church planting models cross-cultural church planting school craig ott

Church Planting Models

Cross-Cultural Church Planting SchoolCraig Ott

Approaches to Pioneer Church Planting

The Solo or Paratrooper Church Planter


FEATURES ADVANTAGES POTENTIAL PROBLEMS

A solo church planter moves to target area & begins from scratch





Unreached areas are evangelized

Local believers must take up ministry responsibility





Unreached areas are evangelized

Local believers must take up ministry responsibility

Often takes a long time to win first converts & build the core group

Discouragement or burn-out

Heavily dependent on gifts of the church planter

High failure rate



Colonization or Church Planting Team



A team of persons with vision & calling moves to target area





Various gifts of team members

The team builds the core church

Mutual encouragement in the team

Synergy effect Team may include

expatriate missionaries, nationals, tentmakers, or an international mix





Various gifts of team members

The team builds the core church

Mutual encouragement in the team

Synergy effect Team may include

expatriate missionaries, nationals, tentmakers, or an international mix

The team can become a clique

Interpersonal tension on the team

Presence of many professionals can dis-courage lay ministry & ownership



Non-Resident or Short-Term Church Planting



A church planter or mission team seeks to plant a church or churches through short visits & efforts apart from a resident church planter

Non-Resident Solo or Short-Term Church Planting




Minimal resources invested

More lay involvement & ownership

An option where long-term visas for church planters are not available

A non-resident church planter may itinerate among several church plants locations

An option for reaching numerous small or remote villages





Minimal resources invested

More lay involvement & ownership

An option where long-term visas for church planters are not available

A non-resident church planter may itinerate among several church plants locations

An option for reaching numerous small or remote villages

Discipleship & leadership development is difficult

Only possible in highly responsive areas

Church planting team does not know the language or culture

High failure rate unless linked with long-term assistance or church planter



International Church Planting



By planting an int’l church, nationals are also reached, who might not otherwise be reached (usually where Christians are persecuted)





Some nationals will be more attracted (e.g. use of English)

In restricted freedom areas, often the only public church is Int’l

Freedom for more creativity

International core group can be built faster than with nationals





Some nationals will be more attracted (e.g. use of English)

In restricted freedom areas, often the only public church is Int’l

Freedom for more creativity

International core group can be built faster than with nationals

Christianity appears foreign

Not easily reproducible Transition to indigenous

church difficult Only possible in

cosmopolitan cities Primary focus is

internationals




Church is planted as a by-product of development work, student ministry, Bible translation, etc. that do not intentionally plant churches

Indirect Church Planting




Church is less dependent on missionary church planter

Restricted access regions can be reached

The missionary is not perceived as a threat to established religion

Often compassion ministry is linked with the church plant





Church is less dependent on missionary church planter

Restricted access regions can be reached

The missionary is not perceived as a threat to established religion

Often compassion ministry is linked with the church plant

Poorly planned Not linked to a

movement. Weak ecclesiology. Missionary/worker is

inexperienced in church planting


Approaches to Church Multiplication

Mother-Daughter Church Planting or Hiving-off



Members of an established (mother) church separate to build the nucleus of a new (daughter) church





The core group has grown together & has a common vision

Assistance of mother Long range planning (Lay) Leaders already

present Faster & healthier growth Motivates mother church

to evangelize High level of local

ownership





The core group has grown together & has a common vision

Assistance of mother Long range planning (Lay) Leaders already

present Faster & healthier growth Motivates mother church

to evangelize High level of local

ownership

Competition with mother church

Weakening of mother church

Heavy dependency of daughter on mother, or dominance of mother over daughter



Multi-site or Satellite Church Planting



Mother church starts additional worship or ministry venues (often with video sermons). Staff & organization remain largely centralized





Most advantages of cell division

Builds on reputation & quality of the mother church

Takes advantage of highly gifted preaching/teaching

Shares resources, staff & specialized ministries

Usually large numbers for start-up





Most advantages of cell division

Builds on reputation & quality of the mother church

Takes advantage of highly gifted preaching/teaching

Shares resources, staff & specialized ministries

Usually large numbers for start-up

Less local ownership at sites

Centralized staff & ministry not responsive to needs of sites

Dependent on strong central church, technology, transportation & logistics

Overly professionalized ministry

Conflict over allocation of resources between sites



5 to 5,000 from 1989 to 2006

Community Christian Church, Naperville


International Examples of Multi-site Churches Abidjan, Ivory Coast – Works and Mission

Baptist Church, 150,000 people in hundreds of satellites

Lisbon, Portugal – Igreja Mana Church, 60,000 worshippers in 400 satellite churches

Bombay, India – New Life Fellowship, 50,000 people at 250 satellite churches.

From Geoff Surratt, Greg Ligon and Warren Bird, The Multi-Site Church Revolution (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006), p. 203.



An independent fellowship decides to form a church by requesting assistance of an established church

Adoptive Daughter Church




Assistance of a mother church

Identity & stability through association with mother church

Core group is local & highly motivated





Assistance of a mother church

Identity & stability through association with mother church

Core group is local & highly motivated

Differing expectations or ethos of mother & adoptive daughter

Trust between mother/daughter

Geographical distance between mother/daughter




Several established churches give members to start a common daugh-ter church

Multiple Mother or Partnership Church Plant




Cooperation Larger church nucleus Broader support base Less demands on

individual mother churches (includes small churches)





Cooperation Larger church nucleus Broader support base Less demands on

individual mother churches (includes small churches)

Tension between groups from the various churches

Unclear lines of authority & responsibility with mother churches




Bonn

Cologne

Portz

Central Munich

Dachau County North Munich


Focus Group Church Plant or Multi-Congregation



A church estab-lishes a new congregation among a particular ethnic or social group, often using the same building & is organizationally linked





Unreached people groups are evangelized

Involvement & support of an established church

Shows unity in the body of Christ

Full usage of church facilities





Unreached people groups are evangelized

Involvement & support of an established church

Shows unity in the body of Christ

Full usage of church facilities

Demands specially trained& gifted workers (e.g. cross-cultural skills, foreign language)

Logistical conflict with mother

Communication problems

Unclear lies of authority



House Church Network



Similar to cell division, but has minimal structure & is largely lay led

Missionary is not a pastor but an equipper-coach of lay house church planters






Minimal resources necessary, thus easily reproducible with local resources

Potential for rapid multiplication

Mobilizes laity for church planting

Less vulnerable to persecution

Highly evangelistic through relationships, not programs






Minimal resources necessary, thus easily reproducible with local resources

Potential for rapid multiplication

Mobilizes laity for church planting

Less vulnerable to persecution

Highly evangelistic through relationships, not programs

Susceptible to weak leadership

Lacks programs, quality & comforts of larger churches

Members & leaders may leave to attend or serve traditional churches

In some contexts house churches tend to be short-lived




A new church results from a church split

Diversity is expressed The two churches will

reach different people

Unbiblical Continued tension

between the churches Poor public testimony

Church Split or Unplanned Parenthood

Regional Strategies Harvest Priority

Harvest Priority


Evangelistic efforts are conducted in various locations & a church is planted in the location of greatest responsiveness

Regional Strategies

Harvest Priority



Resources are invested in locations where response & growth are likely

Regional Strategies

Harvest Priority



Resources are invested in locations where response & growth are likely

An evangelistic "blitz" is not always a good test of responsiveness

Locations with greater potential for long-term multiplication may be bypassed

Regional Strategies

Harvest Priority Strategic Beachhead

Regional Strategies

Regional Strategies

Church Planting in Former East Germany by the Evangelical Free Church in the Early 1990s



Seeks to establish at least one church in every unevangelized city or town, usually separated by geographical distance

Regional Strategies




Many areas receive a Gospel witness, which previously had none

Avoids competition with existing churches

Regional Strategies




Many areas receive a Gospel witness, which previously had none

Avoids competition with existing churches

Resources are often spread thin over large geographical areas

New churches are isolated & may develop slowly; no momentum.

May overlook church planting potential in areas where churches already exist

Regional Strategies

Harvest Priority Strategic Beachhead Cluster Church Planting

Regional Strategies


Seeks to establish a cluster of related churches in limited geographical area


Regional Strategies



Mutual networking, fellowship & equipping among new churches

New churches tend to grow faster

Creates a sense of momentum Greater potential for multipli-

cation & saturation of a locality Higher visibility of the

movement


Regional Strategies



Mutual networking, fellowship & equipping among new churches

New churches tend to grow faster

Creates a sense of momentum Greater potential for multipli-

cation & saturation of a locality Higher visibility of the

movement

Some distant areas may remain without a Gospel witness

Demands a long-term commitment of resources to a single region

Resources may be invested in one area of low responsiveness


Regional Strategies

Church Planting by the Evangelical Free Church in Greater Munich

19671967

19771977

19871987

19891989

19911991

19931993

19951995

20012001

20072007

Regional Strategies

Church Planting by the C&MA in Greater Lima

“Encounter With God” Churches in Lima, Peru

1958 73 74 75 76 77 78 80 86 15 274 EL AUGUSTINO LINCE

25 148 335 2,786 (700) SALAMENCA 30 178

MIRAFLORES 45 551 PUEBLO LIBRE Jesus Maria (1970) 36 126 2,928 (60) (300)

Regional Strategies

Church Inception 1986 1997 Lince 148 (1973) 2,784 3,052 Pueblo Libre 36 (1975) 2,928 2,019 Miraflores (1st daughter ch., upper class)

45 (1977) 551 908

El Augustino (lower class)

35 (1978) 274 645

Salamenca 30 (1980) 178

Regional Strategies

Church Planting by the C&MA in Greater Lima

Harvest Priority Strategic Beachhead Cluster Church Planting Spreading Vine

Regional Strategies


Churches are planted in consecutive cities or towns, often along major transportation routes


Regional Strategies



Many of the advantages of the cluster strategy

Well suited for rural areas Each new church is responsible

to plant the next church


Regional Strategies



Many of the advantages of the cluster strategy

Well suited for rural areas Each new church is responsible

to plant the next church

May lead to a chain of small, weak churches

Difficult for a traditional church planter due to frequent moves

To be effective in rural settings requires very strong lay leadership


Regional Strategies

1990199019921992

1996199619951995

19941994

19981998

Regional Strategies

Church Planting by the EFCA in Romania

Global Church Planting

Church Planting by the German

Alliance Mission in Mali

19891989

19891989

19891989

19891989

19891989

19901990

19901990

19941994

19971997

Church Planting in

Northern Mali

19891989

19921992 19931993

19941994

19941994

19941994

19941994

Kokoum

19981998

Church Planting in the Bamako Region of Mali

19911991Bamako

Regional StrategiesRegional Strategies

Harvest Priority Strategic Beachhead Cluster Church Planting Spreading Vine Dandelion, Spontaneous, or Diaspora

Regional Strategies


(House) Churches are planted spontaneously as local believers naturally spread the Gospel, often a result of diaspora Christians


Regional Strategies



Growth is natural & often rapid Local believers largely

responsible; lay driven Saturation of a region Persecution resistant


Regional Strategies



Growth is natural & often rapid Local believers largely

responsible; lay driven Saturation of a region Persecution resistant

Leaders often weak or new believers

Not planned Churches are often small &

weak Difficult to coordinate or unify

churches Needy or strategic areas may

remain unreached


Regional Strategies

church planting models cross-cultural church planting school craig ott

Documents

church planters

nonresident church planter

church planting teamapproaches

mission team

team synergy effect

team presence

short visits efforts

expatriate missionaries