ConvergeUSA Blog

The 12 Essential Elements of a Church Planting Movement

I read an excellent post last week on the 12 Essentials of Church Planting Movements.  The number one essential was mobilize persistent prayer on a large scale.  I have been asking myself the question; are we a movement that is marked by prayer?  Am I a leader who reflects a God centered dependency?  Over the last two months I have been working on taking my prayer life to a new level.  Through reading books on prayer, developing prayer lists, prayer retreats, through just praying more, listening more, writing out my prayers, praying the prayers of Scripture and practicing spiritual disciplines.

On an individual level it is not a hard thing to figure out but on a movement level I struggle with figuring this one out. How do you mobilize persistent prayer on a large scale?  One of my goals this year is it get a handle on this. For 2009 I am giving a big amount of energy to this subject...through my writings, research, interactions and through my prayers.   My prayer for me this year is:  Father, help me, show me, guide me in how to mobilize persistent prayer on a large scale that will touch our leaders, churches, regions and movement, that will transform our hearts and transform our world
through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Here is the excellent post on church planting movements from New Generations International. I love this statement: What They Are is Why They Work!

"Church Planting Movements" are characterized by these essential elements:

1. Mobilize persistent prayer on a large scale
2. Eliminate the inherent barriers caused by transmitting external "Western/Christian" culture
3. Establish "simple" churches based on the fundamental Biblical requirements
4. Gain access to restricted or resistant areas through compassionate service
5. Finding and discipling the "Man (or Woman) of Peace" (Mt.10, Luke 10) as the key to establishing an "insiders" movement
6. Utilize chronological storytelling within oral cultures to effectively lay a biblical foundation for understanding God, salvation, and the Christian life
7. "Disciple people into conversion" through progressive family-based evangelism and personal discovery from God's Word
8. Provide heart-language Scripture resources in audio and written formats
9. Train new believers to discover God's truth through personal study of His Word and to obey immediately
10. Emphasize "obedience-based discipleship" as a lifestyle for every believer
11. Utilize only indigenous church planters and local lay leaders to launch and lead new churches
12. Train new leaders to regularly plant new churches as a normal part of being a church  (HT)

The Trophimus Principle...

Chad Runge, of The Church in West Ridge, Chicago, IL asks the question:  People walk away. Leave. Switch. Even Abandon. As a servant in the church, how do you handle it? How do you pick yourself back up? Recover from rejection? Keep on loving, even when it may not come back to you, at all, ever?

2 Timothy 4:20 Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus.

People walk away. Leave. Switch. Even Abandon. As a servant in the church, how do you handle it? How do you pick yourself back up? Recover from rejection? Keep on loving, even when it may not come back to you, at all, ever? Paul went through this. Jesus most certainly did. Judas walked with him for a couple years, was entrusted with many of the same truths, experiences, and moments, that the other disciples were. Jesus didn't withhold. He didn't shy away from it. He wasn't reluctant, even when the man was accused of stealing from the community money pot. Even when he handed Him over to death.

When I look back at some of my moments in ministry. I cringe. I know that I treated people so un-Christ like, it's freakish. I mean this: I didn't have the kind of patience God has with people. I quit on people. I don't see all the way down the road that God sees. I know there are really great relationships I don't have because people didn't meet my expectations/qualifications. They didn't perform. They didn't live up to the standards, hoops, expectations I, and I mean, I placed in front of them.

So when they don't meet the man made steps, I can then say, "see, they don't really love God, they aren't on fire, they're not radical enough." No, actually, that isn't necessarily the truth. The TRUTH, is that God has each one of us on a process, a journey, and sometimes, we have to be left sick in Miletus. We have to let go, and let God be God. He is patient. He is with us, with the people we walk with, and more often the case is that He is waiting for us to respond to truth, repent, and live in faith.

So when people were deserting Paul like he had the plague, he just rolls with it. He entrusts them to God, to the process. You see, if I have to perform, it's all about me, and not God. If I walk in Grace and Mercy, then I live out of the love of God changing my life. So will others around you, and me. The motive, then, to change, grow, and be the Church, to do Kingdom stuff, is pure. It's because of who God is, and my response is righteous and holy. The works, they take care of themselves.

Here's to you, Trophimus, get well, and walk on.  HT

Saying Thank You Well!

Darryn Scheske of Heartland Church in Fishers, IN made one of the best thank you videos for all those who supported, prayed and encourage him through the launch of this new church.  Learning how to say thank you well is one of the keys to good fundraising.

The Art of Movements - Exponential '09

The Largest Gathering of Church Planting Leaders in North America!

• 15 Preconference Intensives
• 7 Main Tracks
• Over 60 National Speakers
• Over 50 National Sponsors
• Over 3,000 Planting Leaders
• Sunny Orlando!

The Exponential Conference held in Orlando, FL, April 20-23, targets leaders of new churches and
movements of church planting. Leaders from around the globe will share astounding stories about how
God is moving in church planting--stories top leaders in North America will apply to the immense need for planting new churches here. Practical workshop tracks themed by pre-launch, post-launch, multi-ethnic planting, missional planting, reproducing movements, as well as the "nuts and bolts" of church planting and a special track for church planting spouses complement powerful main sessions lead by Erwin McManus, Craig Groeschel, Tim Keller, Bob Roberts, and Francis Chan.  Over 80 speakers from around the world!

Preconference Intensives:  $49 per person
Main Conference:  $129 - $249<br>
Group and full-time student discounts available.

Coordinated by:  Church Planting Network

 

10 Rules for how and when to leave a church - Steve Mizel

It seems like every year I have a conversation with a friend who is dissatisfied with his or her church and is ready to chuck it and leave for something better down the street. So, in a nutshell, here is my advice.

10 Rules for Leaving a Church

1. Do not leave without first examining your heart to find out why you want to leave. Many will say they are leaving their church for doctrinal issues, lack of leadership, a lack of genuine community, or other issues - when really the reason they are leaving because their pride has been wounded in some way. Maybe they aren't getting the recognition they think they deserve. Maybe they think their gifts are undervalued. Maybe they see someone else getting attention and public applause and they feel threatened or jealous. Too many people leave their churches under the guise of some spiritual reason, when really it is a vindictive act stemming from wounded pride.

2. Do not leave without first having the hard conversations. Some people leave their church because they are offended by their pastor / elder or by some other leader in the church. Matthew 5:21-26 condemns the sin of niceness. You cannot simply walk away when you are offended and claim you are simply too nice, too non-confrontational, too whatever, to not have the hard conversations. You need to confront those who offend you. You need to bring your concerns to the leadership of your church and give them opportunity to hear you and respond to you before you leave. You may find that they hear you and change. You may find that you are the one who is wrong and that you need to repent. Either way, you give the Spirit the chance to work through relationship and bring growth and change to His Body.

3. Do not leave if you have had the hard conversations with the wrong spirit. Maybe you have had those conversations, but you did it behind the a sawed off shotgun - blasting the offender into oblivion instead of going humbly and seeking to re-establish relationship. If so, humble yourself and confess your arrogance and seek to have the conversation in a balanced and humble way.

4. Do not leave if you have not been faithfully involved with your time, talents, and treasure. If that describes you, you are a consumer and should not transplant your consumerism into some other poor church. Repent, get involved, and give more than you get.

5. Do not leave if you have been bad mouthing the leadership or gossiping under the guise of prayer requests. Take six months or a year and commit yourself to either silence or active prayer and support for the leadership. If after that time you are still convinced God is leading you away, you can leave without making ripples of bitterness.

6. Do not leave with some idealistic notion that some other church has it all together. As the old saying goes, if you find a perfect church, don't go there - you will just screw it up. Every church has problems because every church is made up of people who are a mess of brokenness and redemption, sin and spiritual growth. The church is more like a hospital than a country club, and good thing too, because we are all sick and coming to meet the Great Physician.

7. Do not leave if you have left another church within the last year. Absolutely do not leave if you have left two or more churches in the last three years. You are a church hopper - a consumer who moves from community to community seeking what you may devour. Figure out why you can't settle down into a single church community before you inflict your unrealistic expectations into some new, unsuspecting church.

8. Do not leave for any reason other than God's call on you to leave. Maybe you disagree with your church's doctrine or practice. Maybe you think your church has a loon at the helm. Maybe you are frustrated by your church's unwavering commitment to staying current to the 1950's. Maybe you are frustrated with your church's commitment to getting on board with every new fad before they even become fads. Whatever reason you have - make sure you have taken it to God in prayer, seeking humility, to gain a conviction that God is leading you.

9. When you leave, leave alone. Do not seek to justify your actions or take anyone with you. Leave for God's glory, not your own. Let God do His thing and don't get in the way with your own sinful attempts at self-advancement or self-protection. Leave quietly and with grace. Follow God's call, humbly committing to not undercut God's work in the lives of those you leave behind... and humbly expecting to be misunderstood by some, and even attacked or misrepresented. Do not cast blame or burn bridges. If you do, go back and read #5.

10. When you leave, seek to leave with grace and with your head high (not in pride, but in humble confidence). Meet with the leaders if possible and explain how and why God is leading you. Be honest and direct (you have already sought to resolve issues - see #2) but not vindictive, self-promoting, condemning, or divisive.

If God is truly leading you to find a new church community, the process of leaving a church well can be an essential part of God's formation of you into the person he plans for you to be in your new church home. There will be suffering - it will be painful - but expect it and know that God will use that pain to shape you into the person he has designed you to be. (HT)

Steve Mizel is Planting Journey MetroEast in Edwardsville, IL