Over the next few blogs I will attempt to define a number of words and phrases associated with a new generation of missionaries and church planters in the ABA. Because of the great amount of confusion and controversy that has arisen over these new terms we will attempt to bridge the gaps that now appear to exist. If I do not accurately define the following terms or don't list all of them please feel free to correct me.
Sending Church: A church that sends out a missionary or church planter. Sending implies more than just authorizing someone to go start a new work. It implies commitment and accountability by the sending church and to the missionary/church planter being sent. Sponsoring a new work has come to mean sending money or giving permission to go. In most other Baptist fellowships 'sponsor' means 'support'. Biblically, in Acts 13 we see where the church sent them out. Hence; 'sending church'.
Mother Church: A Church that has birthed (started) a new church/mission from within its own body or takes responsibility for the formation of a new work. The Mother church, if necessary, may hold property in its name until the baby church is constituted/organized.
Daughter Church/Baby Church: A new work that is given the status of being called a 'church' although it is still dependent upon its Mother Church to some degree. This daughter church may have been started without having had a churchplanter/missionary to start it. It may actually raise up it's own spiritual leadership from within after it has been started. This daughter church is taught from the beginning how to be indigenous; conducting its own affairs. In many cases, baby churches are started and will not consititute until they are able of themselves to support themselves. This is exclusive of land and buildings. In other words, they can be a church from the 'git go' and without land and buildings of their own.
The term 'mission' is often understood by most of us as the 'beginnings of what may become a church'. It remains totally under the authority and control of a sponsoring church until it is 'financially, numerically and doctrinally' mature. This is to mean that the 'mission' cannot organize into a church until it has its own church building with a enough people to carry on the expense of building payments, maintenance and a fulltime pastor.
The term 'mission' has its earliest roots in Roman Catholicism. Then it surfaced in Baptist ranks among the Southern Baptists and bled over into our own fellowship the ABA. Even though the term 'mission' is not a biblical term it was convenient to establish protective measures over securing property and buildings and maintaining control and accountability. This human effort has lead to many difficulties. The greatest difficulty is that fewer and fewer missions are being established into indigenous churches.
This is the first installment of blogs on the subject of Church Planting terminologies.
David
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Building New DNA
A pastor friend of mine in Florida, once made this statement regarding an unhealthy church, which we both knew, "What we need here is some fresh meat". A little crude, I admit, but true nonetheless. Fresh meat was in direct reference to the need of gaining new people, with fresh ideas, and a new zeal for the lost in the local church. Their present DNA needed to be crossed with new DNA because inbreeding had long been the case.
It is my understanding that successful livestock development depends greatly upon avoiding in- breeding. If two animals with the same or very similar DNA are bred together the results would not be very pretty. The breed would begin to weaken and experience many serious issues. Therefore it is necessary to bring in new DNA for the best possible development and health of the stock.
Is it possible that our association of churches have been affected by the same DNA again and again and that we are even now in need of "fesh meat"? New doctrines are not needed, but new ideas and strategies to develop and reproduce in the kingdom of God are desperately needed if our churches are going to survive into the next generation.
Some Bible schools are infamous for selecting their teachers from within their own school and rejecting others who may have been taught in other schools. This creates theological inbreeding and is not allowed in most reputable schools.
One way to build new DNA is to start new churches/missions with a renewed vision for souls and soulwinning. From the very beginning of new works the DNA needs to be formed with a vision for outreach and global missions.
Let's Build some new DNA.
It is my understanding that successful livestock development depends greatly upon avoiding in- breeding. If two animals with the same or very similar DNA are bred together the results would not be very pretty. The breed would begin to weaken and experience many serious issues. Therefore it is necessary to bring in new DNA for the best possible development and health of the stock.
Is it possible that our association of churches have been affected by the same DNA again and again and that we are even now in need of "fesh meat"? New doctrines are not needed, but new ideas and strategies to develop and reproduce in the kingdom of God are desperately needed if our churches are going to survive into the next generation.
Some Bible schools are infamous for selecting their teachers from within their own school and rejecting others who may have been taught in other schools. This creates theological inbreeding and is not allowed in most reputable schools.
One way to build new DNA is to start new churches/missions with a renewed vision for souls and soulwinning. From the very beginning of new works the DNA needs to be formed with a vision for outreach and global missions.
Let's Build some new DNA.
Healthy Churches
The human body is an amazing creation of God. In the scriptures the local church is likened to a human body. It too is an amazing creation of God. Both are created for His Glory.
A healthy human body is a functional, reproducing, active being. It is emotionally stable, mentally sharp, physically strong, and spiritually engaged with its Creator.
A healthy church is a body that is spiritually functional. This means its membership is loving one another, forgiving one another, loving God passionately, doctrinally sound, and reproducing itself spontaneously. If any of these things are missing then it would be an unhealthy church.
However, as the human body can sometimes appear to be healthy so it is with the local church. Appearances can be deceiving. The body may appear to be healthy but in reality a disease maybe moving within it. A church may have great worship and great Bible teaching yet be dead on the vine. One clear symptoms of this in the church is where there is no reproduction taking place. Reproducing other believers (soul winning) is an indication that the body is alive and well. It may have occasional colds, flus, headaches, etc., yet it bounces back with passion for the lost. It may even have undergone surgery but it will come back with a renewed passion for life and living and the souls of men and women.
Is your church a healthy church?
A healthy human body is a functional, reproducing, active being. It is emotionally stable, mentally sharp, physically strong, and spiritually engaged with its Creator.
A healthy church is a body that is spiritually functional. This means its membership is loving one another, forgiving one another, loving God passionately, doctrinally sound, and reproducing itself spontaneously. If any of these things are missing then it would be an unhealthy church.
However, as the human body can sometimes appear to be healthy so it is with the local church. Appearances can be deceiving. The body may appear to be healthy but in reality a disease maybe moving within it. A church may have great worship and great Bible teaching yet be dead on the vine. One clear symptoms of this in the church is where there is no reproduction taking place. Reproducing other believers (soul winning) is an indication that the body is alive and well. It may have occasional colds, flus, headaches, etc., yet it bounces back with passion for the lost. It may even have undergone surgery but it will come back with a renewed passion for life and living and the souls of men and women.
Is your church a healthy church?
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
What's Wrong With Church Planting?
Paul said "I have planted and Apollos has watered.." I Cor 3:6.
What did Paul Plant? An Orange Tree? Of course not. I believe his reference to planting could be only one of two things: planting the Word of God (which is usually referred to as a seed) or a church. In both cases a man plants it and waters it, but only God can give the increase. As Jesus said, "I will build my church", simply, God gives the increase.
Our understanding of doing mission work needs to include the idea that church planting is a valid scriptural behavior. Those who promote church planting as a better terminology are not opposed to those who prefer to start missions. Praise God for His work being done, whether it is a mission or a church that is started.
However it appears that those who prefer starting missions have labeled church planting as unscriptural. I don't get it. What's wrong with church planting?
David
What did Paul Plant? An Orange Tree? Of course not. I believe his reference to planting could be only one of two things: planting the Word of God (which is usually referred to as a seed) or a church. In both cases a man plants it and waters it, but only God can give the increase. As Jesus said, "I will build my church", simply, God gives the increase.
Our understanding of doing mission work needs to include the idea that church planting is a valid scriptural behavior. Those who promote church planting as a better terminology are not opposed to those who prefer to start missions. Praise God for His work being done, whether it is a mission or a church that is started.
However it appears that those who prefer starting missions have labeled church planting as unscriptural. I don't get it. What's wrong with church planting?
David
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Terminological Trauma
Terminology defined: The terms or system of terms used in a specific science, art, et.; Terminological defined: adjective use of Terminology.
Truama defined: 1. a bodily injury, wound, or shock 2. Psychiatry, a painful emotional experience, or shock, often producing a lasting psychic effect and, sometimes, a neurosis.
ref: Websters New World Dictionary.
It appears that too many of us are being traumatized by new terminology within our ABA work. The terminology that I refer to is "Church Planting". We never used to call it that. It used to be called and is still called by a majority "doing mission work".
There seems to be a large number of our brethren who do not believe in "church planting". They believe in starting missions. That's the way they were taught and that's what I was taught. It was taught to be the only way of biblically doing the Great Commission. You get a sponsoring church, which in turn sends out a missionary, who in turn starts a mission and organizes it only when it is financally, doctrinally and numerically strong enough to become a church. This has grown to mean the inclusion of its own land and building as well. But where did this idea come from? It was not taught from the Bible, but passed on to us from our Southern Baptist friends. This idea caught on because it provided protection of the investment made in land and buildings and a fear of a takeover by some hostile Independent.
Strangely enough, Southern Baptists have begun to abandon this method in favor of "planting churches" rather than sponsoring missions due largely to the fact that the "mission" method could not be supported by the Bible. In addition to this, they are recognizing the importance of going back to a "local church" position which in turn enhances and promotes "church planting". Wow! Have we missed something or what?
Many of my brethren are being traumatized by this new terminology (which is not new, and was the way our forefathers used to do it before there was the idea of starting missions; which by the way is a Roman Catholic idea and imperialistic in nature). What a sad state of affairs! Traumatized by terminology.
To my utter horror I am discovering that many of my dear brethren are being traumatized by the idea of "church planting" (apparently a new terminology for them). This term, in their minds, is associated with "universalism". I am shocked and dumbfounded at this ignorance that has been allowed to circulate and fester.
May we all pray for our dear brethren to get past this terminological trauma and realize that they are opposing themselves and God.
David
Truama defined: 1. a bodily injury, wound, or shock 2. Psychiatry, a painful emotional experience, or shock, often producing a lasting psychic effect and, sometimes, a neurosis.
ref: Websters New World Dictionary.
It appears that too many of us are being traumatized by new terminology within our ABA work. The terminology that I refer to is "Church Planting". We never used to call it that. It used to be called and is still called by a majority "doing mission work".
There seems to be a large number of our brethren who do not believe in "church planting". They believe in starting missions. That's the way they were taught and that's what I was taught. It was taught to be the only way of biblically doing the Great Commission. You get a sponsoring church, which in turn sends out a missionary, who in turn starts a mission and organizes it only when it is financally, doctrinally and numerically strong enough to become a church. This has grown to mean the inclusion of its own land and building as well. But where did this idea come from? It was not taught from the Bible, but passed on to us from our Southern Baptist friends. This idea caught on because it provided protection of the investment made in land and buildings and a fear of a takeover by some hostile Independent.
Strangely enough, Southern Baptists have begun to abandon this method in favor of "planting churches" rather than sponsoring missions due largely to the fact that the "mission" method could not be supported by the Bible. In addition to this, they are recognizing the importance of going back to a "local church" position which in turn enhances and promotes "church planting". Wow! Have we missed something or what?
Many of my brethren are being traumatized by this new terminology (which is not new, and was the way our forefathers used to do it before there was the idea of starting missions; which by the way is a Roman Catholic idea and imperialistic in nature). What a sad state of affairs! Traumatized by terminology.
To my utter horror I am discovering that many of my dear brethren are being traumatized by the idea of "church planting" (apparently a new terminology for them). This term, in their minds, is associated with "universalism". I am shocked and dumbfounded at this ignorance that has been allowed to circulate and fester.
May we all pray for our dear brethren to get past this terminological trauma and realize that they are opposing themselves and God.
David
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Counting Churches Globally
It is time to begin counting new churches/missions globally.
It has been six months that we have been counting new churches/missions in the USA. It has been an eyeopener. Presently, to my knowledge, only four new works have been started in the USA among all of our ABA missionaries/church planters either salaried or on designated funds.
It is most disappointing to see these numbers.
Perhaps the global picture will inspire us to catch the world-wide vision of believers and inspire us to get busy at home.
So, we are calling on all foreign missionaries/church planters to visit our website and register their new works (churches or missions) begun since the ABA in July 1, 2007.
David
It has been six months that we have been counting new churches/missions in the USA. It has been an eyeopener. Presently, to my knowledge, only four new works have been started in the USA among all of our ABA missionaries/church planters either salaried or on designated funds.
It is most disappointing to see these numbers.
Perhaps the global picture will inspire us to catch the world-wide vision of believers and inspire us to get busy at home.
So, we are calling on all foreign missionaries/church planters to visit our website and register their new works (churches or missions) begun since the ABA in July 1, 2007.
David
Pulpit Rotation vs Pulpit Reproduction
During my first years of ministry I heard a pastor once say to a group of seminarians; "Don't wait around to take over my church, go start your own church". That really impacted me. I am finding that for a long, long time our preacher boys have been trained to pastor existing churches. I have noticed that our seminaries have focused on training men to take over pulpits instead of creating their own. Hence pulpit rotation (pastors moving or dying which opens up a pulpit) has become standard procedure and pulpit reproduction (church planting) has been cast to the side as a non-essential.
The only problem with this mentality is that the starting of new churches has been grossly neglected. Therefore there is a steady decline of new preachers since existing churches either already have a pastor or have declined to the point where they cannot take care of a pastor.
Young men are not regularly being challenged to pioneer new churches and launch out into the unknown by faith. The kind of men needed for church planting respond to a challenge that is bigger than they are. This kind of man is probably going to be trained in some seminary where church planting is an absolute priority of vision and purpose, which is usually outside of our work.
Pulpit reproduction insures that there will be churches who will have pulpit rotation. However, pulpit rotation eventually slows down to the point where there are not enough preachers and eventually not enough churches.
Go start your own church! Go reproduce!
David
The only problem with this mentality is that the starting of new churches has been grossly neglected. Therefore there is a steady decline of new preachers since existing churches either already have a pastor or have declined to the point where they cannot take care of a pastor.
Young men are not regularly being challenged to pioneer new churches and launch out into the unknown by faith. The kind of men needed for church planting respond to a challenge that is bigger than they are. This kind of man is probably going to be trained in some seminary where church planting is an absolute priority of vision and purpose, which is usually outside of our work.
Pulpit reproduction insures that there will be churches who will have pulpit rotation. However, pulpit rotation eventually slows down to the point where there are not enough preachers and eventually not enough churches.
Go start your own church! Go reproduce!
David
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