World Missions & Evangelism, Inc.

The 3rd category (in my opinion) of critical elements in church planting movements could be called the Discipleship elements. Previous blogs have dealt with Spiritual elements (principles related to God's power) and Strategic elements (principles related to missionary practices). This category relates to principles concerning the discipling of people. This is in direct obedience to the Great Commission's command to "make disciples". Here is the list: 1. Household conversions, not just individual conversions 2. Making disciples, not converts 3. Obedience to the Word, not doctrine 4. Community of believers--forming believers into minimum practice groups that will become churches 5. Reaching out--missions 6. Reproducing--disciples/churches/groups--rapid incorporation of new believers that will reach out to all segments of society 7. Persecution--bold, fearless faith--suffering 8. Redeeming the local culture Obviously this division of the elements into these ...

We have talked about the Spiritual Critical elements of church planting movements in previous posts. We are using the list of critical elements for cpm as given in the appendix of Bob Roberts' book "The Multiplying Church" which he credits to our friend David Watson. I am reorganizing these elements into 3 categories to help the reader grasp the concepts easier. Previous articles have dealt with what I am calling Spiritual elements and include: 1. Passionate, extraordinary prayer 2. Authority of Scripture that leads to obedience 3. Authority of the Holy Spirit 4. Miracles 2 nd I want to list the ones that I would call the Strategic elements of cpm . These critical elements relate to the strategy that church planters and missionaries are using in church planting movement projects. These are practical, missiological concepts. Here is the list: 1. Intentional church planting 2. Local leadership-keeping foreigners out of the spotlight 3. Appropriate, abundant evangel...

To sum up the Spiritual Critical Elements of Church Planting Movements, let me focus on 2 scriptures. I call this the 1:8 Factor because it is based on 2 scriptures: Joshua 1:8 and Acts 1:8. Let's look at them from the NIV . Joshua 1:8-"Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." Acts 1:8-"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." What is really needed spiritually to see a church planting movement? Many things are tools, but 2 absolutely necessary things to begin are the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. Of the 4 spiritual elements that we have discussed so far, this kind of sums it up. Prayer accesses the Word and the Spirit. Miracles flow from the Word and the Spirit. Authority resides in the Wor...