Church Planting Round Table

Case Study - Missions and Church Planting in the Philippines

• Churches with a strong cell strategy see growth.
• A both/and situation:  people group and geo-political saturation are needed.
• Intentionality is key: we can’t just assume a desired outcome will be a by-product of other activities.
• When together with pastors, two questions are often raised:  1) what kind of resources are available to me to help me with church planting?, 2) what groups around me are unchurched or under-churched?
•  The assumption that there would be community transformation when the church reached a critical mass (size) has not appeared to be confirmed.
• Church planters with a coach are 7 to 8 times more effective than church planters without a coach.

Continued Discussions on The Critical Elements of Church Planting

• Ministry should precede evangelism and evangelism must always be the end result of ministry.  Timing is important and necessary.
• Focus on households and families, not individuals.   Jesus did not pre-qualify.  Be careful not to make judgments/decisions about who is worthy or not to receive the gospel.
• Even when you’re using the ‘person of peace’ method, you still have to be careful not to violate culture.  Every culture has a way that families relate to each other.  It’s not about what makes you feel comfortable.  It’s what makes ‘them’ feel comfortable.  Lowering barriers to the gospel.  Have to understand gender issues, age issues, shame and honor issues.  How to identify spiritual leaders.  Church planting is not for the faint of heart.  But church planters have to be people who love to learn.
• Our job is not to teach.  Our job is to ask the right questions so that people can discover the answers from the Bible on their own.
• Small for-profit projects often yield much higher long-term access and goodwill than charity or free services.
• Do we think the disciples felt they were ready to have Jesus leave?  Do we really believe in the Holy Spirit?  If we did, we will walk away from things sooner than we often do.

The Effects of Culture on Church Planting (Part 2) - David Watson

David Watson continues his discussion on cultural barriers to planting churches that reproduce.

The Effects of Culture on Church Planting - Jerry Trousdale, David Watson (03/25/2009)

Jerry Trousdale introduces David Watson and David Watson addresses the role culture plays in church planting.

What’s Next? (03/24/2009)

Murray Moerman provides an overview of Saturation Church Planting and Church Planting Movements while asking a critical question, “What’s next?”