"Frog” or “lizard” churches?

Church Planting Movements are acts of God, but it’s amazing how much mankind is capable of interfering with them. As with most of God's works among us, He allows us to actively cooperate with Him or become obstacles - consciously or unconsciously - to His desired purposes. Missionaries involved in Church Planting Movements have identified several very human courses of action that tend to obstruct, slow or otherwise hinder CPMs.

Even though we cannot create a Church Planting Movement, we can certainly work to avoid blocking their emergence. Here [is one] of the most prominent obstacles to Church Planting Movements facing missionaries today: Planting “frog” rather than “lizard” churches.

Yes, this is a metaphor ...

Frog churches perceive themselves as ends in themselves, sitting fat and complacent on a hill or lily pad (or main street), expecting the lost to come to them in search of salvation. Frog churches hold meetings in places where they feel comfortable and require the lost to adapt to their froggy world.

Lizard churches are always pursuing the lost. Adaptable and ready for action, they move quickly into the world through cracks and crevices seeking the lost. Lizard churches penetrate the homes of the lost with evangelistic Bible studies rather than requiring the lost to come to their churches. They are willing to change their colors, expend enormous energy, even lose their tails if necessary in order to bring the lost into the family of God.

By David Garrison
Excerpted from his book: "Church Planting Movements"

For more CPM resources visit the website:
http://www.churchplantingmovements.com/