Keys To Church Planting Movements

Here are a few of the keys we find are important in seeing disciples and churches reproducing beyond the third and fourth generations:

1.    Disciple making is at the center and must be simple so that it can be easily caught and passed on to others.

2.    Disciple making focuses on hearing the voice of Jesus, through His word, and following (obedience).

3.    Disciple making is not primarily mastering a set of information.  It is responding to what Jesus is speaking today.

4.    Do not disciple people to the voice of Jesus through Scripture and another set of doctrines, teachings, church methods, or Christian culture.  His voice is enough!

5.    Go where you are sent.  Listen and respond to the place/people/group that God calls you to.

6.    Expect that your disciple will do everything that you do very soon after he/she sees you model it.  Everything!

7.    Sow compassionately; pray continually.

8.    Keep gatherings simple, participatory, and open to the leading of Jesus.

9.    Encourage new believers to start gatherings with their new disciples.

10.    Be willing to let go of those who do not desire to become fruitful, reproducing disciples.

11.    Make it your goal that everyone you influence becomes a more influential “leader” than you.

12.    Your own heart-passion and longing to hear and follow every whisper that Jesus speaks is the first and foremost key because we will pass on who we are not what we say.

Here are some additional resources on church planting movements:

• Kevin Sutter's Keys to Church Planting Movements (designed for easy cross-cultural application)
• David Watson's blog
• Kevin Greeson's book on CPMs among Muslims entitled: "The Camel - How Muslims are Coming to Faith in Christ"

Comments

[Dave Kirk]

Thank you for this. My wife and I seeking the Lord on where He wants us. He is saying keep praying and serve Me where you are. I then answer back and say, but Lord we are right now in a regular Americanized church. He says, "did you think I didn't know that?"

The beautiful part f what you wrote is that with the right heart, these keys apply to anyone wanting to grow and help others grow to reach the unreached.

Again
Thanks,
Dave

[Justin Kuek]

Your points on discipleship are great but you spoil it by going on about the need to plant churches! There is never a command to start churches, only make disciples...

[Neal Taylor]

Lovely and succint!

In response to Justin - we are called to gather together to encourage one another and build each other up as well as admonish one another. In addition, we ARE the church and do not GO to church but go to a more formal gathering we call worship. Our lives are worship or rather, should be.

I will be posting this on my blog handtotheplough.com.au with a link back here! Great stuff.