INTRODUCTION TO NEW CHURCH REPRODUCTION Mobilizing the Mission of Jesus through the Ministry of New Church Reproduction

Transcription

1 INTRODUCTION TO NEW CHURCH REPRODUCTION Mobilizing the Mission of Jesus through the Ministry of New Church Reproduction I. THE Missio Dei THE BIG IDEA OF GOD S STORY A. God s Mission Old and New B. The Great Commission C. The Plan D. The End II. ORIGINS OF CHURCH MULTIPLICATION A. Multiplication in the Old Testament B. Gospel Planting instead of Church Planting (brick and mortar) C. Acts 1:8 (Four level mission) D. The Jerusalem Church (Pentecost) E. Acts 8:1 Roman persecution and Diaspora F. The Antioch Principle III. THREE TYPES OF CHURCH MULTIPLICATION IN THE LCMS A. New Church Start B. Satellite Worship Site C. Specialized Outreach Ministry! Introduction to New Church Reproduction, Center for United States Missions

2 IV. TWENTY-FIVE+ MODELS OF INTENTIONAL CHURCH MULTIPLICATION A New Church Start: Intentionally organized gathering. Comes together on a regular basis for worship and/or Bible study. Intended to grow into an LCMS congregation in the SED: 1. Missionary Model. Send a trans-cultural missionary out of your church - similar to Antioch in Acts 13:1-3. This is often done by sending out international missionaries 2. Send a Team Nearby Model. Ephesus spawned six other churches in Asia Minor by sending out church planting teams along natural travel routes. Churches identify natural expansion opportunities based on demographic growth or travel patterns. 3. Raise Up a Timothy Model. Raise up, mentor and send a missionary from your own congregation - EIIT, SMP. 4. Let My People Go Model. 20% or more of mother church is hived off and sent out as a strong core group for the new church. 5. Let My Pastor Go Model. Pastor is sent from the local church to plant new church. 6. Partner Church Model. One or more churches 'pitch in' with a Mother (Sending) Church, perhaps forming a Church Planting Coalition or Network. 7. Side by Side Model. Church within a church; new church or ministry sharing facilities with an existing church. 8. House Church Model. A group of people small enough to meet face-toface in a home, who covenant together with God and each other to be the church under the authority of Christ and guidance of the Holy Spirit. They see themselves as autonomous, under their own pastoral leadership (not overseen by a pastor who is physically separate from the group). Inexpensive, reproducible, relational, interactive. Not facility- or program-dependent. Organic and Simple are also used to describe this model. 9. Launch Large Model. New church launch is delayed until a larger ( ) and sustainable number of disciples are committed to the new church - often with disciples hived from a mother church and/or other partner churches.! Introduction to New Church Reproduction, Center for United States Missions

3 10. Purpose Driven Model. Intentionally organizes the new church around five purposes of church: worship, ministry/service, evangelism, fellowship, discipleship. 11. Child Care Model. Begins with high-quality, Christian child care ministry, draws and grows the church from this ministry to families. Eg., LCMS Open Arms Child Care model. 12. Marketplace Model. Builds relationships with unchurched people and draw partial financial support from a marketplace ministry (holistic health, fitness center, coffee house, etc). Assimilates new people into coaching relationships and / or missional communities, and ultimately into a congregation. 13. Traditional Model. New church replication of a traditional or mother church. Attracts Christians and unchurched to engage in a quality, biblical ministry which is often staff, program and facility driven. 14. Mosaic or Multi-Ethnic Model. Intentionally creates an inclusive church culture for multiple ethnic groups. 15. Ethnic Immigrant Model. Gathers ethnic immigrants with indigenous ethnic culture and leadership. 16. Eclectic or Hybridized Model. Components of various church multiplication models are knit together to best reach the unique context of a designated mission field. 17. Internet Church. Proclaims the Gospel and disciples new and Christian people through the internet. 18. School Model. Establishment of a Christian school as a mission outreach, gathering families together as a new church start. Many Lutheran congregations were started in this way. 19. Cowboy Church, Biker Church, Hip-Hop Church, etc. These are highly contextualized church planting models which focus on a specific demographic or people community and seek to reflect cultural elements of these subcultures as they are appropriate. Emphasis on context, attraction, evangelism and church planting. 20. Church Planting Movement Model. Launching a ministry or movement that is intentional about multiplication of new churches, rather than planting a single new church. 21. Symbiotic model Affinity groups intentionally charter separate churches yet continue sharing resources (administrative, financial systems, leadership) in a mutually beneficial way to maximize! Introduction to New Church Reproduction, Center for United States Missions

4 stewardship of limited resources yet create space for increased participation in local leadership roles and representation regionally and nationally. B. Satellite Worship Site: Expanded Mission outreach of a congregation. Not intended to become a separate LCMS congregation. 22. Multi-Site Model. One church doing ministry on multiple campuses with a called campus pastor for each site; also known as Satellite Model. Characterized by multiple ministries, multiple places of ministry, multiple ministers, but with one central organization and one senior pastor. Shares a common vision, budget, leadership and board. 23. Missional Community Model. A group or groups of disciples which engage their community through 'neighboring' and servant evangelism while practicing a regular rhythm of UP [worship], IN [discipleship] and OUT [intentional community engagement]. Conversion-driven (making new disciples). 24. Cell Church Model. Organizes new church around cells which both learn discipleship and do the ministry. Emphasizing smaller, personal communities, they are churches of small groups. Two main components, the cell and a large celebration service. The cell is most important in this model. Some large cell churches also have a congregation comprised of cells; multiple congregations form the large celebration group (cell > congregation > celebration). 25. Adoption or Re-Start Model (Re-plant). One church adopts a church that closes and re-plants or re-starts it as a new congregation or as a site of the adoptive church. C. Specialized Ministry: A specific type of ministry offered by a congregation, such as a ministry to Hispanics, ministry to the deaf, etc. Not intended to grow into an LCMS separate congregation. 26. International Friendship Center Model. Gathers immigrants or international students for conversation, friendship, home invitation, health and business references, resourcing and domestic training as well as for faith sharing (eg. POBLO s friendship and training centers). 27. Other Models may be determined by needs, context or environment, demographic or lifestyle groups, etc.! Introduction to New Church Reproduction, Center for United States Missions

5 V. DEMOGRAPHIC OPPORTUNITY FOR CHURCH MULTIPLICATION IN the SED 1. County Population Unclaimed Map (thearda.com) MAP FORTHCOMING 2. Where do we need to be multiplying / planting new churches?! Introduction to New Church Reproduction, Center for United States Missions

6 TWELVE MISSIOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES FOR NEW CHURCH REPRODUCTION 1. THE BOSS PRINCIPLE Christ is LORD of the church and church multiplication, and He has a vision for your new 'daughter' church/ministry. Ephesians 1:22-23 Acts 16: THE PRAYER-FOCUS PRINCIPLE Prayer is an indispensable resource for focusing on God's power and wisdom in each phase of church mulltiplication. Philippians 3:7-11 Colossians 4:2-4 Matthew 9:38 3. THE NEHEMIAH PRINCIPLE God's vision leads to prayerful planning, the result of which is comprehensive Task List set out upon a Time Line. Habakkuk 2:2-3 Amos 3:7 Luke 14:28 Proverbs 16:9 4. THE BARNABAS PRINCIPLE Every church planter/mission leader needs a mentor. A mentor is someone who has been where you want to go and is willing to help you get there. Acts 11:25-26 Acts 16: THE TEAM LEADER PRINCIPLE The church planting pastor/mission leader is most effective as part of a team on which he/she serves as the Visionary Leader. Acts 13:1-3 Acts 14:23 6. THE MISSION PRINCIPLE The central purpose and work of the new mission will always be to be used by the Holy Spirit in such a way that people place their trust in Jesus Christ, and grow to maturity as His followers. Luke 15 Matthew 28:18-20 # Introduction to New Church Reproduction, Center for United States Missions

7 7. THE LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLE Leadership development lies at the heart of the new church's mission - and the most important quality to develop is SPIRITUAL MATURITY. Ephesians 4: Timothy 2:2 8. THE BRIDGE PRINCIPLE Understanding and communicating sensitively and respectfully to the hearts and minds of people in the target community is essential to reaching them effectively with the gospel. 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 Acts 17: THE MAGNET PRINCIPLE When God plants a church, there should be widespread community awareness and interest. Matthew 5:14-16 Acts 2:5-6 Acts 4: THE BALANCE PRINCIPLE The church planter/mission leader's walk with God, family life and ministry must be in biblical balance. 1 Timothy 3:4 Ephesians 5: THE MULTIPLICATION PRNCIPLE Healthy churches will reproduce and new church multiplication should be envisioned and planned right from the new church's beginning. Acts 8:1b, 4 Acts 13:1-3 Psalm 127: THE JOSEPH PRINCIPLE Attending to the organizational and administrative matters will protect and stabilize the new church/ministry, and enable it to grow in a healthy way. Acts 6:1-4 1 Corinthians 14:40! Introduction to New Church Reproduction, Center for United States Missions

8 WHY ESTABLISHED CHURCHES MULTIPLY NEW CHURCHES I. WITNESSES FOR CHURCHES MULTIPLYING NEW CHURCHES A. Holy Scripture B. Informed Missiologists 1. C. Peter Wagner 2. Lyle B. Schaller 3. Tom Nebel 4. Aubrey Malphurs 5. Christian Schwartz C. Conversion Growth and Church Multiplication II. THE FEMALE GENDER OF THE CHURCH A. Capacity for reproduction B. Logan typology of new church reproduction 1. Conception 2. Prenatal development 3. Birth 4. Adolescent growth 5. Reproduction III. PRACTICAL REASONS FOR DAUGHTER CHURCH PLANTING A. Most effective (natural, biblical, nurtural, resourceful) B. Increased spiritual passion in the Mother Church C. Joy of parenting! Introduction to New Church Reproduction, Center for United States Missions

9 D. Leadership development opportunity E. Kingdom growth F. Family legacy G. Denominational growth H. Ethnic and cultural group embrace IV. TWO BASIC TYPES OF CHURCH MULTIPLICATION A. Unintentional B. Intentional # Introduction to New Church Reproduction, Center for United States Missions

10 ANSWERS TO OBJECTIONS TO CHURCH MULTIPLICATION Objections to and Excuses from Church Multiplication 1. We will lose our church fellowship. 2. It will cost too much. 3. We're too small. 4. We cannot afford to lose leaders and workers. 5. It will destroy our growth momentum. 6. What's in it for us? 7. Daughter may grow larger than the Mother. 8. Our church will never go for it. 9. We'll be in competition with the Daughter. 10. Pastors get kudos for bigger churches - not daughter churches. 11. Why should we? 12. We already give generously to missions. 13. We just do not have the time. 14. Better to revitalize the struggling churches. 15. We tried it before and it did not work. 16. We cannot find competent leadership. 17. This is a bad time to daughter a new church. 18. We will birth a new church when our church gets to "X" size. 19. We birth a new church by simply adding a new service. 20. Our vision is to grow a large church. 21. I don't know how to birth a new church. 22. It's the DENOMINATION'S job. 23. Our church isn't healthy enough to give birth. 24. Other Objections: o o $% Introduction to New Church Reproduction, Center for United States Missions

11 WHAT GOD COULD DO THROUGH YOU How many spiritually distant people (unbelievers) will the Holy Spirit connect to Jesus Christ through your ministry over the next fifteen years? A. THE INCREDIBLE NEED FOR CHRIST IN SO-CALLED 'CHRISTIAN' AMERICA B. DECLINING NUMBER OF CHURCHES AND INCLINING POPULATION C. OUR LCMS SNAPSHOT D. FOUR SCENARIOS OF KINGDOM IMPACT 1. Adding souls one at a time 2. Adding churches (your church plants daughter churches) 3. Multiplication (your church plants churches that multiply) 4. Hyper-Multiplication (you influence another pastor / church to begin planting churches that multiply) D. FOUR LEVELS OF MISSION ENGAGEMENT 1. Survival 2. Status Quo 3. Success 4. Significance!! Introduction to New Church Reproduction, Center for United States Missions

12 CAPTURING THE LEADER'S HEART What has to happen for a Pastor-Leader to own the vision of new church reproduction? 1. You have to overcome yourself (counterintuitive). 2. You must be willing to make incredible investments. 3. You must be willing to release your people to the care of another. 4. You must free up the right peoples' TIME to accomplish church multiplication projects. Free the right people s time. CANNOT BE DELEGATED Teach on the topic of daughter church planting in order to cast vision for the congregation CAN BE DELEGATED Chair a Daughter Church task force Share the vision with Key Opinion Leaders Give personal endorsement of the Daughter Church pastor Give people permission to leave the mother and join the Daughter Church Determine the specifics of budget and funding for the Daughter Church Personally mentor the Daughter Church Pastor Provide orientations on the Daughter Church for potential Core Team members Make sure the entire congregation celebrates daughter church planting victories Research the best location for a daughter church Pray for daughter church planting Lead a prayer group for daughter church planting 5. You must settle the issue in prayer (the burden for church multiplication is born of the Spirit - not the flesh)!" Introduction to New Church Reproduction, Center for United States Missions

13 HOW TO KNOW WHEN IT IS TIME TO PLANT A. FOUR MYTHS OF WHEN TO BIRTH (PLANT) A NEW CHURCH 1. The myth of ATTENDANCE 2. The myth of AGE 3. The myth of ACQUISITION 4. The myth of ADEQUACY B. WHAT A CHURCH NEEDS IN ORDER TO PLANT A NEW CHURCH 1. A burden for lost people 2. A willingness to step out in faith 3. A vision for a region 4. A spiritual maturity 5. A generous spirit 6. A KINGDOM mindset!" Introduction to New Church Reproduction, Center for United States Missions

14 POSITIVE PARENTING PRACTICES 1. Pass on your DNA, rather than clone your offspring. 2. Communicate. Communicate. Communicate. 3. Give roots to grow. 4. Give wings to fly. 5. Commitment to see it through. 6. Share the best of the best with your child. 7. Teach gratefulness. 8. Expect grandchildren/multiplication. 9. Provide the right person to lead. 10. Teach balance and self-care. 11. Allow your offspring to made decisions and follow through.!$ Introduction to New Church Reproduction, Center for United States Missions

15 A SIX-STEP PROCESS FOR NEW CHURCH REPRODUCTION 1. Share the Dream 2. Determine your Involvement 3. Find and call the right Team Leader (church planter/ministry leader) 4. Gather the Launch Team (mentoring, internship and recruitment) 5. Launch and Celebrate 6. Nurture, Rest and Reproduce!" Introduction to New Church Reproduction, Center for United States Missions