-Jeffrey Christopherson
Start Team Leader
“Jesus said, 'What is the Kingdom of God like? How can I illustrate it? It is like a tiny mustard seed that a man planted in a garden'..." Luke 13:18-19 (NLT)
A common sentiment echoed among missionaries worldwide is, “if it is not working at home, please don’t export it!” Have you heard someone say that? Probably so. What is it that they saying? Could it be something like, “why reproduce something in a new context if it no longer is effective in the context that it originated?” Now, that is an idea worth thinking about.
This leads us to the second ingredient found in our CNBC Seed Definition. This new church plant has a leader that is committed to… “developing an evangelistic church-planting strategy that results in reproduction & community transformation”. Simply stated, we are looking for leaders who dream about changing their community with the Gospel, and have a plan to export it.
Reproduction & community transformation are two concepts abounding in Jesus’ teachings and yet very foreign to what we have been educated in through the school of church growth. Both key phrases in this definition are significant. If we have ‘reproduction’ without ‘community transformation’, we compound the problem by reaffirming the bias that our culture already owns – that is, the church exists for its own membership. If we have ‘community transformation’ without ‘reproduction’, we condemn surrounding communities to not experiencing the transforming power of the Gospel. In essence we say, “too bad that you don’t live here!”
The CNBC Start Team is committed to helping potential church planters think through possible application of both significant phrases in their strategic plan. “How will this new church make a difference in the community where it is planted? Describe the picture of what you envision…” “How will you ensure that this new church will not become a dead-end link on the Great Commission chain? What is your plan for reproduction?” A church-planter armed with a strategic plan to carry out community transformation and reproduction has the potential to plant a church that will make a tremendous Kingdom impact.
What are the benefits of planting this kind of church? Some might say that it seems counterintuitive to “give yourself away” to your community – to other communities – when trying to establish a ‘base of operations’. That is true, if the base is our goal. If the base is your goal, then the school of church growth has exactly the right plan for you. If what the church does is the goal, then look to the Gospels for the plan. (Jesus gave us a hint on how to prepare for the final exam – see Matthew 25:31-46.) The following six statements are just a sampling of the benefits you will experience when you walk with your church along this path:
1. Invites cooperation from the lost. I am constantly surprised how lost people value the things of the Kingdom. Walk this road and watch your friends and neighbours join in.
2. Gives opportunity to naturally share your hope (1 Peter 3:15). Your lost friends become very impressed with the authenticity of your faith. Questions are asked…
3. Opens the door for a far bigger ‘buy-in’ from new believers. When the goal is not the Sunday morning activities – but the world; spiritual imaginations begin to ramp up…
4. Provides a path for the radical transformation of new believers. When spiritual imaginations grow – so is the price believers are willing to pay. Commitment issues become less of an issue…
5. Gives your people a heart for the world. When multiplication is seen as the heart of your reason to be, believers become genuinely interested in the process.
6. Experience God’s provision from the most surprising sources. It is often said that, “the resources are in the harvest.” We have been experiencing that, “the resources are in the PRE-harvest.” It is an incredible to see all the accounts that God uses to fund His Kingdom.