Provocative thoughts on Church Planting Movements

What is a Church Planting Movement and what does one look like?  David Garrison investigated this question by studying church planting movements around the world.  His approach was to observe what God was doing and then to describe what he saw. 

In his pioneering book, “Church Planting Movements,” he defined a Church Planting Movement as follows:  “A Church Planting Movement is a [1] rapid multiplication [2] of indigenous churches [3] planting churches [4] that sweeps through a people group or population segment.”

#1: The Maturity Myth

“One of the greatest temptations that a Christian leader faces is to control the rate of church reproduction, so as to build stronger, mature churches.  In fact, most missionaries want to develop strong churches before they move on to plant additional churches.  Somehow they think that the longer a church has been established, the stronger they will be and more prepared to plant a church themselves.  This is a myth.  It is not true.  Time does not strengthen churches.  Training and involvement in active ministry does.”

#2: A Commitment to Reproduction

As Garrison studied church planting movements taking place throughout various regions of the world, he found that “…Church Planting Movements did not emerge without a deliberate commitment to plant reproducing churches.” He says, “If you want to see churches planted, then you must set out to plant churches [and] if you want to see reproducing churches, then you must set out to plant reproducing churches. Church Planting Movements are not in full flower until the churches begin spontaneously reproducing themselves.”  Garrison further states that “Church Planting Movement practitioners report looking for the fourth generation of church reproduction as a sign that the movement is preceding under its own momentum.”

#3: Buildings as Barriers

“The need for buildings tends to become a barrier to planting new churches because of the investment necessary to procure one.  After the building is a reality, then the church becomes building-based in their approach to ministry to the community. The western traditional church opens their doors on Sunday morning and proclaims to their community, here we are, come and enjoy our programs.  The organic church takes Christ to the lost in the coffee shops, in the universities, or wherever they are and whenever they meet.”

#4: Lay Leadership in the Driver's Seat

There is a great source of leadership for building the kingdom found in the lay members of the church.  “In Church Planting Movements the laity is clearly in the driver’s seat.  Unpaid, non-professional common men and women are leading the churches.” As Garrison points out, “Lay leadership doesn’t exclude professional ministers.  There may be an ordained, seminary trained, professional clergyman or Strategy Coordinator involved at key points in the movement … but on the cutting edge of its growth it is the laity who are leading the way.”

#5: The DNA of Rapid Reproduction

If you establish the DNA of planting churches that plant churches into the first churches, then they will naturally transfer that DNA to their offspring.  The opposite is also true.  When you teach your first churches to labor for many years under a missionary pastor while waiting to receive their own seminary trained leader; then require the church to purchase their own property and building; fill it with enough tithing members to support all of the above, you can’t expect them to generate rapidly reproducing daughter churches.  “Rapid reproduction starts with the DNA of the first church.”.

#6: Short-sightedness of Financial Subsidy

There is probably no greater barrier to a church planting strategy than financial subsidy for new churches.  “When foreign church planters use funds to hire pastors and construct church buildings they may see quick results, but they will not see a sustainable movement.  Building a movement on foreign funds is like running a machine with an extension cord that stretches across the ocean.  When the movement reaches the end of the cords length, it will abruptly stop.  A Church Planting Movement must have an internal engine and internal fuel if it is going to flourish.”

David Garrison
All quotes are from his book: "Church Planting Movements"

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