Church planting
Encyclopedia
Church planting is a process that results in a new (local) Christian church being established. It should be distinguished from church development, where a new service, new worship centre or fresh expression
is created that is integrated into an already established congregation. For a local church to be planted, it must eventually have a separate life of its own and be able to function without its parent body, even if it continues to stay in relationship denominationally or through being part of a network.
, church planting, with its focus on establishing new and independent congregations, is a logical outcome of their theology: "Southern Baptist mission work was driven by church planting. Based on a
voluntaristic faith, the work defined individual salvation as the cornerstone of religious life; and religious life took place within local, autonomous congregations."
); in some cases, the individual cells are connected in a larger network that meets together periodically in a large group setting. An existing church may also split. Finally, the expansion of a Multi-site church
may result in new churches (rather than annexes of the larger church) being established.
describes Church planting as "the single most effective evangelistic methodology under heaven" and for its advocates this remains church planting's greatest rationale. Recent practitioners have developed theologies of church, place, and community, to answer the criticism of earlier models.
. For both the Catholic and Anglican churches, this practice may be viewed as an abrogation of the rights of a local bishop
. This is because the bishop of the diocese has the right to decide where churches will be planted, and the phenomenon of church planting sometimes ignores both courtesy and obedience to the local bishop. This issue is particularly sensitive in regard to the Anglican diocese of Sydney
in Australia, from which many Evangelical churches are "planted" in non-evangelical dioceses.
The Church of England has begun its Fresh Expressions
initiative, which is seeking to encourage the development of new congregations even when they are across parish boundaries, for the sake of mission, under the bishop's permission. The recent Anglican conference GAFCON contained a broad hint that it would consider offering oversight to churches that have been planted without authorization from the local bishops.
. A key characteristic of an authentic church planting movement is the rapidity with which a new congregation itself starts another similar church.
, a missionary in India
who "coined the concept of 'people movements' to Christ," is credited as an early proponent of the kind of missionary work that underlies the Church Planting Movement, by focusing his missionary work on converting groups of people ("groups, tribes, villages, ethnic groups") rather than individuals.
According to ONE Magazine, the official organ of the National Association of Free Will Baptists
, such tactics were used successfully in Cuba
in the 1940s by Tom and Mabel Willey; in the 1950s in North India
Carlisle and Marie Hanna; and in the 1960s in Ivory Coast by LaVerne Miley. Christianity Today
also claims success in Cuba for the "Western Baptists, historically linked to the Southern Baptist Convention."
Fresh expressions
Fresh expressions are any of a number of new church groups that have developed within the Church of England since 1990. These believe that 21st century British society is very different from the society when most British churches were formed and that traditional expressions of church have become...
is created that is integrated into an already established congregation. For a local church to be planted, it must eventually have a separate life of its own and be able to function without its parent body, even if it continues to stay in relationship denominationally or through being part of a network.
History of church planting
Anglican missionary efforts called church planting in British colonies coincided with British colonialism. Church planting also describes the missionary model of Baptist missionaries, for instance, in mid-twentieth century Brazil. For Southern BaptistsSouthern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention is a United States-based Christian denomination. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination and the largest Protestant body in the United States, with over 16 million members...
, church planting, with its focus on establishing new and independent congregations, is a logical outcome of their theology: "Southern Baptist mission work was driven by church planting. Based on a
voluntaristic faith, the work defined individual salvation as the cornerstone of religious life; and religious life took place within local, autonomous congregations."
Models of church planting
These are some models for church planting. In the "parachute drop" method, a church planter and family move into a new location to start a church from scratch. Or, an existing church or church planting organization (mother) provides the initial leadership and resources (money and/or people) to get a new church (daughter) started. Alternately, small groups form and multiply via a network of people meeting in homes (see house churchHouse church
House church, or "home church", is used to describe an independent assembly of Christians who gather in a home. Sometimes this occurs because the group is small, and a home is the most appropriate place to gather, as in the beginning phase of the British New Church Movement...
); in some cases, the individual cells are connected in a larger network that meets together periodically in a large group setting. An existing church may also split. Finally, the expansion of a Multi-site church
Multi-site church
A multi-site church is one church that meets at multiple locations. Churches began to use the multi-site church model in the mid 1980s...
may result in new churches (rather than annexes of the larger church) being established.
Advocates
C. Peter WagnerC. Peter Wagner
Charles Peter Wagner Christian missionary, writer, teacher, and church growth specialist, notable for his controversial spiritual warfare practices and beliefs...
describes Church planting as "the single most effective evangelistic methodology under heaven" and for its advocates this remains church planting's greatest rationale. Recent practitioners have developed theologies of church, place, and community, to answer the criticism of earlier models.
Practical objections
For Anglicans and Catholics, "church-planting" can be very problematic because of the territorial nature of a dioceseDiocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
. For both the Catholic and Anglican churches, this practice may be viewed as an abrogation of the rights of a local bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
. This is because the bishop of the diocese has the right to decide where churches will be planted, and the phenomenon of church planting sometimes ignores both courtesy and obedience to the local bishop. This issue is particularly sensitive in regard to the Anglican diocese of Sydney
Anglican Diocese of Sydney
The Diocese of Sydney is a diocese within the Anglican Church of Australia. The majority of the diocese is Evangelical and low church in tradition and committed to Reformed and Calvinist theology....
in Australia, from which many Evangelical churches are "planted" in non-evangelical dioceses.
The Church of England has begun its Fresh Expressions
Fresh expressions
Fresh expressions are any of a number of new church groups that have developed within the Church of England since 1990. These believe that 21st century British society is very different from the society when most British churches were formed and that traditional expressions of church have become...
initiative, which is seeking to encourage the development of new congregations even when they are across parish boundaries, for the sake of mission, under the bishop's permission. The recent Anglican conference GAFCON contained a broad hint that it would consider offering oversight to churches that have been planted without authorization from the local bishops.
Church Planting Movement
In a missiological context, church planting may be defined as "initiating reproductive fellowships who reflect the kingdom of God in the world." When this happens with rapid growth, it is generally known as a Church Planting Movement. In a CPM, indigenous churches plant more churches within a people group or geographic area. A church will sponsor formation of multiple spinoff churches that will themselves very quickly reproduce new churches, generally with common teachings and doctrine. It is different from traditional missions in that the new churches are generally started by a lay leader from the sponsoring church and not an outside missionaryMissionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
. A key characteristic of an authentic church planting movement is the rapidity with which a new congregation itself starts another similar church.
History of CPMs
The modern Church Planting Movement can trace its roots to the mid-nineteenth century when Henry Venn and Rufus Anderson developed the three-self formula of an indigenous missions policy: "they believed that young churches should be self-propagating, self-supporting, and self-governing from their inception." Donald McGavranDonald McGavran
Donald A. McGavran was the founding Dean and Professor of Mission, church growth, and South Asian studies at the School of World Mission, Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California...
, a missionary in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
who "coined the concept of 'people movements' to Christ," is credited as an early proponent of the kind of missionary work that underlies the Church Planting Movement, by focusing his missionary work on converting groups of people ("groups, tribes, villages, ethnic groups") rather than individuals.
According to ONE Magazine, the official organ of the National Association of Free Will Baptists
National Association of Free Will Baptists
The National Association of Free Will Baptists is a national body of Free Will Baptist churches in the United States and Canada, organized on November 5, 1935 in Nashville, Tennessee...
, such tactics were used successfully in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
in the 1940s by Tom and Mabel Willey; in the 1950s in North India
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
Carlisle and Marie Hanna; and in the 1960s in Ivory Coast by LaVerne Miley. Christianity Today
Christianity Today
Christianity Today is an Evangelical Christian periodical based in Carol Stream, Illinois. It is the flagship publication of its parent company Christianity Today International, claiming circulation figures of 140,000 and readership of 290,000...
also claims success in Cuba for the "Western Baptists, historically linked to the Southern Baptist Convention."
Essentials of CPMs
There are three key characteristics of a Church Planting Movement: it reproduces rapidly, multiplying churches, and that the churches are indigenous.- Within a very short time, newly planted churches are already starting new churches that follow the same pattern of rapid reproduction. Though the rate varies from place to place, Church Planting Movements always outstrip the population growth rate as they race toward reaching the entire people group. Where with other methods of church planting it may take five years to plant a church, with CPM multiple generations of churches may be planted within five months.
- "Church Planting Movements do not simply add new churches. Instead, they multiply." Most churches in the middle of a Movement will start as many churches as they can, with a goal of filling the area with new churches.
- Church Planting Movements are indigenous. It may start with the training from a non-native missionary or church member, but will very quickly form new congregations that are all within a single ethnic people group. Leaders are self-identified by their willingness to do what the trainer asks them, and then are given additional instruction on how to reproduce new churches.
- Church Planting Movements train leaders.