NewChurchLife

Church planting movements are not a feature of the western church at the present time. Check out Steve Addison’s two interviews with Jeff Sundell – ‘learning from the east’! The first one focuses on his experience in Nepal, the second on how he has been applying CPM principles back home in the US.

Last Thursday I picked up Wayne Jacobsen and Dave Coleman’s, “So you don’t want to go to church anymore!’ It is a challenging read – but very helpful. The authors get at some critical issues – and, for me, some of their insights and narratives came ‘very close to home’!

One of the great dangers for simple church is the idea that by gathering in a house, or having a small group worship time, we will have church - and be more effective than a large church. These authors relate to that danger – and steer away towards the idea of ‘church’ being the gathering of those who are living the mission of Jesus, ‘on the path of life’!

They get at the essence of simple church - but don’t use the term!

Reflecting on church planting in the secular Dutch society, Rudy Dingjan - church planter and planting coordinator for the Netherlands, says: ‘Don’t do church to plant one!’ He writes, ‘Secular people are not interested in denominations or church buildings. To reach them, we have to get out of our comfort zone and meet them where they are. You definitely won’t find them in church or a Bible study group. Church plants reaching secular people in the Netherlands have one thing in common: they are strong in running non-religious activities in which people get a taste of the gospel!’ For more check out non-religious activities to plant churches!

It seems rare to find denominational leaders with a clear vision. There are so many challenges in keeping inherited systems operating – and, for some, maintaining structures is their mission. However, Glenn Townend, leader of the Adventists in Western Australia (and church planter) has fostered an environment for the growth of a movement. The vision to renew Adventism as a movement in the State (and to have 20,000 disciples by 2020) has been fostered through a regular weekly focus upon prayer; a glocal perspective – involvement in mission locally and internationally (Mongolia and Papua New Guinea); a systematic and intentional plan to equip church planters – with simple as well as creative, ethnic and traditional models encouraged; the affirmation and release of indigenous people to plant groups in their culture, encouragement for older couples to multiply house churches, and for young adults to plant the next generation of churches. Part of this is a School of Church Planting Movements (CPM) recently launched at Curtin University – fostered by ACTS planter and pastor, Sven Ostring.

This week’s article by Rebecca Walker is on spiritual formation – and, among other models, references the Four Fields of Mark 4. Check out Spiritual Formation – also available as a PDF.

In the midst of a very public political ‘meltdown’ in Australia this week over climate change solutions, a caller to a radio-talk program mused over political leaders who have made him proud. Those he mentioned came from diverse political parties! It got me thinking about Christian leaders. Most denominations produce administrators – but true leaders are rarely high-profile or political. Here are some of the leaders I am proud to know –
• Dave Lawton – who is out in the suburbs of Melbourne cultivating church planters and church plants.
• Bill Hodgson – committed to building people and cultivating movement thinking in missional organizations.
• Julie Judd – who loves Jesus and young people intensely, releasing young adults to find their ways to serve and honor God.
• Steve Addison – passionate about people knowing Jesus and author of Movements that Change the World.
• Gaby and Marty Philips – who have the most incredible heart for and skills to engage ‘unreached people groups’ in the 10/40 window!
• Julian Dunham – who equips leaders and cultivates new expressions of faith to extend God kingdom!
• Velda & David Cox – for Velda’s love for Muslim women and David’s commitment to small groups, engaging with and building people!
• Rudy Dingjan – who encourages and supports church planting teams in the Netherlands and across Europe!
• Isobel & Brian Webster – faithful and persistent in witness, opening God’s kingdom to their communities!
• Pierre Kempf – a most faithful servant to God in the midst of adversity, who builds incarnational missional groups in France!
• Laszlo Szabo – who has inspired mission conferences, leads people to Jesus, encourages and builds people, equips and teaches!
• Monte Sahlin – with an amazing track-record of urban ministry, who quietly cultivates and build people for urban mission!
• Aris Vontzalidis – who with his wife, Sophia, builds people, cultivates small groups and new churches – and faithfully serves in England.
• Jerald and Judy Whitehouse – who have lived ‘faith development in context’ among the people of major world religions.

Now that I have started the list I have been reminded of hundreds – and there are stories behind each. There is Tina, Rachel, Russ, Matt, Carla, Kristen, Daniel, Frank, Gabi, Tess, Alex, Anthony, Rebecca, Rachael, Dave, Andy, Claire, Laverne, Kara, Mayda, Betina, Juris, Ash, Nicole, John, Gary, Sharon, Regina, Paul, Rod, Dana & Leslie, Rosemary & Gordon, Gabi & Frank, Olga & Martin, etc, etc. The list of the faithful goes on and on! (Hebrews 11 continued!) Share a comment – and tell of someone who is cultivating God’s kingdom in ways that make you proud!

Rebecca Walker, a resource writer for The Salvation Army’s Australia Southern Territory attended a recent equipping weekend – and has put some of the ideas we explored into a very succinct and readable form – Planting Churches that Multiply. (It is also available as a PDF.) Thanks Rebecca.

Also, the Baptist Union Victoria has posted a brief article on releasing young adults to plant the next generation of churches on their website: Equipping the Next Generation to Leave!

Steve Addison reports on my recent return to Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea) where in the 1970’s we were involved in planting a bunch of churches. But, it started earlier!

Towards the end of my first year in ministry (1971), my State leader (Pastor Clive Barrett) suggested I start a new church in Condoblin (central NSW, Australia). The term ‘church planting’ had not been thought of at that time! Members from churches I was leading in Parkes and Forbes drove to Condoblin and conducted a Children’s Holiday Club; friends flew out from Newcastle in light aircraft to visit door-to-door; I visited hundreds of homes, offered Bibles, a reading plan and conducted hundreds of home Bible studies. Every Saturday night for three months I preached public evangelistic meetings – with the theme music: Hear the Voice of Youth Cry: What is Truth? (Well it was the ‘70’s!) Out of this started a small rural church in the local CWA Hall – that continued for some years! My first plant!

My commitment to planting churches possibly really started when I was a boy. Dad and Mum, with other farming friends who were believers, seemed to regularly start and conduct holiday clubs and simple worship services in isolated school classrooms or rustic country halls in the forests of south-west Western Australia. Sometimes, it would be a memorial service or an anniversary service for a farming identity – killed in a tragic accident, or struck down by disease. They were simple ways of bringing the scattered, struggling farmers on ‘war-service blocks’ together – for food, fellowship and worship! That’s possibly where the church planting DNA was planted in my life!

Last week I was asked about discipling resources for new believers, following their baptisms. For some time now I have been suggesting a very specific schedule of Bible reading – using the five small group questions (anything new? anything I don’t like? etc). I find this works better than suggesting ‘discipleship courses.’ Encourage each person to -
1. Join a small group that has a plan to plant a new group/church.
2. Be involved in a service project – providing ‘pastoral care’ two or three others, feeding the poor etc.
3. Regularly meet with a friend or two for coffee, to read the Bible – starting with Mark, then Acts, John, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians. (Acts gets them involved in mission, and John reviews all of the major teachings of faith.)
4. Read Revelation (usually just reading the book, rather than doing seminars) in a mid-size dialogue group. It is ‘the revelation of Jesus Christ’ and although complex, God’s Spirit touches post-modern lives through its message!

Check out Steve Addisons website Movements that Change the World and see what he means when he says -
1. Without multiplication we lose.
2. Without a global perspective we lose.
3. Without the gospel we lose.
4. Without an army we lose.
5. Without mobility we lose.
6. Without a lack of resources we lose.
7. Without faith we lose.