Keys and Obstacles
I Corinthians 3:9b-"you are God's field, God's building."
KEYS TO CPM
I had a great weekend in Lexington, KY with some great believers. On Saturday night I spoke to the men of a network of 3 churches on the subject of the 21 Critical Elements of Church Planting Movements (The notes of that talk are last week's blog). Then on Sunday morning, I spoke on Hearing, Understanding, and Obeying the Word (my current favorite sermon) to a great church of wonderfully receptive people. But one of my absolute highlights was Saturday night after the meeting. I had the opportunity to eat with and interact with an amazing group of college students from UK. (And others, not all were students). They sure knew how to probe and ask questions that kept me on my toes about church planting movements. For about an hour and a half (9:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.) we talked about CPM and the critical elements and what that might look like in the US.
At one point I explained the critical elements this way: View them as Keys on a Keyring. You are already doing some of the elements. Just look at the ones that you are not doing. These are the keys that can unlock cpm that are needed in this context.
I wish I could claim originality for this insight, but alas I can't. I got it from a book called "Keys To Church Planting Movements" by K. Sutter, published by Asteroidea Books. Let me quote from this book's introduction:
" Avoid thinking in terms of steps to be followed: 1, 2, 3, 4.... Rather let's look at these key church planting principles as actual, literal keys designed to unlock specific doors. Think of all the keys (we'll identify 26 of them) attached to one big key ring. As we move into pioneer church planting, we will carry our keys along. We may find that many doors are already swung wide open. No need for a key if the door is open. Keys are only necessary for unlocking closed doors."
You can look at what Sutter calls 26 keys as what I am calling 21 critical elements. (By the way, I heartily recommend Sutter's book if you want to see the different concepts there). They are not 21 steps to implement in order. They are principles that are all operative simultaneously in CPMs. Many churches, ministries, and projects have some of the keys in use. So as we look at how to apply them here, first understand them, then analyse your own work to see which ones are already in place, and then begin to apply the ones that are not.
The opening scripture showed the church as illustrated as a building and as a field in which the seed of the Word is sown. The keys illustration seems to fit the building metaphor. Now let's look a bit at another view: Obstacles to harvest in God's field.
OBSTACLES TO CPM
Jesus told the parable of the soils and one point was that the seed of the Word has the power to produce great harvest, but it is limited by obstacles in the soil. Some soil is wayside and impenetrable. Some is stony and incapable of depth. Some has thorns and they choke out the word.
After I shared the message (Hear, Understand, and Obey) at the church on Sunday morning, the pastor shared with the congregation that he wanted himself and the congregation to pray to see thorns removed from their lives. That is a great application of this message, especially to individuals.
But what are the thorns, the hindrances, the obstacles to CPM? David Garrison's book, "Church Planting Movements" has a chapter called "Seven Deadly Sins" where he identifies 7 things that will hinder CPM from taking place. Without much elaboration, here they are. (With my own brief explanation)
1. Blurred Vision: CPM must be the vision that is aimed at clearly
2. Improving the Bible: Exceeding the Bible's guidelines
3. Sequentialism: Seeing the elements as step by step instructions
4. Unsavory Salt: Sins of omission and commissions that make the church unattractive
5. The Devil's Candy: Distractions (good things many times) from CPM goals
6. Alien Abduction: Adding cultural points to the Word that extract new believers from their own culture
7. Blaming God: When results are not present, assuming God is withholding blessing, rather than taking responsibility to change.
I want to go a little further with this concept. If we could look at obstacles to CPM as thorns or stones in the soil, one great strategy we could employ would be to work on removing them from our work and then plant the good seed of the Word. Next time in the blog, I hope to focus specifically on 3 stones that are hindering CPM in the American field.
KEYS TO CPM
I had a great weekend in Lexington, KY with some great believers. On Saturday night I spoke to the men of a network of 3 churches on the subject of the 21 Critical Elements of Church Planting Movements (The notes of that talk are last week's blog). Then on Sunday morning, I spoke on Hearing, Understanding, and Obeying the Word (my current favorite sermon) to a great church of wonderfully receptive people. But one of my absolute highlights was Saturday night after the meeting. I had the opportunity to eat with and interact with an amazing group of college students from UK. (And others, not all were students). They sure knew how to probe and ask questions that kept me on my toes about church planting movements. For about an hour and a half (9:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.) we talked about CPM and the critical elements and what that might look like in the US.
At one point I explained the critical elements this way: View them as Keys on a Keyring. You are already doing some of the elements. Just look at the ones that you are not doing. These are the keys that can unlock cpm that are needed in this context.
I wish I could claim originality for this insight, but alas I can't. I got it from a book called "Keys To Church Planting Movements" by K. Sutter, published by Asteroidea Books. Let me quote from this book's introduction:
" Avoid thinking in terms of steps to be followed: 1, 2, 3, 4.... Rather let's look at these key church planting principles as actual, literal keys designed to unlock specific doors. Think of all the keys (we'll identify 26 of them) attached to one big key ring. As we move into pioneer church planting, we will carry our keys along. We may find that many doors are already swung wide open. No need for a key if the door is open. Keys are only necessary for unlocking closed doors."
You can look at what Sutter calls 26 keys as what I am calling 21 critical elements. (By the way, I heartily recommend Sutter's book if you want to see the different concepts there). They are not 21 steps to implement in order. They are principles that are all operative simultaneously in CPMs. Many churches, ministries, and projects have some of the keys in use. So as we look at how to apply them here, first understand them, then analyse your own work to see which ones are already in place, and then begin to apply the ones that are not.
The opening scripture showed the church as illustrated as a building and as a field in which the seed of the Word is sown. The keys illustration seems to fit the building metaphor. Now let's look a bit at another view: Obstacles to harvest in God's field.
OBSTACLES TO CPM
Jesus told the parable of the soils and one point was that the seed of the Word has the power to produce great harvest, but it is limited by obstacles in the soil. Some soil is wayside and impenetrable. Some is stony and incapable of depth. Some has thorns and they choke out the word.
After I shared the message (Hear, Understand, and Obey) at the church on Sunday morning, the pastor shared with the congregation that he wanted himself and the congregation to pray to see thorns removed from their lives. That is a great application of this message, especially to individuals.
But what are the thorns, the hindrances, the obstacles to CPM? David Garrison's book, "Church Planting Movements" has a chapter called "Seven Deadly Sins" where he identifies 7 things that will hinder CPM from taking place. Without much elaboration, here they are. (With my own brief explanation)
1. Blurred Vision: CPM must be the vision that is aimed at clearly
2. Improving the Bible: Exceeding the Bible's guidelines
3. Sequentialism: Seeing the elements as step by step instructions
4. Unsavory Salt: Sins of omission and commissions that make the church unattractive
5. The Devil's Candy: Distractions (good things many times) from CPM goals
6. Alien Abduction: Adding cultural points to the Word that extract new believers from their own culture
7. Blaming God: When results are not present, assuming God is withholding blessing, rather than taking responsibility to change.
I want to go a little further with this concept. If we could look at obstacles to CPM as thorns or stones in the soil, one great strategy we could employ would be to work on removing them from our work and then plant the good seed of the Word. Next time in the blog, I hope to focus specifically on 3 stones that are hindering CPM in the American field.
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