What is Catalytic? (David Rice)
What is Catalytic Student-Led Movements strategy? Following the Biblical examples from the
book of Acts we define catalytic as a few staff or volunteers launching and developing
independent, self sustaining movements in multiple universities across a broad scope.
Paul and Barnabas’ missionary journeys are examples of this paradigm of ministry. In a
relatively short amount of time they saw locally led and owned churches planted in multiple
cities. They were catalysts for the beginnings of the new movements in new cities. Their role
was very important for launching, equipping, and encouraging leaders for the work in each
city, but they were never a long-term essential part of the local movement. Ownership,
growth and ministry were always in local hands. They planted, others watered, but God
caused the growth. (See Acts 13-15) When they left, sometimes after only 3-4 weeks in a city,
the church grew and developed without their physical presence.
What is a Catalyst?
“Here’s what we mean. Take nitrogen and hydrogen, two of the most common elements on
earth, put them in a container, close the lid, come back a day later, and…nothing will have
happened. But add ordinary iron to the equation and you’ll get ammonia, an important
ingredient in fertilizers, polymers and glass cleaners. The thing is, ammonia doesn’t have any
iron in it—it’s made solely of hydrogen and nitrogen. The iron in this equation remains
unchanged: it just facilitates the bonding of hydrogen and nitrogen in a certain way. Iron is a
Catalyst.
In chemistry, a catalyst is any element or compound that initiates a reaction without fusing
into that reaction. In open organizations, a catalyst is the person who initiates the circle and
then fades away into the background…” (from The Starfish and the Spider)
In Catalytic Strategy a few staff will focus on a large scope with multiple universities and work
to win and discover students, volunteers, and church partners who will form the movement
team for local movements.
What are we seeking to Catalyze in each location?
The focus of all our efforts is to see God raise up the critical mass needed to launch
a new movement in every university. We are trusting God to raise up a team of
like-hearted disciples through whom He can supernaturally work to win, build, and
send toward fulfillment of the Great Commission.
Catalytic staff focus simultaneously on multiple universities, usually 7-20, as
they take the initiative to network and evangelize, discovering where God is working and where He
is preparing hearts, resources and partners. They use a variety of strategies to win and discover
potential volunteers and leaders through whom the movement will grow.
They are working to see each location move forward along the following continuum:
They are going from (a) pioneering and
networking to (b) recruiting a few key
volunteers who are aligned to our
mission, then (c) those volunteers form a
team that will (d) grow and launch new
movements that multiply new
movements.
Pioneering
Networking
Multiplying New
Movements
Key Volunteers
"-led" Ministry
team
Their role is to discover, envision, equip, encourage, and empower
others to execute the mission and vision that God is giving in multiple
locations across their assigned scope.
We believe that God has promised in His word that He is already working, preparing believers and
even non-believers to be a part of a movement in many locations. He is the sovereign Lord and we
cannot make any guarantees, but our job is to go out by faith and discover where God is working
and join Him there. Not all schools will be ready, not all locations will go at the same pace. Just as
the New Testament letters testify, this kind of ministry is full of adventurous challenges. The
churches we read about had problems and issues that needed much prayer, correction, equipping,
exhortation, and shepherding, but they also saw God do amazing things. Few things are more
exciting than seeing young students begin to lead as they experience and follow Christ!
All over the world, God is working and hundreds of new ministries are growing…do we dare join
Him?