SESSIONS
Why plant healthy churches?
Who should plant churches?
What does the church we are going to
establish look like?
What steps should we take to plant a
church?
WHY PLANT HEALTHY CHURCHES?
Objective
Foundations for Planting New Churches
Biblical
Theological
Missiological
Practical
DEFINITION
“The Biblical motivation for planting
healthy churches resides in the
mission of the loving and merciful
Triune God (Missio Dei), who
desires that men and women
become disciples of Jesus Christ
and responsible members of the
church, the Body of Christ, whose
congregations are signs of the
coming Kingdom of God for the
praise of His glory.”
BIBLICAL FOUNDATIONS
There are five biblical reasons for
planting more healthy churches:
Planting new
churches
brings glory to
God
Christ’s love
compels us
The Father
seeks the
lost
The local
church is a
branch of the
Kingdom of
God
The Holy
Spirit has
been sent to
all people
THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION
Stuart Murray summarizes the
theological basis in his book
Laying Foundations. Both church
growth and the planting of new
congregations have their basis in
at least three principles:
“But seek first his kingdom and his
righteousness, and all these things will be given
to you as well.”—Jesus Christ (Matthew 6:33)
THE INCARNATION
“MISSIO DEI”
“GOD’S MISSION”
KINGDOM OF GOD
MISSIOLOGICAL FOUNDATION
In his book Essence of the Church, Craig Van Gelder
highlights three important points regarding the church
and its mission:
What the Church IS
• Its essence/nature
What the Church DOES
• Its function/purpose
The Church ORGANIZES what it
DOES
• Its structure/organization
PRACTICAL FOUNDATION
STRATEGIC REASONS
Strategic
FOR PLANTING
Reasons:
CHURCHES:
The POPULATION is growing rapidly
New churches reach MORE people
Established churches tend to PLATEAU
New churches help stimulate ESTABLISHED churches
Churches are needed close to where the lost LIVE
New churches are more FLEXIBLE
It is impossible for one church to reach EVERYONE
New churches develop LEADERS quickly
PROXIMITY aids discipleship
PRACTICAL FOUNDATION
COMMON
Common
OBJECTIVES
TO
Objections:
PLANTING CHURCHES:
Starting new churches weakens established ones
Starting new churches is expensive
We may lose many people
We already have so many needs
We can’t force church planting
We won’t be able to preserve our doctrines
Planting churches creates denominational competition
One church for every city is a New Testament practice
Starting new churches won’t help my ministry career
VISION
• Stuart Murray, “Laying Foundations”
Spurs on the
expansion of
the Kingdom.
God invites us
to participate!
We have been
commissioned.
God’s desire is for thousands of healthy churches to be planted on your
continent! Will you participate in some way to make this a reality?
Will you participate in some way to make this a reality?
WHO SHOULD PLANT CHURCHES?
TWO OPPOSING PARADIGMS:
Formal Education
• The man who works to get rich.
• Faulty information without formal training can cause people
to make serious errors.
No Formal Studies
• Go and “dew” exactly what Joe “duz.”
• There are not enough seminary graduates to work with all the
people in the world.
CHOOSING THE PLANTER
• One mandatory principle:
– The church planter must be called by God.
• Four points related to the church planter’s call
1. Divine: from GOD
2. Confirmed: by oneself and other PEOPLE
3. Specific: to a particular COMMUNITY/MINISTRY
4. Fulfilling: the church planter finds SATISFACTION
in the ministry God directs him to
“Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the
work to which I have called them.” Acts 13:2
SUCCESSFUL CHURCH PLANTERS
CHARACTERISTICS:
o
o
o
o
o
o
Visionary
Self-motivated
Able to involve others
Reach non-believers
Have the support of their spouse
Can establish relationships with
others
o Dedicated to the holistic growth of
the church
Jesus said to his disciples, “I will make you
fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19; Mark 1:17;
Luke 5:10
o
o
o
o
o
o
Respond to the community
Use the gifts of others
Flexible
Maintain unity in the church
Show adaptability
Practice their faith
WHAT DOES THE CHURCH WE ARE
GOING TO ESTABLISH LOOK LIKE?
START WITH THE END IN MIND
What are we shooting
for?
Toward what end are
we working?
What does the church
we desire to establish
look like?
What are the key
ingredients to
establish a healthy
and growing church?
SIGNS OF A HEALTHY CHURCH
FIVE ELEMENTS:
FIVE FUNCTIONS:
Vision
Worship
Leadership
Fellowship
Body
Mobilized
Service
Resources
Discipleship
Text and
Context
Evangelism
CHURCH
CHURCH
STEPS TO PLANTING A CHURCH
BEFORE PLANTING A CHURCH:
Spiritual Preparation
Vocational Preparation
Sociological/Demographic Preparation
Philosophical Preparation
Strategic Preparation
Emotional Preparation
STEPS TO PLANTING A CHURCH
FIVE STEPS:
Evangelism
• Make new contacts
Discipleship
• Organize small Bible study groups
Membership
• Develop commitment to the local church
Leadership
• Identify and develop leaders
Worship Service
• Begin the worship services and ministries in the community
EIGHT MODELS TO PLANT CHURCHES
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Independent Pioneer Model
Mother-Daughter Model
Colonizing Model
Multi-Congregational Model
Satellite Model
Missionary Model
Denominational Model
Cellular Model
CONCLUDING THE WORKSHOP
THREE IMPORTANT INGREDIENTS:
Accountability
A Mentor
External or
Structural
Support