From LW, 2004, from Video of Takagoulo people (work of Todd R in Philippines):
Things that characterize a healthy church
1.Leadership (national)
Church planting new churches and training new leaders
2.Depends upon God (not dependent on foreign sources)
a. Congregation supports own pastor
b. Supports missions and is reaching out
3. Evangelism and Outreach
a. Must know that the reason a church exists is to share the Gospel
b. Can share with nearby villages
4. Culturally relevant
a. Must share answers in ways that make sense to the people. A tip: try not to give answers but rather Bible verses in response to their questions.
Additional thoughts by AB: Todd really emphasized the importance of equipping and empowering the nationals to do ministry. This enables the lay members to take active ownership and leadership roles within the church and decreases the dependence on the Missionaries for support and leadership.
This video also was encouraging as it reminds us that the planter does not need to necessarily see the whole process through completion. It was stated to plant the seeds and help them to grow, but do not worry about the harvest. God will work to accomplish his will through the nationals. This allows the missionaries to “cover more ground” in planting.
Because the nationals are not dependant on them, but instead empowered, the missionary can equip and teach a greater number of people.
An example of empowering others to do Christ’s work from the video was the story of how the missionary had the opportunity to step out of the way in the growth of the church. He saw the need for growth in a new village and instead of going and planting it himself, he backed off and allowed a national pastor to go and do the task of planting.
This should be the goal of every missionary- every Christian- to work themselves out of a job. This is the joy of seeing God empower his people.
The mark of a healthy group of believers is that they are learning and actively participating in reaching out to other people groups.
An example of this from the “God gave the growth” video is when a group of national Christians now want to go forward and start a church in a nearby tribe that had the same dialect as them. This is people reaching people. This would be a very difficult task for an American missionary to accomplish, but God is empowering the nationals to do His work.
5. Rotate fields; Plant here- don’t worry about the harvest- let them take care of it. Plant elsewhere; Missionaries need to step out of the way in this area, too. When he saw a need in the village, he let the national pastor do the task. A Healthy group learns how to reach out to other people groups.
PM described planting churches in Liberia, West Africa (3-29-04).
He Started with nothing; Learned the language intensively; Took risks and jumped in
After 7 months started making efforts on the connections that had been made. Relationships as we think of them were impossible We share nothing in common. It is about getting permission. They decide not as individuals but as a group of people
Got permission from the chief of each people group. Picked a day and time and invited others to check it out. Taught classes on 13 different topics- one per week, including God, Satan, Trinity, 10 commandments. They wanted to know what rules were required for them to be a part of this religion (some Baptist influence present in the country)
At the end of the 13 weeks, he asked who wanted to be baptized and then had baptisms. He would then train leaders within the congregations in Classes for 2 hours every Sunday afternoon. When they left for their first furlough, he was involved with planting the 4th church. When they returned home from furlough, there were 5 churches going. At this point, he only did leadership training and attended church, Only preached on certain occasions. When they returned home after 7 years, their were 17 churches planted that had started with none….and it continues.
interview with PG — April 24th, 2004
In the Philippines, their work was initially to work with established, but neglected congregations and as their years progressed, they planted new churches. This was done through having ten to twelve week bible studies and raising up national leaders to do teaching in their own villages. In Peru Paul’s emphasis was reaching men. His goal was to reach the natural leaders in the community, not only those who are dependant on the church. The G’s work in church planting caused them to create goals to reach and strategies with which to reach them. In the Philippines, they had three levels of leadership training including home bible study, congregational leaders, and evangelists. Paul stressed very heavily that when you are doing mission work: “Don’t do anything that they cannot replicate = EVER!” Because of this reasoning for reaching and training leaders, Paul put away all of his seminary books and used only the resource of the Bible in the nationals’ language for the whole time that he was in the Philippines. He did not use any resource that the nationals did not have access to.
The goal of planting churches is to train the nationals to do missions and then get out and let them do it. Paul feels that this is part of keeping on task as well as realizing what you cannot do and make no apologies for this fact. Satan loves to attack individuals in this area of their ministry. Viewing time spent in a realistic way is also very important in evaluating effectiveness. In many cultures, spending time with people is a far more effective use of time than our American task orientated minds want us to think.
interview with MP and SP – March 15, 2004
Their approach to church planting ministry has been altered since working with the people of Cass Lake. When they arrived, a small congregation was formed and this body of believers continued to meet together up until two years ago when Mark did an evaluation of the ministry. It was when he took a step back that he realized that the church was not reaching the community. The individuals whom they were helping were benefiting greatly, but they were much to dependant on the missionaries and the church was not attracting any strong and healthy independent leaders. Mark’s main focus for raising up a body of believers is to start with relationships. He walks, talks with, and counsels men on an individual basis in order that they might know more about Jesus.
At first the goals and strategies of their work was surrounded around getting individuals to come to church. Mark was quick to point out that this is not the first step, but the ending step. The first goal is to get the Gospel deeply seeded into their hearts and talk about Jesus in an honest relationship. It is important to set goals, but it is more important to stay flexible.
From a book review: Rural Models of Nurturing
- Initial Church Stage: In this stage, the first converts are hardly a group, rather, they are like newborn children. In this stage the objective is to gain enough converts to form a vibrant group of Christians. The role of the church planter is evangelist—proclaiming the foundational message of the Gospel. It is important to begin the second stage as soon as possible…
- Developing Church Stage In this stage new Christians are mentored both through cognitive and experiential teaching. The role of the church planter is church maturer. In this stage the missionary spends much time in homes as well as holding evangelistic and nurturing meetings. The model of ministry in this stage follows 1 Thess. 2:7-8: “We were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.” The missionary must make ask onself, “Do Christians understand the central truths of the Christian faith” and secondly, “Is the Christian worldview, defined by biblical truths being practically lived out?” During this stage leaders begin to emerge. This stage can take anywhere from 6-15 months usually.
- Independent Church Stage. In this stage the church planter begins leadership training and is able to allow local leadership in the church. It is important that leadership training does not precede the Developing Church Stage because otherwise a sharp distinction between clergy and laity forms! Leaders must be selected from within the church that is growing, not from outsiders.
- Mature Church Stage Following intense leadership training, ordained church leaders are selected: Elders to pastor, deacons to serve in various ministries, evangelists, teachers, etc… The founding church planter now serves as an occasional guest! As a guest the church planter may come periodically to exhort and strengthen, but otherwise his or her presence is not needed for the ongoing life of the body.
From J. H., 2003, from report on book by Tetsunao Yamamori – Development needs to be a part of planting, providing Relief to help needs get met, Restoring them to previous levels, Sustaining them and effectively sharing the gospel – This is a twelve year process or as circumstance arise
Physical progress – Setting up medical assistance, – also a certain trade or skill can be transferred
Mental progress – experimenting and trying new ideas
Social progress – Helping family and neighbors get along harmoniously
Spiritual progress –The goal is to sustain and replicate this system.
Review of the book Building Strategic relationships – Good Partnership – Three Keys
First, the partnering organization must be autonomous
Second, there must be compatibility in doctrinal beliefs and ministry values
Third, each partner must know and be willing to exchange complementary strengths and resources.
Development Partnerships – Three Keys
1. Results – The partnership develops as it learns, changes, and grows
2. Relationships – The partnership develops trust, communication, and collaboration
3. Vision – The partnership learns what it can achieve and how to get there
Unhealthy Dependency – Five Sure Ways to Create it:
– Make an alliance with a lone ranger
– Send money directly to individuals
– Finance pastors and local churches
– Give resources based only on need
– Under write 100% of a ministries needs
Managing Dependency – Some Don’ts
– Don’t define goals and methods unilaterally
– Don’t base the relationship on a one-way flow of resources
– Don’t allow money to become the most highly valued resource
– Don’t fund the full cost of a project without clear justification
– Don’t interfere in the administration of the partners organization
– Don’t do for others what they can better do for themselves
– Don’t rely on “one-size-fits-all” policies
7-Point approach to communication
– 1. Use guidelines
– 2. Have regular discussions
– 3. Inform your partner quickly
– 4. Ask for your partner’s opinion
– 5. Send short notes
– 6. Invite bad news as well as good
– 7. Relax together
Avoiding Pitfalls
Pitfall – Assuming you think alike. Remedy – Be explicit about your expectations and capabilities
Pitfall – Promising more than you can deliver – Remedy – Make sure to under promise and over deliver
Pitfall – Taking to the road without a map – Remedy – Establish goals that make a difference
Pitfall – Understanding Cultural differences – Remedy – Build intercultural understandings
Pitfall – Taking shortcuts – Remedy – Develop evaluation procedures and use them
Pitfall – Forgetting to develop self-reliance – Remedy – Include self-reliance in your goals for the partnership
Pitfall – Running a race with no end – Remedy – Have an exit plan before you start
Excepts from interview with Jack C:
How was Church planting done? – Every once in a while a church work would tell Jack he should go into a village and Evangelize so he would do that. The Grabo people were the main people Jack worked with in which they always needed to be welcomed through a ritual of eating a nut that tasted awful. After the ritual Jack would be asked why he was there in which he would inform them that he was there to preach the message of Jesus. The chiefs would decide if he could stay and would pick a person to learn who in turn would eventually become the pastor. Jack said he never was denied entrance to a village and did it many times.
PG interview April 24th, 2004 In the Philippines, their work was initially to work with established, but neglected congregations and as their years progressed, they planted new churches. This was done through having ten to twelve week bible studies and raising up national leaders to do teaching in their own villages. In Peru Paul’s emphasis was reaching men. His goal was to reach the natural leaders in the community, not only those who are dependant on the church.
The Gossmans’ work in church planting caused them to create goals to reach and strategies with which to reach them. In the Philippines, they had three levels of leadership training including home bible study, congregational leaders, and evangelists. Paul stressed very heavily that when you are doing mission work: “Don’t do anything that they cannot replicate = EVER!” Because of this reasoning for reaching and training leaders, Paul put away all of his seminary books and used only the resource of the Bible in the nationals’ language for the whole time that he was in the Philippines. He did not use any resource that the nationals did not have access to.
The goal of planting churches is to train the nationals to do missions and then get out and let them do it. Paul feels that this is part of keeping on task as well as realizing what you cannot do and make no apologies for this fact. Satan loves to attack individuals in this area of their ministry. Viewing time spent in a realistic way is also very important in evaluating effectiveness. In many cultures, spending time with people is a far more effective use of time than our American task orientated minds want us to think.
M and SP interview- March 15, 2004 Their approach to church planting ministry has been altered since working with the people of Cass Lake. When they arrived, a small congregation was formed and this body of believers continued to meet together up until two years ago when Mark did an evaluation of the ministry. It was when he took a step back that he realized that the church was not reaching the community. The individuals whom they were helping were benefiting greatly, but they were much to dependant on the missionaries and the church was not attracting any strong and healthy independent leaders. Mark’s main focus for raising up a body of believers is to start with relationships. He walks, talks with, and counsels men on an individual basis in order that they might know more about Jesus.
At first the goals and strategies of the Peskes’ work was surrounded around getting individuals to come to church. Mark was quick to point out that this is not the first step, but the ending step. The first goal is to get the Gospel deeply seeded into their hearts and talk about Jesus in an honest relationship. It is important to set goals, but it is more important to stay flexible.
From the book – Mission Work in Today’s World, pg. 157-158. BP
“After bible translation, what? Many Things!
Literacy, of course, since even a New Testament is useless without someone to read it
More translation, so much of the NT is meaningless without the OT background
Leadership training is an urgent and unending need
Writing and publication of literature: textbooks for the leadership training classes, Bible study guides and commentaries, Biblical history and geography, Sunday School materials, tracts for evangelism
Medical work usually is very urgent
Tools with which to work: tracts, cassette tapes and players, filmstrips, projectors
Music is so basic to a vital Christian church
Consequently, one of the greatest needs on the mission fields today is for missionaries who are equipped to follow up the translators and evangelists, feeding and strengthening the young tribal churches they have founded.”