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TOWARDS EXPEDITIOUS CHURCH PLANTING: A SMALL CHURCH CASE STUDY A THESIS-PROJECT SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GORDON-CONWELLTHEOLOGICAL SEMINARY INPARTIAL FULFILMENTOFREQUIREMENTS FORTHEDEGREE DOCTOR OF MINISTRY BY JEFFREYALAN BECK JANUARY2015 Copyright ©2015 byJeffreyAlan Beck. All Rights Reserved. CONTENTS ABBREVIATIONS Vll THESIS ABSTRACT viii CHAPTERONE: A CHURCHPLANTING JOURNEY I. INTRODUCTION 1 II. THE JOURNEY BEGINS 2 III. AN ASSOCIATION IS FORMED 5 IV. THE CHALLENGE: EXPEDITIOUS CHURCH PLANTING 8 V. THE JOURNEY CONTINUES 10 VI. CONCLUSION 13 CHAPTERTWO: A BIBLICAL FRAMEWORK I. OVERVIEW 14 II. THE CREATION 15 III. THE MISSIONOF GOD 16 IV. THE IMAGE OF GOD 18 V. IMPLICATIONS OFTHE FALL 20 VI. THE MARRIAGE MOTIF 22 VII. GIVING BIRTH 28 A. BEARING FRUIT 29 B. MULTIPLYING 33 C. FILLINGTHE EARTH 35 VIII. "VERY GOOD" 37 iii IX. THE CHURCH 38 X. CONCLUSION 41 CHAPTERTHREE: A HISTORICAL APPROACHTO CHURCHPLANTING I. OVERVIEW 43 II. AN INDIGENOUS APPROACH 44 III. CHURCH GROWTH MOVEMENT 48 IV. CHURCH PLANTING MOVEMENT 54 V. HOUSE CHURCH MOVEMENT 57 VI. CONCLUSION 61 CHAPTERFOUR: DYNAMICS OF CHURCHES THAT PLANTCHURCHES I. OVERVIEW 63 II. RELATIONSHIPS 65 III. EVANGELIZATION 66 IV. MULITIPLICATION OF CHURCHES 69 A. THE CHALLENGE OFMULTIPLICATION 70 B. THE PRAXIS OF MULTIPLICATION 78 V. RAISING LOCAL LEADERS 81 VI. SPIRITUAL DYNAMICS 87 VII. FAITH 92 VIII. CONCLUSION 94 CHAPTERFIVE: CHURCH PLANTINGTHROUGH THE LOCALCHURCH I. OVERVIEW 96 II. VISION 97 iv III. RESPONSIBILITY 101 IV. DISCIPLSHIP TRAINING 105 A. CELLGROUP FORMATION 105 B. CHRISTIAN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM 107 C. LEADERSHIP TRAINING 114 V. PRAYER 117 VI. FINANCES 120 VII. PREPARATION 126 VIII. CONCLUSION 132 CHAPTER SIX: OUTCOMES I. OVERVIEW 134 II. THE CHURCH IN RAPOSOS 134 III. EVALUATIONS 135 A. OUTREACHAND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT 135 B. PRAYER 137 C. TIMEFRAME 138 D. LOOKING BACK-LOOKING FORWARD 139 IV. ANEWCHURCH EMERGES 140 V. IMPLICATIONS FORTHE FUTURE 141 VI. CONCLUSION: THE JOURNEY BEGINS AGAIN 142 APPENDIX 1: CHURCHPLANTING QUESTIONNAIRE 144 APPENDIX2: SUMMARYOFQUESTIONNAIRE FOR KORY 153 APPENDIX 3: SUMMARY OF QUESTIONNAIRE FOR GEORGE 158 v APPENDIX4: SUMMARY OFQUESTIONNAIRE FORJACK 165 APPENDIX 5: MISSION OUTREACH TO RAPOSOS 171 BIBLIOGRAPHY 173 VITA 179 vi ABBREVIATIONS AIET Associac;iiodeIgrejasEvangelicas Transculturais (Association of TranculturalEvangelical Churches) ATCEM Asia Theological Centrefor Evangelism andMissions (basedin Singapore). African Theological CentreforEvangelism andMissions (basedinJinja, Uganda) CCC Calvary Charismatic Centre CDP Christian DevelopmentProgram CGM Church Growth Movement CPM Church PlantingMovement HCM House Church Movement LIW Life in the Word PDC Programa deDesenvolvimento Cristiio (same as CDP) TFC TransculturalFamily Church VFC Victory Family Church VNP Vida na Palavra (same asLIW) vii THESIS ABSTRACT Churches that reproduce themselves fulfill God's missionto seethe kingdom of Godextendto all peoples through thepropagation ofthe gospel. The multiplicationofthe local churchis initiated in theheartofGod. Historical movements thathaveemphasized themultiplicationofnew churcheshaveledto the emergenceofatwenty-firstcentury approach to churchplanting. Significant ingredients ofchurches thatplant churches and theformation ofamodel to exercisethese ingredients ledasmall churchtowards expeditious churchplanting. This church serves as amodel forbothlarge and small churches to reproduce andmultiply. viii CHAPTER 1 ACHURCH PLANTING JOURNEY I. INTRODUCTION Developingamodel for church plantingbegins with an affirmationofGod's direction andthelightofhis Worddirectingthesteps and thepath ofonewho desires to yield to his Spirit. Thejourneyoffaith and trust in Godcannotbeseparatedfrom a sincerewillingness to follow the Lord andfulfill His greatest desire ofseeingall humanitybroughtinto apersonalrelationship with Himand His communityofbelievers. This communityis found bothwithin the local churchand His universal Church.I C. Peter Wagnersays, ...the ideal Christian life is oriented around three priorities: (a) commitmentto Christ, (b) commitmentto the BodyofChrist and (c) commitmentto theworkof Christinthe world...Thosewho wishto serveGod effectivelyin theextension of the Kingdommustbefirmlyrootedin alocal church. Why? BecauseGod accomplishes His purposes in theworld, notthrough LoneRangers, butthrough committedcommunities ofHis people.2 ltis inHis communitythat thejourneyofeach Christianfinds thepathin which to walk accordingto His will. Commitment to Christ, the BodyofChristand theworkofChrist in the world is commitmentto the local church, its purpose andits multiplication. ExtendingthekingdomofGod throughthe multiplication ofthe local church liberates the will ofGod to touch thesoul ofhumanityamongall tribes and nations onthe earth. ltis this liberationofthe gospel amongall humanitythat allows thespiritualjourneytobegin intheheart, mindand soul ofeachperson. Therelevancyofamodel for church planting .1TheuniversalChurchisherereferringtothewholecollectivebodyofChristians. 2C. PeterWagner,StrategiesForChurchGrowth:ToolsforEffectiveMission andEvangelism (Ventura,CA: RegalBooks,1987),22-23. 1 is developed through thepersonaljourneyofsurrenderand willingness to the direction of the Holy Spirit. II. THE JOURNEYBEGINS The eveningservicewas onlyan average serviceonthat cold Sundaynightin Michigan. Itwas Januaryof1984when aseventeen yearold boymadehis wayto the altarinfront ofthe churchto finallyrespond to the Holy Spirit's constanttugging at his heart. Hehad received Jesus as his Lordand Savioreight years earlierataBillyGraham crusade. Yetonthis night hewas yieldinghis lifeand his future to servethe Lordall his days. He did not really know whatthat would entail, buthe felt "called" byGod andhad to respond with aheartfelt"yes"to the Lord. As tears rolled down his cheekhe feltthe hand ofhis youth pastor upon his backprayingfor him. The prayerofthis youngman's heart bellowedsilentlyto the Lord his desireto "go" whereverthe Lord wouldleadhim, wheneverthe Lordwouldsendhim, and to ministerhowevertheLordwouldwanthimto minister.3Bothhis youth pastorand senior pastorconfirmedhis "call"to ministry that night. Hisjourneyto servethe Lord with all his heart, his mindandhis soul began. This youngman, Jeffrey Beck, lefthis home andfamily inMichigan to follow God through Bible school, seminaryandeventuallyto leaveAmerica to serve Godin othernations. In 1993heflew to Asiaforthefirsttime to servethe Lordin Singaporeas bothaprofessoratAsia Theological Centrefor Evangelismand Missions (ATCEM) and apastorwithin VictoryFamilyCentre (VFC).4 It was in SingaporethatJeffreywas 3Thisyoungman isJeffreyBeck,theauthor.Thisisanaccountofhispersonaljourneywhichledhimtobe involvedinchurchplanting.To"go"wherever,wheneverand howevertheLordshoulddesireisstillthe heartfeltcryofhishearttothisday. 4VictoryFamilyCentre (VFC) wasformerlyknownasCalvaryCharismaticCentre(CCC).Thefounder, Rick Seaward,startedthechurch in1977.Theauthor,JeffreyBeck,wasinvited byDr. D.V. Hurst,former 2