Preparing pioneers

"Gathering pioneers & giving them a project is a great way of releasing the pioneer and adding more momentum to the local church"

Preparing pioneers can seem a massive distraction to leaders whose primary focus is to diligently working hard to building a local church. However I believe, that a creative approach to training and mobilizing radical pioneers can often help build the local church, as well as imparting faith, vision and skills to the pioneers.

An example of this would be in the pioneering of new mission/midweek groups in your city. Gathering potential pioneers and giving them a new place to start is a great way of releasing the pioneer and adding more momentum to your growing church. On the job training for these trainee pioneers is so important. This should also include faith and perseverance and to learn to pray the Lords prayer “for more workers into the harvest field,” as this is great preparation for them to eventually move and plant a new church.

We also need to help pioneers find faith for finance. When I ran a youth group in my late teens as part of a local Methodist Church. We had no access to finance from the church funds. This led us to pray and find creative ways to raise money. Enabling us to purchase a mini bus, PA equipment and host many outreach events. Hudson Taylor the great pioneer to Inland China believed God for his finances before going overseas.

Building faith for sending people out

"Is your church talking about and planning for church plants?"

When Jesus called the fishermen to leave their day jobs and join him, it was with the commission that they would be fishers of men. Paul also had the amazing prophesy given to him by Ananias that he would be Gods “chosen instrument to carry his name before the Gentiles and their kings, and before the people of Israel.”

It is so important that as new people join our churches they receive faith to belong to a sending church and maybe even to be sent out themselves. People come to church for many different reasons. Often people join churches so that the church can meet their own or their families needs and aspirations.

As we introduce people to the vision of extending the “Kingdom of God” we should be explicit about how we believe each new member can be caught up in the same great commission that Jesus disciples got caught up in. As actions often speak louder than words it is important that we have practical examples of how and where we are sending people, and not just giving good ideas and concepts.

Is your church talking about and planning for church plants?

Do not settle for partial success

"Jesus was going to vastly increase his and their ability to impact the nation, by sending the disciples out in small teams. "

We see a time in Jesus ministry when his disciples would have been very excited and satisfied with what was happening. We read that Jesus was having amazing success preaching the good news of the Kingdom, healing every disease and sickness. If I were one of those disciples this would have been a great vindication for me giving up my day job and following him. Could it get any better than this – many people being healed and whole villages being affected?

Yet Jesus was overwhelmed with compassion for all those he could not reach as he slowly made his way from village to village. He saw them, “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Motivated by the needs of the nation he said to his disciples “the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few ask the Lord of the harvest therefore, to send workers into his harvest field.” The disciples “relatively” focused and successful world was about to be radically challenged and changed. Jesus was going to vastly increase his and their ability to impact the nation, by sending the disciples out in small teams.

With some churches at this time seeing a measure of success and there attendance growing it is important that we, like Jesus, set our eyes on the people and places we have not yet reached. It’s during a time of partial success we need to lift our eyes and begin praying and planning for a massive increase of sending people and planting new churches.

Dare To Believe For Many Church Plants

"“a rapid and exponential increase of indigenous churches, planting churches within a given people group.” "

The Southern Baptist mission board in America has adopted the following vision statement:

“We will facilitate the lost coming to saving faith in Jesus Christ by beginning and nurturing church planting movements among all people.”

They went on to describe a church planting movement as “a rapid and exponential increase of indigenous churches, planting churches within a given people group.”

As I read statements like this and then hear stories about how there is an exponential increase in churches being planted in certain parts of the world my heart leaps at the prospect of being in such an environment in the UK. I believe that there are clues that will help us get to this stage in our cities where we will find ourselves planting with increasing momentum.

Dare To Believe

"You shall dare to believe him for a thousand churches"

While sat in an airport lounge on my way to Dubai, I found myself talking on the phone to a dear friend about the state of church planting. Especially as it relates to Newfrontiers, the movement we both belong to. As I boarded the half filled A380 Airbus (being so grateful to find an empty row of seats to put my feet up) I began to recall the Stoneleigh bible week in August 1999 where John Kpikpi gave a remarkable prophesy about the movement planting new churches. The following extract gives the essence of that word -

“….believe him for 1000 churches to be planted throughout this whole nation (UK) through this movement. There’s a river that is flowing out from this place, there’s a river that is flowing. Wherever it goes this river is going to cause fruit to be borne. It’s a river that is flowing from this place and the river is in your heart. Wherever you go this river will bear fruit and the Lord is saying that those of you who don’t like agricultural imagery he says there are going to be new births of churches all around.

You have been used to planning before having births. God is saying there is going to be unplanned births as well. There’s going to be unplanned pregnancies leading to unplanned births because God is going to be bringing things that are not even planned or thought about. They will suddenly arise and spring forth in the end. You shall dare to believe him for a thousand churches through the work of this movement in this place, says your God.”

Years later this prophesy still resonates with me. I also realise that one of the most important elements of this prophecy was the statement “Dare To Believe”.