TMC - Highlight #10 - Start With the Society
If churches, denominations and networks would get this one principle, we would see a rapid advancement of the Kingdom. Not only with church planting, but with the revitalization of old churches.
Traditional system of planting churches:
Institution - Gospel - Preacher - Church - Society - Institution - Planting
Acts 11 Model of planting churches:
Gospel - Disciple - Society - Church
The church is a natural by-product of ministry in your community, not the starting point.
What are some examples of how this can be done?
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May 21, 2008 at 04:52 PM
If we "inject" Jesus into a particular culture, the church that results will look more that that culture than like the traditional "church." I am making friends with a nomadic band of "gypsies" (that's their term, not mine) who travel around the country. They are near Waxahachie, TX for one more week (after being there for 8 total), and will be moving north next week. They are the most close-knit community I have ever seen in my entire life.
If we focused on discipling them, there could be no church building, because they move so often. Probably, there could be no paid clergy, becuase they are all rather poor and everybody is expected to contribute. A paid clergy member would be seen as a leech. There could be no set "service" time, or tax-deductible tithing. They do music and parties incredibly well, and no one earth can top their community. So a "church" in their setting must maintain this ethos, and will focus on living life together, making disciples through living out what Jesus says while encouraging doubters and challengers to voice their views.
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May 21, 2008 at 09:09 PM
This is what we have experienced in certain places in Swaziland where we have been focussing on serving people living with HIV and AIDS. These people have now approached us to start a church in their area. My impression is that they have seen the gospel in action and now they want to hear more about it.
May 22, 2008 at 02:53 AM
In our first micro-church multiplication, we had the couple who would be planting the church start with their existing relationships, especially in their workplace. Those that are now involved are there because of the evidence of transformation in the planters in those environments. I do think this first church conformed somewhat to the traditional system, but certainly has traits of the Acts 11 approach--and this book/conversation has me really thinking of how we can tweak our process to be much more in the Acts 11 vein...
Excellent example, Jeremy!
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