Extra Reading

Note: I also read 200 pages from Hesselgrave's Planting Churches Cross-Culturally to complete the 1500-page requirement.

Mark DeYmaz' Building a Healthy Multi-Ethnic Church

In chapter one, DeYmaz examines Christ's prayer in John 17 and its call for unity among all people. He uses this prayer as the foundational piece of his argument in which he believes that the creation of thriving multi-ethnic churches will allow the Church as a whole to more effectively fulfill the Great Commission. Because of my intentions to work cross-culturally in the future, I wholeheartedly agree with DeYmaz and can foresee how his ideas will play out practically in the work that I and others do with the international church.

Next, in chapter two, DeYmaz examines the pattern of the early NT Church and how its movement beyond Judaism to include Gentile believers was a turning point in its growth. Although this chapter provides a solid Biblical foundation for DeYmaz' argument, it is not particularly useful for my final paper.

Likewise, chapter three's examination of the multi-ethnic church at Ephesus under Paul's leadership, while providing a strong Biblical and theological foundation for DeYmaz's argument, is not necessarily helpful for my paper.

In chapter four, DeYmaz begins by examining the first of seven commitments that he believes are core to the establishment of a thriving multi-ethnic church: embracing dependence and trusting in the power of the Holy Spirit to work through us to establish such churches. This chapter has implications not only for multi-ethnic churches but for any sort of church plant. Dependence is vital. Nothing can be done on the strength of our action alone.

Chapter five then discusses the second core commitment: taking intentional steps that will enable the formation of a multi-ethnic church, whether it be implementing new forms of worship or instituting new practices that will allow other racial and ethnic groups to feel connected. Sometimes it also involves being intentional in our response to patiently wait on God to reveal his will and plans.

In chapter six, DeYmaz discusses the importance of empowering a diverse leadership body in order to build a healthy multi-ethnic church. This will be something important for me to keep in mind as I work to assemble a team in the initial stages of my church planting plans.

Chapter seven then examines the fourth core commitment: making an intentional effort to develop cross-cultural relationships and to participate and partner together within a heterogenous community. This commitment will be integral to my own future church plant because of the way in which it encourages the development of the plant's corporate identity. When we pursue cross-cultural relationships, we seek to establish unity and to understand the ties that bind us in the midst of our diversity, rather than focusing on those elements which separate us.

In chapter eight, DeYmaz continues his examination of the healthy multi-ethnic church by calling for the pursuit of cross-cultural competence. In this case we are to examine the differences that separate us (e.g. language, customs, etc.), with the end result of seeking to understand how we can connect to one another in the midst of these differences. Such a notion emphasizes an other-focused mentality as we work to truly know and love all of our neighbors, regardless of difference.

Next, in chapter nine, DeYmaz examines the sixth core commitment: promoting a spirit of inclusion. This chapter builds on the two before it because it is ultimately about a commitment to love one another with the love of Christ. This is, in my opinion, one of the foundational elements upon which any plant should be built, regardless of ethnic makeup or cultural diversity.

Chapter ten then examines the seventh and final core commitment: mobilizing in order to have an impact on the Church and world at large. DeYmaz argues that the multi-ethnic church is in a position to play a particularly crucial role in the growth of the Kingdom.

Chapter eleven is particularly useful for me as DeYmaz discusses the intricacies of actually planting a multi-ethnic church. I found that many of his ideas focus on the importance of being open and seeking unity above all else. Planting a multi-ethnic church requires an understanding of the unique process to which you have been called as well as a willingness to seek out relationships with an even wider spectrum of people than is typical for most individuals.

Chapter twelve does not apply to me, however, as it deals with revitalizing a declining church.

Finally, the principles for transforming a homogenous church as discussed in chapter thirteen are helpful for my own future planting plans, specifically in relation to the notion that transformation lies on a continuum. Although I of course want to constantly be open to the leading of the Spirit, I can foresee myself referring to the continuum that DeYmaz outlines on pages 180-181 as a way in which to assess the level of cross-cultural commitment that my future plant is pursuing.

Reflections on 12/3 Class

As we come to the end of the quarter and our study in this class, I cannot help but reflect on the power of relationships in the continual growth and creative progress of the church. Although the concept seems self-evident, I don't think that we can ever give the issue too much attention. Our class and our interactions with one another, in dialogue and in discernment together, have fleshed out for me the vital necessity of genuine community in all aspects of church planting and renewal. I am thankful for what I have learned from my fellow classmates and from Ryan and for how our work together has taught me both to listen and reflect and to engage create.

Neil Cole's Organic Church

In chapter one, Cole discusses the importance of rooting churches (especially new church plants) in a foundational understanding of who Jesus is and what he says about the Church rather than in a particular church model, style, or approach. I desire to have such a Christ-focused approach in my own plant, for without taking Jesus into account we fail to see the power that the Church has to do the work of his redemption in the world.

Chapter two was not particularly relevant for my final paper, as Cole merely tells his personal church story in this section of the book.

In chapter three, Cole debunks several of the myths that the Western Church has come to believe about itself. Of greatest importance to me is the notion that the Church is an organic movement of growth that is not bound to one location but which should rather be decentralized. This idea runs counter to the modernist trend still found in the Church that suggests remaining entrenched in order to fight against culture and thus survive.

As Cole discusses in chapter four, we must begin with one of the most basic questions when starting any new church plant--"What is church?" I recognize that I must begin my own plant with this question and also that I must be prepared for any answer that God gives me, even if that answer does not follow typical or historical church convention.

In chapter five, Cole begins to flesh out his argument that the church is organic. He does this by looking at the first in a series of three parables in Mark 4. According to Cole, planting seed is the most important step in the process. In other words, in order to finish well we must start well; we must have both good seed and good soil rather than being so concerned with the end result of the harvest. This involves neither delaying the initial steps of the planting process nor rushing headlong into the process in order to reach the end.

In chapter six, Cole examines the second of three parables in Mark 4 and makes the point that we expend too much energy on working hard and making plans (on the growing phase of his analogy) rather than allowing the Spirit to move and take care of the growth. We instead need to focus on the sowing and the harvesting steps. This chapter provided me with a perspective different from most that I have encountered in the church in the past. Such a point of view takes the pressure off of a church planter and moves the focus away from numbers and results.

Cole wraps up his discussion of Mark 4 in chapter seven with his examination of the parable of the mustard seed. He uses this parable to discuss the importance of church planting and growth and how it is vital to start small and multiply disciples who can go out and multiply other disciples (and thus eventually entire church communities).

In chapter eight, Cole breaks the Body of Christ down into its essential elements--what he calls DNA, or Divine truth, Nurturing relationships, and Apostolic mission--and how these elements interact. This chapter raised questions for me regarding what elements or core values need to be essential to any church plant regardless of context. In other words, what elements of the Body of Christ are defined by cultural context and what elements transcend even culture?

In chapter nine, Cole examines the notion that with all of the changes occurring in the Church (e.g. becoming more decentralized, having less order, being more spontaneous), we need to turn to the DNA and to what God wants for the Church rather than to our own attempts to structure it. Cole argues for the formation of an internal structure rather than the sort of external strategy that has been imposed on the Church throughout history. Such an idea affects how I will look at issues such as leadership and decision-making processes within my own future plant.

In chapter ten, Cole calls for the church to care for people, to extend compassion, and to be moved to live a life rooted in compassion just as Christ was. These ideas are relevant for church planting because they cause us to stop and consider what people groups in our communities most need help and the love of Jesus. We we reflect on such a question we are then moved to make conscious choices to act in compassion rather than merely allowing it to be an afterthought to all that we do.

Building upon such an idea, in chapter eleven Cole argues that relational community (the oikos) is the most effective way to do the work of the Kingdom and spread the Gospel.

Next, in chapter twelve, Cole examines the five principles that are crucial in planting reproducing churches: the practice of prayer, pockets of people, power of presence, person of peace, and people of purpose. Both chapter eleven and chapter twelve provide material for me to consider as I am thinking about what elements must be foundational to any church plant.

In chapter thirteen, Cole discusses the value of failure in the church planting process and of not allowing our plans and strategies to drown out the voice of God. The chapter is, in general, about Coles's own stories of failure and thus is not particularly relevant for my paper.

Finally, in chapter fourteen, Cole shares specific stories of people involved in the planting movement. This chapter was not specifically helpful for my final paper.

Reflections on 12/1 Class

Although I recognize, as we discussed in class today, that things such as the rapid rise of the social network and gaming cultures need to be both addressed and even embraced to a great extent by the Church, the future psychologist in me cannot help but lament the demise of face-to-face relationships. I think the Church needs to be acutely aware of the ways in which technology not only helps but also hinders the formation of community. We must utilize technology when it is helpful for the purposes of the Church while also continuing to cultivate the kind of connection which can only be realized in the midst of living our lives together in physical community.

Reflections on 11/24 Class

After discussing our small groups' core values at length during today's class, I realized how the value of incarnation is foundational to our lives as Christians yet also manifests itself in a variety of ways depending upon the cultural context in which a church exists. What it means to live like Christ and incarnate the Gospel within the slums of an international city differs drastically from what it looks like to do the same in a church plant located in an affluent neighborhood in Los Angeles, for example. Knowing and understanding the population with whom we desire to work is crucial. And yet, as we have discussed throughout the quarter, we must continue to remain open to the moving of the Spirit, in this case not falling trap to cultural context dictating our every decision within a church plant. Culture is a key aspect of how we live our lives incarnationally, but God is bigger than any cultural context will ever be.

Reflections on 11/19 Class

Near the end of last week's class period, as we went group-by-group and listed the core values that we felt were essential to incorporate into our church plants, I was struck by the level of creative freedom that God bestows on all of us. None of our lists aligned completely; in fact, there was often very little overlap from group to group. Yet it was clear that each one of us had taken our innermost desires for our plants and come together in community to discuss and creatively integrate these desires together. Although the outcomes may have differed significantly, the entire class was united by a common purpose--to discern the will of God and to explore creatively within that will.

Tom Sine's The New Conspirators

Conversation one of Sine’s work examines the four streams—emerging, missional, mosaic, and monastic—that have surfaced as the significant movements to renew and reimagine the Western Church in recent years. This section of the book provides a succinct description of each of the movements without resorting to absolute definitions or pigeonholing each group into specific categories. Therefore, Sine begins his book with a foundation through which to understand the new directions in which the Western Church is moving and thus which will have an influence on my own future church plant.

Conversation two then examines the impact of globalization, how the world has changed post-9/11, and how it is being influenced by the Western values of individualism and materialism. Therefore, we as the Church must make a conscious effort not to promote a direct link between Western cultural values and Christianity at large. We must also be aware that globalization and materialism have defined our eschatological hope and have a direct effect on other cultures. As a future church planter, I and my team must seek ways to combat these influences proactively.

The third section of Sine’s book continues the conversation begun in section two. This section is essential because of the way it reimages Christian eschatology as a homecoming of sorts in which God’s creation will eventually be restored and thus in which we get to participate now through the work of the Kingdom. Such a theological notion is essential for how we as the Church work to embody the missio dei and strive to be missional. Furthermore, it influences the sorts of celebrations that we have, the way in which we live our daily lives, and how readily we pay attention and respond to the injustice occurring around us—aspects of a church which are all important to consider throughout the planting process.

I found conversation four to be the most helpful out of all of the sections in Sine’s book, as it outlines specific examples of ways existing and new churches can research the cultural changes occurring around them and thus look ahead to the future accordingly. This allows a church to be proactive and combat the challenges that they might face (i.e. environmental issues, poverty and economic disparity, the declining church) while also seeking to provide positive alternatives to these situations.

Finally, conversation five of Sine’s work is important because it tells stories of specific ways in which church communities are creatively addressing the changes occurring within the world and thus within the church. This section is important for the final paper because of the wealth of first-hand accounts it provides on things like the use of ancient liturgy, missional approaches to church, and kingdom-living practices.

Reflections on 11/17 Class

Although this may seem like an obvious observation, today's work in our small groups allowed me to see the value in pursuing unity of heart and mind among the members of a church planting team. Despite any differences of opinion or in our strategic approaches, we all sought to find common ground while working to simplify our planting plans into deep convictions and foundational values. The differences in our approaches faded because we all were united in our willingness to pursue God's desires for our church, the community, and the world at large. This is a truth that I recognize that I must hold onto in any of my future planting opportunities.

Reflections on 11/12 Class (Bishop Cray)

While I found all of Bishop Cray's lecture in our class on Thursday to be thought-provoking, I especially was struck by the notion that we must approach church planting with an attitude of waiting to see what God grows out of our willingness to partner with him. The results can be as wide-ranging as a new project, an increase in new members, a new cell, or even a new church. The point, though, is not to attempt to understand or determine ahead of time what the results will be, but rather to remain patient, listening to the voice of the Spirit and moving accordingly throughout the entire process. Bishop Cray then raised the important point that churches will need to learn the skill of discernment if they want truly to see what God is doing and thus join in.

Reflections on 11/11 Missiology Lecture

Throughout Bishop Cray's lecture on the Fresh Expression Movement, I was reminded of the importance of allowing the Spirit to guide and direct a church planting or renewal movement. I think that the modern church separated itself almost completely from the moving of the Spirit (often by intellectualizing the faith). Thus, many of us in both the mainline and evangelical traditions are left to re-learn how to appropriate the sort of discernment and imagination that is needed to plant churches that are able to meet the needs of the contexts in which they find themselves.

Reflections on 11/5 Class

Discussion during Thursday's class raised the important issue of how we need to be proactive in including people from all walks of life in our church plants/renewals in order to avoid the socioeconomic, racial, and gender homogeneity that often occurs at the leadership level. All people need to be empowered to become leaders in the ways in which God has gifted them, including the poor and the marginalized. This idea speaks to the importance of mentoring and raising up individuals from a variety of backgrounds to meaningfully contribute to the growth and purpose of the church plant.

Bob Roberts Jr.'s The Multiplying Church

Chapter one of Roberts’ book examines the difference between the West and the two-thirds world and how the West has focused on church planting movements and trying to reconstruct a new church based on frustrations with the old. The two-thirds world, on the other hand, has seen an organic, Spirit-led growth of the church that is rooted in hope and excitement. Such a glaring distinction raises several questions for me. One, what are we in the West failing to see and how can we learn from the rest of the world? And two, how can we in the West work to become a part of the larger global church movement? In order to begin to answer these questions, I wonder if we need to focus not on what the West specifically needs but rather what the Church has to offer that can transcend culture.

Roberts then argues in chapter two that a global church planting movement is bound to happen at some point in the future, especially considering the rapid globalism that is spreading around the world. If we agree with Roberts and anticipate such a movement, this raises questions for those of us desiring to plant churches in the West regarding the need to alter our outlook and shape what we do now in order to help to usher in such a movement.

While I am not sure that I agree with everything that Roberts argues in chapter three (e.g. when he states that every church should “tithe” ten percent of its membership to plant other churches), I do believe that the model of networking that he describes holds great value for the church planting process. I believe that the local church needs to expand outward, with leaders starting new groups which can later develop into new churches rather than part of a church’s population merely breaking off in order to start a new congregation.

In chapter four, Roberts argues that the most important reason for starting a new church is the pursuit of transformation. In order to pursue such an end, I think that we first need to ask questions such as what needs to be transformed in the community in which we are seeking to multiply churches? How do we incorporate the missional, incarnational, and contextual elements of such transformation into what we do on the practical, ground level?

Chapters five, six, and seven examine what Roberts terms the “prime players,” or those individuals who have a key role in the church multiplying process. He reinforces the idea that all people play a role, not merely the planters alone. Chapter five looks at the “apostolic fathers,” or those older leaders who have a vision to start churches out of their own churches and thus mentor and send out younger leaders to do so. Chapter six then examines the “daredevil sons and daughters,” or risk-taking, entrepreneurial planters. Finally, in chapter seven, Roberts discusses the importance of using the gifts and skills of all of the disciples who comprise the Body of Christ. All three of these chapters reinforce for me the necessity of truly knowing all of the individuals that comprise a church planting team so that their particular giftedness can be used to its fullest potential.

In chapter eight, Roberts examines the importance of not focusing on the actual church that is being planted to the exclusion of ignoring the community and the transformation that needs to occur in society. Such a point underscores for me the need to utilize careful research and to invest a significant amount of time in coming to understand the structural makeup of the community in which I desire to plant a church.

Roberts then moves outward even further in chapter nine to argue that although a church plant may start in and for a community, it ultimately needs to look outward to the needs of the world at large. This chapter resonated with me as I feel connected both with the West and the world as a whole and believe that we as church planters can benefit when we take our focus off of the West and look instead at the institutions and processes that span the globe.

In chapter ten Roberts advocates for starting a church-starting center in an existing church. This chapter does not necessarily apply to me at this point as I am not sure whether or not I will ever use this approach to plant a church.

Chapter eleven reminded me of the importance of not losing sight of the more practical side of the church planting equation. While we should trust God to supply all of our needs, we must not ignore the processes of planning and education (e.g. in relation to budgetary needs).

Finally, in chapter twelve, Roberts discusses several of the pitfalls and difficulties associated with working with people and coming together as a missional family in a church plant. I believe that in the beginning of any new planting movement it is important to be proactive and on the lookout for all of these issues, as people coming together in such close community have great potential to bring about more harm than good at times.

Reflections on 11/3 Class

We began class on Tuesday discussing the important role that grieving plays in the initial stages of a church plant, as those individuals on the planting team must come together and share their hurts, frustrations, and losses from past church contexts. I must admit that I never thought about the importance of including a therapeutic element in the planting process. Without first sharing those hurts and losses and working through them, it is next to impossible to create a new expression of what it means to be the Church. New churches that are rooted in past bitterness and pain are only bound to fail.

Reflections on 10/29 Class

I don't think that I was expecting our small group discussion time during Thursday's class to be as difficult as it ended up being. Many of us found it challenging to translate the theoretical ideas and the hopes and dreams that we have for our future church plants into more practical plans. For me personally, this is in large part because I feel as though many of my hopes and dreams will develop more organically rather than programmatically. Thursday's discussion helped me to more fully realize how integral having others with me on the church planting journey actually is. I now have a better appreciation for the need to begin dialoguing with a wide variety of people now, rather than waiting until the practical side of the process is fleshed out further. Conversation is key, and I need to make a conscious effort to place discussion at the center of the church planting process.

Reflections on 10/27 Class

While I wholeheartedly believe that there needs to be a return to the cultivation of genuine relationships and living life out in close connection to our fellow Christians, our lectio divina and subsequent discussion in class on Tuesday left me thinking about how we sometimes throw the word "community" around without truly understanding its implications for church planting and renewal. I wonder if, at times, we don't define the term so loosely that we fail to understand the implications of the intersection between the cultural idea of community presented in the New Testament and the sense of community that pervades postmodern culture. This is definitely a discussion that needs to have a prominent place in the church planting process, especially now as we seek to move away from the individualism and isolation that has plagued the modern church.

Reflections on 10/22 Class

As an idealist by nature, my tendency is often to dream big and strive for near perfection. While such an approach has its place in church planning, it was good to be reminded in our last class session that a new church can only go as far as the gifts and talents held by the people who comprise the church planting community will allow. As a result, we must remain aware of our strengths as well as our limitations, being realistic about what can be accomplished by the planting team while also trusting in the power of God to do even more. If we fail to understand our limitations, we actually will hinder the planting process even further. Creativity instead must be born out of an acknowledgement both of what we have and what we lack.

Doug Pagitt's Church Reimagined

Chapter one of Pagitt’s work stresses the idea that church planting is a process, not a one-time event, and that often a church will not show evidence of effective discipling until a significant amount of time has passed. Therefore, we must start small, focusing on the importance of building community, sharing our stories with one another, and inviting others to dialogue and partake of the experimental process that is church planting. Of particular importance is the element of accountability and ensuring that this dynamic is present at all levels and in all stages of establishing a church plant.

Pagitt’s personal story in chapter two reminds me of the value of not merely examining the needs of a particular demographic and looking internally when planting a church but of instead asking the bigger questions and focusing on the community around me. For example, what does the world in which I live need? What does the community around me have to offer and to say to the church that I am planting? Regardless of the specific demographics that comprise the church community itself, what does the community at large say that it needs? I do not want to approach the church planting process by necessarily working to target a particular population. Instead, I want the growth of my plant to be organic and to allow the community at large to dictate the kinds of needs that are addressed and hopefully met.

Chapter three describes the eclectic format of worship gatherings at Solomon’s Porch, including the space in-the-round that they have set up for their Sunday gatherings, their use of liturgy and stations throughout the service, as well as their development of new, creative forms of worship. At the heart of what Pagitt and others do at Solomon’s Porch are a desire to be authentic and a drive to understand fully their particular community, its needs, and who they are as people. It is important to remember that the goal of such a gathering is not to try to attract others but to create an atmosphere in which genuine relationship with God and with others is fostered.

Out of all of the chapters in Pagitt’s book, chapter four probably is the most unconventional for those of us from traditional evangelical backgrounds. Incorporating the body into worship practice tends to make many conservative evangelicals uncomfortable, as centuries of dualistic thinking have taught us to see the body as fallen, evil, and in direct opposition to the “spirit.” This chapter definitely expanded my thinking about the sorts of practices that can be incorporated into church gatherings, and it served as a much-needed reminder to look beyond the mind and spirit in order to see the important role that the body can play in living out our faith.

Chapter five discusses the notion that being people-focused rather than idea-centered lends itself to a particular kind of spiritual formation in which people come together to dialogue about things such as a the Bible in order to benefit the community as a whole. Based on such an idea, I need to be diligent in my own future church planting efforts to ask myself how to avoid setting up certain individuals as the only ones who are knowledgeable experts on matters of spiritual formation. Everyone has a voice, and we can and should learn from one another and grow along with one another. There needs to be no distinction between the speaker and the audience, but rather all involved must be participants.

The issues of hospitality and welcoming the stranger covered in chapter six raise a key question for my future church planting endeavors. How can we as a church plant extend hospitality in ways that are specifically relevant to the community in which we find ourselves? Everyone is a stranger to one degree or another throughout their lives, so it is important to find universal ways of living out the Kingdom and extending hospitality to a range of people. Eating with one another, doing very basic everyday tasks with one another, and opening our homes to each other are perfect examples of the kinds of universal activities that welcome a variety of people.

Chapter seven examines the notion of belief as being a holistic process that is grounded in more than simply information and knowledge. Instead, belief as Pagitt describes it brings knowledge together with the hopes, experiences, and ideas of individual people. Such an emphasis moves belief beyond the mere abstract to the realm of the personal. Therefore, relationships built on trust matter, for they allow us to influence and speak into the lives and experiences of others, and thus into their beliefs as well. Education is not the be all and end all of belief and faith, but listening to and understanding the personal stories and beliefs of others is.

Chapter eight expands upon the commonly-held view that creativity in church settings is limited to music and the visual and fine arts. Pagitt instead argues that creativity is much broader and that it ultimately is about openness to new ideas and experiences and incorporating this openness into the life of the church community. Key to this idea is the Kingdom notion that we get to create (and recreate) the world alongside God through acts of redemption. Therefore, what is important for me to remember in my future church planting endeavors is that people of all types—not merely artists—have something creative to offer and that it is thus important to purposefully incorporate everyone into the creative processes of the church.

The notion that service should not be a programmatic outreach of the church but rather a way of life is the concern of chapter nine. This chapter is useful for my final paper in that it serves as a reminder of the importance of being a hospitable, friendly face and inviting others into the church community, especially in the early stages of a church planting endeavor. Acts of service should not be programmatically organized but instead they will flow out of the attitude of hospitality and grace that is manifested in the establishment of trusting relationships with the outside community from the onset of the church plant.

Chapter ten is merely a short summary of the other nine chapters in Pagitt’s book.

Reflections on 10/20 Class

The personal stories shared in my small group’s get-to-know-you session yesterday reminded me of the vital importance of building a Christian community in which an atmosphere of belonging is cultivated rather than merely an atmosphere of intellectual assent. Although all of my group members come from various backgrounds and are looking to work with a variety of populations in the future, we are united in our desire to use relationships as the foundational element of our church plants. We recognize that the world is hungry for more than mere knowledge and belief and thus desire for our church plants to be places in which we authentically connect with one another, with God, and with his mission for the world.

Reflections on 10/15 Class

While I’m wholeheartedly in agreement with more recent church trends (especially within the emerging movement) to privilege dialogue and openness over purely a drive to reach a bottom line or specific conclusions, I think that sometimes such openness puts us at risk of failing to move forward in our attempts to change and renew the church. Today’s class reminded me of the vital importance of pursuing a mindfulness and intentionality as we seek to create new initiatives within the church. We must be flexible but also persistent, seeking to move in a particular direction but also being open to shifting directions when the Spirit leads us to do so. It’s for this reason that I find great value in the experimental stage of creating new initiatives, as it allows us to be purposeful about testing the waters and trying new things out while also keeping us in dialogue with God and with other church members as we pursue new avenues for church renewal together as a team.

Reflections on 10/8 Class

Last Thursday’s class underscored the importance of moving beyond a deconstructionist viewpoint in order to begin to reconstruct and renew the church for postmodern times. It is not merely sufficient to recognize that modern culture established a sacred/secular divide or that it privileged individualism over community, for example. While understanding—and even, at times, tearing down—these constructs of modernity is vitally important, the work does not end there. We instead be mindful of the ways in which we can continue to walk forward, renewing the tradition of the past while also replacing it with more culturally relevant ways of doing church in a postmodern context.

Reflections on 10/6 Class

I have taken several classes at Fuller that underscored the importance of viewing the West and the variety of cultures present within the West from a missional viewpoint—as though the West was itself comprised of “mission fields.” Discussing McGavran’s mission station model and its similarity to the current state of the Western Church helped to emphasize this point for me even more strongly. I wonder, however, to what degree McGavran’s solution for creating more people movements is applicable to the West. His work is significantly strategic in nature, at times even outlining the specific steps that can be taken to replace mission stations with people movements. I am not convinced, however, that the Western Church should adopt more strategic plans and goals to make such a missional shift. If anything, the Western Church has been overrun by strategy for years, often reducing what should be organic, life-giving acts of mission, mercy, and justice to committees, procedures, mission statements, and projects. I think that overall the Western Church would benefit from a little less structure rather than seeking change in the form of rigid structure.

Donald McGavran's The Bridges of God

Chapter one of McGavran’s work posits a crucial question: namely, how are people groups and cultures—rather than simply individuals—changed in order to become Christian. Such a question is foundational to understanding the processes of church growth and church planting, for if we subscribe to the notion that church is intricately tied to the construct of community, then we must look at cultures holistically in order to transform a people group most effectively.

In chapter two, McGavran continues his examination of the perils associated with a Western individualist viewpoint and discusses the need for Christianization to occur from within a culture. McGavran argues that a culture makes its decisions as a group, and thus a “people movement to Christ” is the most effective form of Christianizing a culture. I found McGavran’s discussion on the two stages of Christianization—discipling and “perfecting the people” (e.g. making ethical changes in a community, moving the people towards a Christian way of life, etc.)—to be the most beneficial for my understanding of the kinds of needs that must be met when establishing a new church plant. Transformation must occur from within the culture or community rather than pulling individuals out of their known world of daily living. Key to this transformation and the establishment of a new Christian community is a reorientation of a culture around the figure of Jesus, his teachings, and his way of life.

Chapters three and four examine Biblical and historical examples of successful “people movements to Christ.” These two chapters are not particularly beneficial for my final paper.

In chapter five, McGavran discusses the “mission station approach” to mission that was prevalent in the 1800s and early 1900s. Such an approach is invitational and individualist in nature and involves expecting new converts to Christianity to set themselves apart from their culture. According to McGavran, the mission station approach frequently fails and has little success in bringing large groups of people to Christ. Furthermore, such an approach turns the practice of mission into something that is programmatic and institutional rather than a changing and growing organic process that occurs within a culture.

Chapter six moves to a discussion on the new stage in which mission praxis finds itself—people movements—and examines examples of such movements in non-Western settings. Because my final paper most likely will be focused on a church plan for a Western context, the specifics of this chapter do not apply readily to me. Of importance in this chapter, however, is the notion that people movements are immersed in a particular culture which then sets the tone for the rest of the movement. Equally important is the idea that the exploration of new ecclesiastical traditions within these people movements allows for a community to discover to what Christian practices its people will most respond.

In chapter seven, McGavran addresses the importance of critically analyzing a mission endeavor and not merely supporting it indiscriminately even when such a movement bears little fruit of discipleship and growth. In order to do so, we must make a mental shift and view the church, which lives and works in particular cultures, rather than the mission station as the focal point of our mission endeavors.

Chapter eight addresses the importance of cooperating with churches that are growing and allowing indigenous movements to flourish and become independent as the most effective ways of expanding the Kingdom. Such an approach emphasizes the linking together of churches so that they can provide support and stability to one another and thus continue to expand outward into culture rather than bringing converts inward.

Chapter nine raises the question of how the older approach to mission praxis—the mission stations—can and should relate to the rising number of people movements around the world. A similar question exists today about how to incorporate Western ecclesiological tradition with the new manifestations of the church that are on the rise. Overall, I found McGavran’s answer to this question to be a bit heavy handed in terms of the employment of specific strategies. While I agree with him that the church is growing in certain areas of the world more than it is in others, I do not necessarily believe that priority should thus be given to people movements in these areas of the globe. Such a strategy brings with it the potential for certain cultures and communities to be neglected by mission efforts.

While financial aspects are important to consider when creating a church planning model, I do not feel as though chapter ten of McGavran’s book provides any insight for my final paper.

Chapter eleven and McGavran’s call for increased research on the mission practices of people movements likewise are inapplicable to my final paper.

Finally, in chapter twelve, McGavran sums up his book by arguing that mission ultimately is a call for us to march alongside God and to have a heart for the nations just as he does. This idea complements the notion of the missio dei.

Reflections on 10/1 Class

After last week’s class, I realized that my opinion of church planting has, over the years, been negatively impacted by the rigid denominational structure of the churches that I have attended for the majority of my life. I’m not suggesting that there is anything inherently wrong with the denominational church per se, but merely that a programmatic approach to church planting does not appeal to the relationally-minded person who I am.

I am eager to look at church planting as a more organic, holistic process. I always have felt drawn to an intentional community approach to Christianity, so I am excited about the possibility that this class affords me to explore various growth movements within the church. Who knows, maybe church planting is more of a possibility for my future ministry than I ever realized before.