Our mission at Antioch Community Church is to “ignite a movement of the gospel.” Recently, our Core Team from ACC had the privilege to interact with a leader from one of the largest church planting movements in South Asia. Since 1972, nearly 7,000 churches have been planted in one of the most unreached areas of the globe. Here are some insights on the subject of church planting movements…
Common Elements of Church Planting Movements
1) Presence of committed and visionary leadership
2) Abundant and intelligent preaching of the gospel
3) Strong presence of prayer
4) High level of trust in God
5) Intense commitment to suffer for the gospel
6) Continuous and intentional training of leaders (apprentice model)
7) Focused on planting reproducing churches
8) Contextualization of the gospel
9) Utilizes indigenous people to reach their own people groups
10) Intense focus on Scripture
11) Presence of signs and wonders
Elements that KILL Church Planting Movements
1) Perception of foreign (non-native or outside) control
2) Extra-biblical requirements placed on followers of Christ
3) Loss of cultural identity
4) Loss of moral standards
5) Too much administration…or a lack of administration
6) Lack of resources
7) Lack of stabilizing elements