Several years ago, I tried to start a grassroots movement in my church body to help churches multiply new churches to better reach new believers. It did not catch on as I had hoped.  But it was a great learning experience.  Not one to give up easily we are going to expand the reach of the concept.  Over the next three months, this series of post will lay out the critical components needed to launch a culture of multiplication.  It comes not from me but from years of study and observation.  It is my prayer that it will help the church regain its missional sea legs.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said of the church. “The church is her true self only when she exists for humanity.”

The Challenge of Movement.

When the church forgets who she is and why she was created it loses some of its impacts.  Here is a good example of this.  

Antithesis

The church has buildings but little boldness.

The church has numbers but little nerve.

The church has comfort but little courage.

The church has status but little spirit.

The church has prestige but little power.^[1]

Creating A Shared Vision.

Before you can take the hill, you have to know what you’re trying to accomplish.  For the church that starts with cultivating a heart for the harvest.  Jesus gave the church a very simple parting request.  Go, make disciples, preach, teach, and baptize.

Here is Jesus missionary command:

“I the Lord, Jesus Christ, who has been given all authority in heaven and on Earth, command you, my devoted disciples in every age to go to the ends of the earth, to teach all people of every tribe and nation my gospel. Make all people by disciples who in term will produce other disciples to expand my kingdom to the ends of the earth.”

Jesus first gave us the missionary command, and he also gave us the mission strategy.

He said “pay no attention to national boundaries. “Go into all the world” translation go wherever the people live, breath, move, and have their being. Find them. Join them on their life’s journey as they go about their daily lives.

Have a sense of urgency that Mark 16 expresses.

“¹⁶Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever doesn’t believe will be condemned.”

This is our mission manifesto, and we go forth with the promise of Jesus’ personal presence and the backing of his almighty power. All the authority of heaven and earth support this mission manifesto.  A distinctly authentic Christian church is a Christ-centered, mission-driven, people-focused, community-transforming church.  The next post will cover the three key foundation building pieces to create this culture.  1) Clarify and communicate vision and values, 2) Discern and address the spiritual hurdles, and 3) Commit to multiplication in every area of your church’s ministry.

^[1] Jones, G. C. (1986). 1000 illustrations for preaching and teaching (p. 65). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

 

Other posts in this series on Church Planting:

The Fear Factor: In Creating a Church Multiplication Movement