An update on David Riddell’s stages of development for church planting movements. I think we got it right this time.
Planting: starting a new church.
Addition: starting another new church.
Reproduction: a church plants a new church.
Multiplication: a reproduced church reproduces.
Movement: church reproduction becomes the norm — spontaneous expansion of new churches.
Saturation: when church planting movements fill an area.
We can’t “engineer” these outcomes, but the vision for church planting movements should touch everything we do.
Neil Cole says, “How you disciple the newest believer will determine whether a church planting movement is the outcome.”
The only way to release this movement dynamic is through multitudes of ordinary disciples. I’m coming to the conclusion that we spend a little too much time analyzing, contextualizing, postmodernizing mission and not enough time making disciples. Or maybe that’s just my problem. . .
How would our ministries look different if the main game became the multiplication of disciples? Everywhere.
One Comment
“How would out ministries look different if the main game became the multiplcation of disciples?
Steve, I want to move in that direction. It’s amazing how many things stand in the way. Basically, I travel and train others, and it pulls away from local relationships, especially with pre-believers. I’m shifting my socializing to those contexts, but it still is taking a lot of effort and intentionality.