregations. In some areas the multi congregation idea targets different age groups. An early service for the elderly, a later service for the young families and an evening service for the youth. The only limit is the creative ideas of the church planter and the diversity of the population. Many church growth experts say that a church will grow by 10-20% every time it adds another service. They also say that it is easier to start as a multi-congregational church from the very beginning than to try to change mid-stream.
5.1.3. Satellite Churches
The difference between a satellite church and a branch church is that the satellite church is designed to stay connected to the mother church whereas the branch church is designed to eventually become autonomous. A common feature of satellite churches (or annexes as they are sometimes called) is that the government of the central church is the same for the satellite. They try to give people the strength of a large congregation with the warmth and personal attention of a church in their geographical vicinity. One of the world's largest churches in Chile has grown to mega status because it has planted over 40 satellite churches around Santiago. Even though the central church can only accommodate 16,000 their satellite system ministers to over 350,000 people. All these people have personalized pastoral care but they all acknowledge Javier Vasquez as their senior minister. Another common feature of satellite churches is their regular celebration services. This is where all the satellites and the central church join for a huge celebration. In South America they must hire parks and stadiums for these events because there are no buildings large enough.
5.1.4. Circuit Church Planting
This model caters for situations where the population is sparse or availability of ministers is also sparse. In circuit church planting, rather than the people traveling to a central location, the minister travels to a central location. The minister may through this method cover 4 or more towns over a month. This model was used by the circuit preachers to evangelise the west during the 1800's in the U.S. It is still valid for places like Australia where a small town cannot fully support their own minister or it may be difficult to attract church planters to a small town. The advantage would be that towns that could not ordinarily be able to fully support their own minister can contribute to the support of their circuit church planter, churches would be planted, outreaches established and everyone would benefit.
5.1.5. Church Planting Team
There are many people within established churches that feel they want to do more for the Kingdom. Some of these people may want to formulate a church planting team that helps a church planter establish a church. Most of the team would eventually return to the mother church but from experience we have found that some became so attached to the new work that they remain. The team needs to be trained and have a very definite passion for evangelism or some other specific role in the church plant. They could specialize in music, worship leading, children's work, youth work, leading home groups, etc. It is imperative that the team work with the pastor/church planter from the very beginning. Preaching points are usually very weak attempts at church planting because the new people coming in don't see a leader totally committed to their spiritual welfare. This rarely encourages total commitment. Many times we have seen preaching points that have struggled for years immediately blossom when a resident pastor is appointed. People become committed when they see commitment.
5.1.6. Accidental Church Planting
Sad to say, in many places, this is the most common form of church planting. What is sad is not the church plant but the failure to recognize and liberate people in the body to formulate another church before disagreement sets in. Often either the new church or the old church becomes bitter over the split and they stop growing. In some cases both churches continue growing and eventually patch up their differences. This is great, but there is a lot of pain in the meantime. Churches need to recognize that God has His way of enforcing church planting on us. The old farmers have a saying, "You can't have 2 bulls in the same paddock". What is meant by this is that sometimes two strong leaders can clash if they are not given enough room to lead. Before the clash comes, it may be wiser to train the second leader to go to another venue and start a new church. This person already has a following if he/she is really a leader and a new church is birthed by choice not by accident.
5.1.7. Multi-Cultural Church Planting
There is an overwhelming need for more of these churches as the world's population becomes more and more urbanized. As cities expand, so does the racial mix. For this reason churches can have an enormous impact on their cities and nations when they see Christians interrelating in multicultural churches. Ray McCauley had a massive impact on South Africa towards the end of apartheid when the Government saw racial unity within his church. This gave Ray a voice into his nation. What a wonderful example of the church showing the way. Kensington Temple in London, and Christian Life Centre in Waterloo, Sydney both have scores and scores of different races worshipping God as one body. In this type of church no matter how isolated the world makes one feel, the ethnic worshipper can feel accepted and loved. They don't have to go looking for a church that caters for their distinct ethnic background. The huge challenge in Australia's large cities is to plant more multicultural churches; churches where every race feels welcome.
5.1.8. Homogenous Church Planting
Some church growth experts promote this as the best type of church planting. However, there is no doubt that in a world that is fast removing its racial barriers, the future generations will feel trapped in-between cultures.4 Australia and America are classic examples where mono-cultural churches reach a 'use-by' date and if they are not careful they can lose a generation of young people. When I was involved in a mono-cultural church as a youth I felt trapped between allegiance to my parent's past culture and the present culture of the world I lived in, was educated in, and related to on a daily basis. If mono-cultural churches fail to understand this, then they will fail to adjust to the important needs of their youth and risk losing a generation to the world. Mono-cultural churches should very quickly adopt either the multi-cultural model or the multi-congregational model as soon as a fair proportion of their young people begin to enter high school.
5.1.9. Adopting Church
Sometimes groups of Christians or even established churches want to be adopted by a church or denomination they feel drawn to. This usually takes place because the adoptee feels that they can benefit from this new relationship. From the mother church's point of view, adoption ought to be with no strings attached. The new group needs to flow with the vision and direction that the mother church has already established. The parent church usually releases giftings to the adopted church so that they can quickly come into the same stream and flow together.
5.2.4. Replanting
Sometimes churches are kept artificially alive. There are no vital signs of life such as souls getting saved, enthusiasm, anointing, presence of God. These churches need either to be closed or replanted. Usually this is done by fresh inspirational leadership that comes in and proceeds to restructure the church. One of our churches on the south-western side of Sydney was in this predicament. Brian Houston was sent to bury the old church and raise up a new one. Liverpool Assembly of God became Liverpool Christian Life Centre. With new vision, new leadership, new direction and new foundations, this church is now one of Sydney's strongest churches under the anointed leadership of John McMartin.
5.2.5. Transplanting
Old churches that were built in the inner city during times when people lived close by, can become lost in urban developments. They soon become surrounded by factories and warehouses but their congregations live in the suburbs. These churches are prime candidates for transplanting. This is where the whole church relocates, takes on a fresh perspective and loses the gloom of the inner city. Many times this has resulted in a new growth spurt. Australia's largest Assembly of God church was at one time in a small church in the warehouse section of Adelaide. Three moves later they bought property in an outer suburb of Adelaide called Paradise and built a building that accommodates 3,000 people. If they had remained in the inner city, who knows what would have become of this now significant church.
5.2.6. Special Target Group Church Planting
Some churches feel called to a special target group, such as children, youth, the 'down and outs', the red light district, the bikers, etc. We have one church on the Gold Coast, Queensland, that does their service in rap. Obviously this will not attract average middle class Australians but every Sunday this church has over 150 people listening to the message of the Gospel in rap. In America, Bill Wilson has built a church specifically catering for children. Not only has Bill made a significant contribution to ministry in New York, but his children's work has inspired children's ministry around the world. It is innovative ideas like this that will reach our world. It is people who are willing to follow what God has placed within their heart and step out of their comfort zones that will succeed in planting the world's largest churches.
6. Planning for Church Planting
6.1. Working on Mission and Vision Statement
It is when you are in God's presence that vision will come. However, it is always important to remember that God never bypasses our intelligence. It is always good to keep sound principles in mind when working through your mission/vision statements Mission Statement. A mission is a church's purpose, it's reason for being. A vision is the specifics of how it will accomplish that mission. Theologically, the mission of every church ought to include at least the following three aspects: a. To worship God. (Matt 4:10; Jn 4:19-24, Rom 12:1-2; Eph 1:6, 12, 14) b. To build up the Body. (Jn 15; Eph 4:1-32; 2 Tim 2:2) in care and in maturity c. To evangelize the world. (Matt 28:19-20, 2 Cor 5:18-20) A mission statement should then state the church's mission in a way every member can remember. (See Appendix A for examples of Mission Statements.) 11) Vision Statement. Vision has to be much more focused than mission. In other words, most churches ought to have a similar mission but few churches will have the same vision. Vision has to be tailor-made to the individual giftings of the church, their call, their target group and their faith. Every good vision statement should include the following three aspects: a. The
God Factor. What does God want us to do and to achieve? b. The Faith Factor. Being stretched beyond our natural abilities so that we have to depend upon God to see its fulfillment. c. The Focus Factor. The vision will keep the direction focused and keep you on line to your God-given destiny. Many churches wander around aimlessly, driven by the latest fads, simply because they haven't stopped and worked out: a vision statement. Heb 22, vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it".
6.2. Demographics
A demographic study ought to help build a profile of the typical person that is being targeted. The importance of knowing who this person is cannot be over-emphasized. Willow Creek call him "Unchurched Harry". Other churches have various names for this fictitious individual. He is given a name in order to make him a real person because in actual fact one day your church ought to be filled with "Churched Harrys" who were once "Unchurched Harrys". This study will also give the Church Planter a detailed understanding of the area they plan to go into. This information can even give them ideas of how to best reach their target area. The more you know about your community the better equipped you will be to meet its needs. Also keep in mind the importance of actually meeting people face to face. To go to a shopping centre in the heart of your target area and do a survey of your target audience will pay rich dividends in the long run.
1. WHERE TO GET INFORMATION. a. The Bureau of Statistics. b. Local Council. c. Library. d. Various
Church Missions Boards. (In Australia the Uniting Church Board of Missions has detailed statistics on every geographical area of Sydney and other major cities.) e. Department of Housing. f. Commercial Developers. (These people not only have statistics but also the latest projected figures. I believe we ought to plant churches wherever there is a commercial centre.)
2. WHAT INFORMATION TO COLLATE. i) Population. a. Population figures. b. Composition of male,
female, youth, children. c. Ethnic composition. d. Average age. e. Marital status. f. Any information you feel may be relevant to your church plant. ii) Churches. a. What churches are presently functioning. b. Which ones are growing, stagnant, declining. c. What is working for them. d. What is not working for them. (iii)Economics. a. Population employed. b. Population unemployed. c. Average income. d. Tradespeople, professionals, which type of occupation is prominent. e. Industry. iv) Housing. a. Average housing cost. b. Number of dwellings. c. Which type of housing is prominent: unit, high rise, etc. d.
Rentals, mortgages, housing commission, outright ownership.
v) Education a. What schools are in the area: pre-school, primary, high school. b. Tertiary education, colleges, universities. c. What is the educational level of the community. vi) Trends. a. In age, housing, ethnic composition. b. In growth and industry. vii) Halls. a. Make a list of available meeting places. b. Make a list of preferred meeting places. Once you have compiled this data, you are then ready to work out with the Holy Spirit how to best approach this wonderful prospect of Church Planting. Consistently take walks down the main street and talk to the locals and shopkeepers. Observe, pray, ask the Holy Spirit to open up to you the strategy that is best suited to impact this community.
6.3. Building the Nucleus
It wasn't too long ago when the nucleus of the church was the pastor, his wife and their children. I grew up under this concept of church planting and it certainly has worked over the years. However, we live in a generation that is constantly looking to improve. Is there a better way to plant churches? The scriptures do not point to one single model of church planting but they do give us ideas. One of
ideas can help. i) Share your vision with as many people as possible. Especially your friends, old Bible School colleagues and the people that know you. The possibility is that God will plant a seed in someone's heart and they will join you. There are many talented people who are absolutely bored of sitting in church who would get involved in church planting if they were given an opportunity. ii) Contact the Bible Schools within driving range of the church plant. Discuss your vision with the Principal, explain that you are seeking to put together a team for a church plant in the local area, and maybe some of the students may want to get involved. If you get permission, go to the school and speak to the students personally. iii) Organize a Public Interest Meeting (See Chapter 8) Pray that through this, God will lead you to some key people that can become part of your core group. iv) Pray that God will supernaturally give you a divine appointment with a key person. Jesus found the woman of Samaria (Jn 4), Peter found Cornelius (Acts 10), and Paul found Lydia (Acts 16). I believe that there are Godly people all over the world praying for God to send to them a church planter in their area. He is able to set up the appointment.
6.3.4. TYPES OF GIFTINGS TO INCLUDE INTO THE CORE GROUP
Ideally the church planter ought to look for giftings within the core group that will supplement where he/she is lacking. Because we live in a society that expects music in church then it is especially important that the church planter gather some singers and musicians in their core group. When one is working through a mother church then this is much easier. But if one is working through a department or organization, get permission and a letter of introduction from the Director and then canvas Bible Schools, churches, friends and try to put together a talented team. Look for song leaders, children's workers, youth workers, cell leaders, soul winners, administrators, secretaries. Include in your team any key worker that will help take the church in the direction you want it to go. Lyle Schaller believes that all church planting teams should include a pastor, an evangelist, a music specialist, someone that can minister to families with children and someone responsible for developing church life. 1 The style of people in your team should reflect the style of church you want to plant. If you want to plant a rather radical style church that appeals to youth and young families then include people in your team that find it easy to adapt to this style of this church. Sooner or later the conservative type person will become agitated and leave. The more talented the team the easier it is for the church planter. He/she will be able to delegate much to people of talent. If the team is made up of novices, don't delegate too much leadership immediately. Give them responsibility but leadership should only be given in proportion to the person's ability to handle it properly. Remember the cardinal rule: It is easier to give leadership away than take it back!
6.3.5. CATEGORIZE THE CORE GROUP INTO 3 BASIC LEVELS
This categorization ought to be subtle rather than overt. It is more for the church planter's thoughts than something that is advertised. Jesus set the precedent when He categorized His disciples. At one stage He had thousands following Him but His categories went something like this: Level 1: Peter, James and John. Level 2: The Twelve. Level 3: The Seventy. Level 4: The 120- 500 Level 5: The Crowds.
In a core group, I would basically place them into 3 levels. LEVEL 1: Leader/leaders that carry responsibility for the church. This would be those with a definite call to ministry. They should show a total commitment to the future of the new church. If working with a mother church, those on this level ought to be approved by the leadership of the mother church. This inner circle of leadership must share the church planter's goals, vision, philosophy and they must be able to multiply themselves. LEVEL 2: Leaders that carry a responsibility for a department. These people haven't as yet evidenced the same calling and maturity as level 1 but nevertheless are still keen, talented, committed and able to carry some of the load. They need to be given a specific area that they are responsible for. It may be the music ministry, youth ministry, children's work, the administration, advertising, evangelism, or whatever else that they have expertise in. Hold them accountable at regular meetings. This gives them confidence and you confidence that the job is being competently done. LEVEL 3: Those who are workers rather than leaders. The people on this third level are just as important as everyone else in the church. However, they are not gifted in leading but in doing a lot of the running around. Often these people are as enthusiastic and committed as anyone else on the team. God has given them a vision for the new church. These are the ones who will be able to do the telemarketing, the letterbox distribution, and the surveys, etc. Always make them feel a special part of the team and the new church will be full of unity and love from day one.
6.3.6. TEACHING FOR THE CORE GROUP
During the "Gestation Phase", the core group ought to be meeting on a regular basis as a home group. It is important to build team unity, to pray, to worship and to build up the excitement levels as the big day approaches. The church planter needs to utilize these meetings to also teach the team foundational principles of the Kingdom of God. Most churches and groups that experience problems do so because of a lack of good teaching and leadership. The group needs to be taught about: i) Extending God's Kingdom through church planting. ii) Discovering every believer's spiritual gift. iii) How to develop your evangelistic gift. iv) How to release the power gifts in your life. v) Developing people skills. vi) The importance of love, unity, fellowship, and body ministry. vii) The importance of stewardship, hospitality, the generous heart. viii) The development of basic counselling skills and dealing with people's problems. ix) How to make new people feel welcome when they come into the new church. x) How to successfully disciple a new Christian into maturity. Finish off each session with prayer and supper. Allow the Holy Spirit to move. The excitement, love and fellowship of these meetings will be automatically passed on to the new church. These meetings will be the catalyst to cause the core group to function as a team. When the core group feels ownership of the vision, they will be motivated to make things happen. Just as a pregnant woman feels excited at the kicks of the child within her womb,
