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E-Connected Archive - November 2011


CHURCH PLANTING IN MUSLIM COMMUNITIES

Church Planting is maybe not the best term. It can mean so many different things to each of us. It could simply imply the ‘planters’ bring the church from outside rather than being planters of the seed of the gospel. So, although Church Planting is the main focus of the work of Frontiers, it is helpful to use more descriptive explanations of how it’s worked out.

It’s not enough just to evangelise or even to make disciples. Communities need to form. Everything that is done, all aspects of ministry and work, are to that end. In everything we are thinking ‘church’.

Pic of Egyptian street scene


We aspire to see people, whose lives have been transformed by Jesus, gather into worshipping communities that are locally led and equipped to reproduce.

Church Planting is implicit in the Great Commission, a command from Christ. It’s no coincidence that everywhere the gospel spread, local churches sprang up. Jesus mandated that His followers be in community, and He called that community “church”—both on a broad level (Matt.16:18) and local level (Matt.18:17). Dan Sinclair

Art or Science? Probably a bit of both!

Going to a place where no-one knows about Jesus and trying to establish reproducing communities of Jesus followers can be overwhelming! It really helps to break the task into smaller chunks.

There are a great variety of expressions and approaches, but there are certain things that need to happen. One model breaks the process into 7 phases. These help set some milestones and indicate what is likely to be seen. The end in mind is always followers of Jesus in community, and not just individual communities, but reproducing ones.

Picture of a Muslim from South East AsiaPhase 1: Forming, Preparing and Launching
the Team
Phase 2: Learning the Language and Culture
Phase 3: Preaching the Gospel to Groups and Individuals
Phase 4: Discipling Believers and Working Towards Gatherings
Phase 5: Developing the Body of Believers
Phase 6: Empowering and Installing Leaders, and the Beginnings of Reproduction (new fellowships forming)
Phase 7: Reproduction on a wider scale



Church planting phases aren’t meant to be a recipe or a script. They can be adapted as needed, but help give focus to the work.