CPM 101
As I am going about the business of networking with missionaries and pastors from around the world, the concept of church planting movements is new to many of them. Although cpms have been happening around the world for nearly 20 years, and David Garrison's initial booklet was published 10 years ago, still the concepts and stories of what God is doing is new to many in the Lord's work. Recently I have met with pastors, missions leaders, indigenous leaders, missionaries, and educators who were only vaguely familiar with the concepts surrounding cpms.
And yet we believe, that in the last 20 years, over 100,000 churches have been planted in Asia and Africa because of cpm principles. (The numbers are probably much higher than that, but I limit myself to the particular movements that I have some connection with, through networking with some of the leaders). I have told some of the stories associated with these movements and have seen leaders show interest in these moves of God.
Since most of my networking is with U.S. based ministries and churches, the people with whom I share usually have a couple of responses.
1st, can these principles work in the United States?
2nd, what are the principles?
My answer to the first question is yes, I think so, although we have not yet witnessed a North American cpm. I answer yes, not from experience, but from conviction that these are Biblical principles that should produce fruit anywhere if truly applied. In fact, our Honduras Church Planting Movement project is an attempt to apply these principles in a wide geographic region and wide population segment in Latin America. I pray and believe that we will soon be seeing a church planting movement in western Honduras.
Concerning the principles, I have been answering in terms of the "Critical Elements of CPM". Several of my previous posts have been about this.
Now I want to begin to answer the question of how one might begin to apply these principles, here in the US or abroad. I am assuming that a reader of this blog might want to move beyond theory into the practice of cpm principles. If so, where does one start?
So I am calling this blog CPM 101.
The most fundamental principle of cpm is Obedience to the Bible the Word of God. Church planting movements were birthed in the early 1990s when missionaries began to mentor people in simple obedience to scriptural commands. As these movements have taken shape, church planters have learned how to approach the Bible in order to gain understanding leading to obedience, and have applied this approach to their own lives and the lives of those that they train.
Therefore, this is the point at which we would want to begin ourselves. My next post will teach a simple method of approaching scripture to help someone read the Word, understand it and then translate it into obedience in their life. This method will have a powerful positive impact on the life of anyone who practices it, and is the foundation for the cpm process.
What we are really advocating is giving the Bible, God's Word, top authority in our lives. According to the Bible itself, this is really the key to Success.
Joshua 1:8-"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success."
Psalm 119:24-"Your testimonies are my delight;
they are my counselors."
And yet we believe, that in the last 20 years, over 100,000 churches have been planted in Asia and Africa because of cpm principles. (The numbers are probably much higher than that, but I limit myself to the particular movements that I have some connection with, through networking with some of the leaders). I have told some of the stories associated with these movements and have seen leaders show interest in these moves of God.
Since most of my networking is with U.S. based ministries and churches, the people with whom I share usually have a couple of responses.
1st, can these principles work in the United States?
2nd, what are the principles?
My answer to the first question is yes, I think so, although we have not yet witnessed a North American cpm. I answer yes, not from experience, but from conviction that these are Biblical principles that should produce fruit anywhere if truly applied. In fact, our Honduras Church Planting Movement project is an attempt to apply these principles in a wide geographic region and wide population segment in Latin America. I pray and believe that we will soon be seeing a church planting movement in western Honduras.
Concerning the principles, I have been answering in terms of the "Critical Elements of CPM". Several of my previous posts have been about this.
Now I want to begin to answer the question of how one might begin to apply these principles, here in the US or abroad. I am assuming that a reader of this blog might want to move beyond theory into the practice of cpm principles. If so, where does one start?
So I am calling this blog CPM 101.
The most fundamental principle of cpm is Obedience to the Bible the Word of God. Church planting movements were birthed in the early 1990s when missionaries began to mentor people in simple obedience to scriptural commands. As these movements have taken shape, church planters have learned how to approach the Bible in order to gain understanding leading to obedience, and have applied this approach to their own lives and the lives of those that they train.
Therefore, this is the point at which we would want to begin ourselves. My next post will teach a simple method of approaching scripture to help someone read the Word, understand it and then translate it into obedience in their life. This method will have a powerful positive impact on the life of anyone who practices it, and is the foundation for the cpm process.
What we are really advocating is giving the Bible, God's Word, top authority in our lives. According to the Bible itself, this is really the key to Success.
Joshua 1:8-"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success."
Psalm 119:24-"Your testimonies are my delight;
they are my counselors."
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