Church Planting and Church Growth
based upon Jesus’ example
Jesus - Church Planter?
Yes,
Jesus was the first and foremost
church planter!
„I will build my Church!“
Why can we assert that Jesus was a
church planter?  Based upon his expressed goal:
I will build my Church!
 The Acts of the Apostels is the
record of all that Jesus
„continued to do and teach“
(Acts 1:1)
 The disciples, around Jesus were
the first prototype of the Church.
 Jesus most certainly showed and
taught His disciples how to plant
His Church.
The Jesus-Model:
The radically new/old means of
planting churches
1. Incarnational
Contact
7. Intentional
Multiplication
6. Practical
Discipleship
5. Changed
Identity
At home
in the
presence
of God
2. Compassionate
Motivation
3. Christcentered
proclamation
4. Liberating
Lordship
The Core of Church Planting
is life together with God the Father
Authority and
power in ministry
are the result of
nearness to God
(Mk 1:35, 6:46, 9:7)
A healthy life in
communion with
God is paramount
We stay healthy by
exiting ministry and by
practicing the spiritual
disciplines
We will never be
more in public
ministry than we are
in our private
fellowship with God.
At home
in the
presence
of God
Because of
tempation:
to be relevant,
to be popular,
to be powerful
We intercede not defensively,
but offensively through front
line praying
A Church Planter Profile
•
•
Healthy Spirtitual Life – Longing for God
Spiritual Gifts: Leadership, Faith, Evangelism
•
Personality type: Leaders: D and I,
Followers: S and C
•
Visionary capacity –
able to see what is not yet
•
Intrinsically motivated
•
Cooperation of Spouse
•
Creates ownership of ministry
•
Connects well relationally with
others, especially non Christians
•
Resilient: not easily discouraged
by set-backs
The Jesus-Model:
The radically new/old means
of planting churches
1. Incarnational
Contact
At home
in the
presence
of God
Incarnational Contact
• The incarnation – unique, yet must be
universal among Christians
• Connecting: Missional – Third Places
• Church planters will spend half of their time in
the harvest (Beware of the danger of the desk!)
• Demographic and Psychograpihc studies and
their immpication for the Gospel
• Person of Peace: Mavens, Connectors, Salesmen
• Building Networks of Relationships to non Christians
• Phase One: Generating a Starter Team that is
incarnational
The Four Phase Model
Assimilation EventAssimilation Event
(Preview service)
(Preview service)
Startteam-Meeting
Week
1
2
Startteam-Meeting
3
4
5/1
The Jesus-Model:
The radically new/old means
of planting churches
1. Incarnational
Contact
What motivates
us to plant
churches?
The call of God
and the
compassion for
the lost
(Lk 6:36; Matt
9:36)
At home
in the
presence
of God
2. Compassionate
Motivation
Study the life of
Ruth to learn what
compassion is
The Jesus-Model:
The radically new/old means
of planting churches
1. Incarnational
Contact
At home
in the
presence
of God
2. Compassionate
Motivation
3. Christcentered
proclamation
What is the Gospel?
 The Gospel is Jesus and all that He embodies
with me today! The personal life-changing presence
of God in the life of a weak individual.
 Scripture: Matt 9:35 (Autobasileia); Lk 17:21
 Implications:
 More than sin management!
 Participation with God in a new reality of living
 Living out of the resourses of the King
 The incarnation repeats itself daily in my life
 Authority and power to act in His name
 My Kingdom vs God‘s Kingdom (Flip Chart)
The Jesus-Model:
The radically new/old means
of planting churches
1. Incarnational
Contact
At home
in the
presence
of God
2. Compassionate
Motivation
3. Christcentered
proclamation
4. Liberating
Lordship
Recognizing liberated Lordship
 A burning heart (Lk 24:32)
 A clear conscience (1 Joh 1:5-7)
 Applied teaching (Matt 7:24)
Levels of Choice
Faith
Kingdom
of SELF
Kingdom
of GOD
1. SURRENDER
Control Level
I need a new leader.
1. FOLLOWING
ObedienceLevel
I have a new leader.
2. SORRY ABOUT IT
Guilt and Grief Level
I need forgiveness
and another chance.
2. ABIDING
Love Relationship Level
I have an eternal
friend.
3. SICK OF IT
Frustration Level
I need help.
3. OVERCOMING
Reliability Level
My leader has a follower.
The Jesus-Model:
The radically new/old means
of planting churches
1. Incarnational
Contact
At home
in the
presence
of God
5. Changed
Identity
2. Compassionate
Motivation
3. Christcentered
proclamation
4. Liberating
Lordship
Changed identity
The danger of socialized Christians
New Identity in relating to Christ, not to
task (Gen 4; Joh 1)
The local Church carries in it a new spiritual identity
(It knows who it is in Christ and that it is therefore
culturally relevent)
Life-Transformational small
groups become the microcosom of out new identity
The Jesus-Model:
The radically new/old means
of planting churches
1. Incarnational
Contact
6. Practical
Discipleship
5. Changed
Identity
At home
in the
presence
of God
2. Compassionate
Motivation
3. Christcentered
proclamation
4. Liberating
Lordship
Making Disciples – the basis of reproduction
Teaching people how to live like Jesus
Implimenting a plan for making disciples
that make disciples
Disciple-making forms the basis for
healthy growth
4 Church planters
3
2
1
Ministry area leaders
Coaches
Disciples
The Jesus-Model:
The radically new/old means
of planting churches
1. Incarnational
Contact
7. Intentional
Multiplication
6. Practical
Discipleship
5. Changed
Identity
At home
in the
presence
of God
2. Compassionate
Motivation
3. Christcentered
proclamation
4. Liberating
Lordship
Good to Great Church Planting
Good Church Planting
Great Church Planting
 Long recovery time
 Timed release
 Direct involvement
 Generational distance
 Emphasis on leadership
 Discipleship depth
 Haphazard and situational
 Intentional mindset
 Centripetal force
 External focus
 Emphasis on giftedness
 Reproducible models
The fruit of an apple tree is not an apple,
it is another apple tree.