CHURCHPLANTING STRATEGY AND ASSOCIATED LANDMARKS
Church planting is an indispensable facet that brings intoprominence, the establishment of new churches. As Stetzer contends,planting churches is attained as a system of life rather than anapproach hence, the need for the planter to recognize the aspects ofevangelism and instructions of Christ.1Church planting corresponds rightly with the New Testamentdescriptions in evangelization, which contributes to introducing thegospel into a new community. Moreover, church planting allows theincorporation of unreached people and new believers into the gospel’sfold.23However, church planting requires comprehensive models and strategiesto attain the desired results since evangelizing to new people callsfor contextualization and embodiment of a conscious mission. Thechurch planting aspects will occur in North County, San Diego becauseof the love for the area and the need to establish an evangelicalmission. The new church will be Fidelity and will allow people fromall lifestyles and civilization to join. It is worth noting that themost of the churches in the county are usually Catholic in nature.Moreover, it is imperative to note that majority of people in thearea do not adhere to Christian religiosity. In this regards, it isessential to cultivate a strategy that aligns to an evangelicalaspect, as well as, focus on missional approach.
The objectiveof establishing a new church is to create a mission thatcomprehensively and actively proclaim God’s gospel throughtransplanting, ministry evangelism, personal perceiving of theplanters, biblical proselytization, and servant evangelism.4The planting will encompass teachings, missions, and instructionsthat result into the transformation and incorporation of newbelievers and disciples into the Christ’s fold. The plantingstrategy endeavors to not only allow individuals constructingprofessions of faith and being christened, but also obtain the truedeliverance and develop in Jesus by learning and committing to theWord of God in their individual and family lives. The strategyintends to generate a breed of disciples who respect and obey theinstructions of Christ. Searcy and Thomas define a planting strategyin terms of tractability to the instructions of Christ, which meansthat planters need to provide an evangelical mission aligned toChrist-oriented values.5Thus, the planting strategy will encompass representational-drivenvalues and transplanting aspects that will allow permanentincorporation and assimilation of believers.
The strategywill focus on contextualizing the ministry thus, it will berelational and aligned to forming connections in a bid to get peoplefollow God’s teachings. The planting group has reached out tocommunity leaders and neighbors, as well as, worked in differentmissions in the neighborhood. Moreover, the planting group especiallythe main planter has helped people in different situations andpartaken in social events and local services. Fanning has noted thatthe church planting elements will not be successful unless theybecome bi-vocational to gain the trust of majority of localresidents.6Other than remaining cognizant of the community’s situation andconnections, the planters understand that they have to abide byspecific principles. In fact, Stetzer asserts that church plantersneed to conform by definite denominational principles.7 The planters understand that the new church will not in any wayengage through contracts with church boards and missions, incharismatic practices such as health beliefs, works of grace, andglossolalia.
Despite the need to abstain from supports, the planters understandthat they will need financial support. Searcy and Thomas contend thatmoney is not everything, but it is nevertheless an important aspectin planting.8As such, the planters will raise funds, but also pray to God for Hiswill and blessing. Moreover, when asking for financial support,members will ask rightly and ask support from people who support thechurch based on vision and needs. Funds will be applied to thedenomination and the sending church, but the church plant will onlyrequest for a small amount of funds. The church planter will alsoengage in payable employment to help in assimilating and support thechurch mission. Herron asserts that new members do not tithe, and theplanter needs to teach and motivate them on the need to tithe.9Thus, once, the church is in the nascent phase, the planter willteach members to tithe and develop sound biblical messages concerningtithing.
As the church continues to move forward, the planter will build acore team of leaders and cultivate a program through which toinstruct the team to construct a solid foundation. The planter willstructure the training manual from “Peter Wagner’s ChurchPlanting for a Greater Harvest: A Comprehensive Guide.” The book isinsightful especially on the skills and capacities required of churchleaders, evangelical aspects, and the strategies leaders should adoptin motivating the unchurched and new believers. Moreover, the bookcontains lessons and instructions for praying and guidance in churchplanting, corporate evangelism, core principles, mission statements,connections within the community, approaches to church planting. Inthis regards, it is essential for the leading planter to keep trailof all milestones that will serve as landmarks for reflection andprogress.10The planting and the core team will develop and practicecomprehensive connections with the community, cultivate a healthyprayer life and an efficient learning of the Bible. The two groupswill continue to attend social events geared towards discipleship,evangelical and denominational discussions, leadership seminars, andtrainings. The team also regularly reviews the core vision and valuesand engages with community leaders to increase members. Members ofthe team will continue to share their faith with friends, familymembers, and members of the community. The church’s name will alsoappear in a post sign framed in the main entrance and on the mainroad leading to the church
A planter shouldbe conscious of the community under consideration history, as wellas, gain discernment in regards to territorial spirits.11To achieve this as well as ensure that the planting strategy is asuccess the planters will conduct a historical and an unchurchedsurvey and make the obtained information available for evangelisticstrategy, ministry programs, and intercession. The historical surveyallows the planter to discern spiritual strongholds or territorialspirits and should encompass a two-step procedure for charting andconfronting the spiritual strongholds.12The information sought should include the history of religion in thecommunity, spiritual study that emphasizes on non-Christian religioussituations and sites, and the physical study that emphasizes onhistorical monuments, geographical sites, landmarks, and prominentartwork. Planters need to understand and value the planting process,develop good planning strategies, foster clear communication, inspirepeople, and maximize the evangelical impact with limited resources.The planter should have a ministry description of status, areas ofresponsibilities, principle function, and qualifications to helpgather an essential group of individuals
Bibliography
Akhazemea, Pastor Daniel, and Pastor Babatunde Adedibu. "TheRedeemed Christian Church of God, a missionary Global Player: What isHer message Regarding Human Development?." Encounterbeyond routine: 53.
Fanning, Don. "Church planting movements." Trendsand Issues in Missions (2009): 6.
Herron, Fred. Expanding God`s Kingdom through ChurchPlanting. iUniverse, 2003.
Hesselgrave, David J., and Donald McGavran. Planting churchescross-culturally: North America and beyond. Baker Academic, 2000.
Hesselgrave, David J. Planting churches cross-culturally: aguide for home and foreign missions. Baker Book House, 1980.
Searcy, Nelson, and Kerrick Thomas. Launch: Starting a newchurch from scratch. Baker Books, 2007.
Stetzer, Ed. Planting missional churches. B&HPublishing Group, 2006.
1 Ed Stetzer. Planting missional churches. (B&H Publishing Group, 2006), 222.
2 David J. Hesselgrave. Planting churches cross-culturally: a guide for home and foreign missions. (Baker Book House, 1980), 101.
3 David J. Hesselgrave and Donald McGavran. Planting churches cross-culturally: North America and beyond. (Baker Academic, 2000), 99
4 Pastor Daniel Akhazemea and Pastor Babatunde Adedibu. "The Redeemed Christian Church of God, a missionary Global Player: What is Her message Regarding Human Development?." Encounter beyond routine, 53
5 Nelson Searcy and Kerrick Thomas. Launch: Starting a new church from scratch. (Baker Books, 2007), 79.
6 Don Fanning. "Church planting movements." Trends and Issues in Missions (2009): 6.
7 Ed Stetzer. Planting missional churches, 223.
8 Nelson Searcy and Kerrick Thomas. Launch, 70.
9 Fred Herron. Expanding God`s Kingdom through Church Planting. iUniverse, 2003, 160
10 David J. Hesselgrave. Planting churches cross-culturally, 121.
11 David J. Hesselgrave and Donald McGavran. Planting churches cross-culturally, 101
12 Fred Herron. Expanding God`s Kingdom through Church Planting, 169