Book Review: The Multiplying Church: The New Math for Starting New Churches

Book Review: The Multiplying Church: The New Math for Starting New Churches

Roberts, Bob. 2008. The Multiplying Church: The New Math for Starting       New Churches. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Bob Roberts Jr. maps out the new math for church planting with the emphasis on missional churches being incarnational, indigenous and intentional.  Roberts explains the risks and discipline it takes to move from just starting a new church to multiplying churches.  A paradigm shift from planter to new church to disciple to mother church to planter to new church needs to happen (p. 17). 

Chapter 1

Crucial question to ask is why we are starting new churches. North Americans want to see a church planting movement (CPM) like what is happening in the east. It’s not a CPM, it’s a Jesus movement that is highly relational, personal and societal.  The Christian philosophy of life is attractive to others so it becomes viral. Jesus movements take time in order to gain momentum.  It is important to understand the history and those who have gone before us and planted seeds. This movement is lead by the lowest common denominator, the disciple.  One national Jesus movement per nation is what has been recorded with sub movements following. This movement is fueled by the youth, therefore making youth ministry a critical focus for the churches in the west.  Partnership within denominations, networks, organizations and individuals globally is also vital for this movement.  The key component is Holy Spirit led.  As Roberts says, “Grabbing what is in front of your face, seeing what the Spirit is up to and living faith in the moment (p. 38). As a global Jesus movement spreads, that is when a global church planting movement begins.

Chapter 2

There is a need to clarify definition of the church before a church planting movement starts. Alan Hirsch defines church as a covenanted community centered around Jesus with three components: worship, discipleship and mission (p. 41-42). David Garrison defines a CPM as a “rapid multiplication of indigenous churches planting churches that sweeps through a people group or population segment (p.45)”.  A global CPM makes sense in light of the global emerging church but will only happen when we agree that there is one church not many.

Chapter 3

God has specifically called and empowered the local church to plant churches and without this taking place, a global CPM will not occur.  The parable of the talents is the example Roberts uses to emphasis that as local churches apply the concept that God with multiply as the church is faithful to use what has already been given to produce more.  This means being a sending church that is healthy and reproducing.  The church lives longer, passes on it’s DNA not just systems and creates unique churches that are effective and relevant to its community.  Churches begin to measure outside their walls by the multiplication happening from within but going out. 

Chapter 4

Must ask “Why do we start churches?”  Everything from the Great Commission to evangelism to relevance is reason, but not good enough.  The main reason needs to be transformation.  We must dream outside the walls of the church first and into the world about how God could use this church as a vehicle of transformation.  This requires sacrifice in every sphere of life, both public and private.  Missional defined as the kingdom flowing out of us wherever we are, living beyond ourselves and beyond what we can control, serving unexpectedly in places and spheres we never imagined, not relying on self and human strategy, and driven by God who opens doors we could never open (p. 74).  Kingdom churches (missional, incarnational, organic, contextual, glocal and evolving) are the only kind of churches to start (p. 81). 

Chapter 5

Apostolic fathers, who have been broken, are missional, generous and see the big picture start kingdom churches.  Theses pastors need to mentor younger leaders by being authentic in every day life, teach from experience, invite others to hang with them, practice accountability, empower and equip. 

Chapter 6

Church planters have these characteristics: entrepreneurial, evangelistic, equipping, mystics and creative, quick thinking designers (p. 96). The leaders in these church plants are encouragers and mobilizers and connect people to opportunities to engage in society as a conduit of Jesus’ love.  Church planters are born daredevils. 

Chapter 7

A pastor that practices church multiplication makes heroes out of everyday people who follow Jesus (p. 107).  Pastors’ jobs are to prepare God’s people for works of service and release them to serve.  This requires personal transformation in the lives of the people.  A multiplying church must focus on discipleship and the kinds of disciples it produces. We need wild spirits who want to do more than Sunday service. Every person should have a ministry outside of the church.  We must mobilize the entire body if we want to see our communities and the world transformed. A disciple needs to be risk taking, radical, all-inclusive walk with God, vocational, intimately connect to Jesus, servant, trailblazer, generous, and willing to give it all.  The lowest common denominator is all of church planting is the disciple (p. 115).

Chapter 8

Church planters should think like a community developer and start with the society not the church.  The church should be a connection center with the body engaging in every dominion of the community. 

Chapter 9

The local church is not just for the local community but also for the world.  A global church is missional with each member being a missionary.  This requires a long-term commitment to a specific place in the world until that place becomes a sending church.  Roberts believes that a global church planting movement will come from the East and will emerge from cyberspace, international churches, cities, airports, humanitarian global needs, global destinations and multiethnic churches and ministries.  We must remember that we are planting churches not just for our local comminutes for the world.

Chapter 10

To start a church-planting center within your church you need to recruit people who will want to sign on to your vision.  Then you need to access them to determine if this is a good fit.  Training and equipping coupled with coaching is crucial.  Roberts uses seven processes to evaluate those being trained:  1. determining a person’s call 2. Personal values that drive the person (A value is a conviction regarding truth that determines behavior p. 144) 3. What is my purpose? 4. Determine the vision. 5. Action plan 6. Who is going to lead? 7. Continual evaluation.  Roberts encourages to always risk.  The joy of victory is proportionate to the amount of risk involved. Risk puts us at God’s disposal and keeps our faith vibrant (p. 149).

Chapter 11

Money is one of the chief discipleship factors for the church and individuals. Church planters need to educate their members about money but also be able to act in faith with full dependence upon God.  Remembering that each church budget is unique and will change over time, their must still be a plan and room for risk.  Roberts explains this math as M (miracles) + E (educate) + P (plan) > $ (more than enough money p.158).

Chapter 12

One of the greatest challenges of a church planter is what it means to be a missional family.  Secure marriages and prioritizing family time and focus is key.  Roberts’s metaphor of the teapot with dealing with the stresses of church planting illustrates the dangers that rise when the stress level increases: character flaws, spiritual immaturity and past hurts.  How we handle these prepares us for new levels of leadership and personal growth.  Ultimately each person must decide how he or she is to live the gospel incarnationally in every context: family, church, neighborhood, community and the world.  Families must set their priorities and schedule and confront issues if necessary for success (p. 171).

My thoughts on today's class session 10-24-11

My thoughts on today’s class session 10-24-11

I enjoyed connecting with other students and learning what their church planting experience has been as well as their innovative ideas for a possible new church plant.  One in particular that we discussed as a class, Be Real, Love in Action, Come in Unity, Encountering God. The concept that this group of believers live by a rule that unites them instead of the more traditional church membership is interesting to me.  I have been doing more research on the new monastic way of life as being a body of believers doing life together. In the US churches have become consumerist and definitely need to move to being participatory.  In the church I have been on staff with for 13 years, I can reflect on challenges of 80% of the work and giving is done by 20% of the people.  On one hand I can see how a hierarchy of leadership can create this, however, even as our leadership has struggled for the past 5 years to encourage, equip and empower the 80% to “participate or lead”, it still continues to be a problem.  Our current culture is too comfortable and a lot of them want to stay consumers.  Years ago, I took a course called “Crisis Evangelism”.  One quote I always remember is “Crisis clarifies”.  It seems to me that we are reaching that crisis point in the US that we must change if the church is to survive in the west.  So maybe crisis needs to happen to clarify how we need to change. 

My thoughts regarding today's class session....

Thoughts on class today 10-17-11

I liked Dr. Bolger’s five practices (Yoder) he taught his children, as they were growing up and how he contextualized it for their different ages. Peacemaker, economic sharing – communion, baptism – including others, recognition of gifts – everyone has something to give, everyone should have a voice.  Because these things were so internalized to them – this is how they reasoned. It formed a very core part of their identity.  We can relate this example when we consider inviting people to church who do not have parents who went to church or those who did not grown up in Christendom, as not having the influence or even the language to comprehend the culture in which we are inviting them to.  To someone who has some church background, they would be able to reason or understand at least the language in the church culture.  It surprised me that to hear Dr. Bolger share that many in the postmodern generation in Europe have only vaguely heard of Jesus.  If this is the trajectory that Europe and the US is on, then church as we consider it today in the West must change.  I am interested to learn more about the new monastic movement as well as research New Expressions. I love Tribal Generations method of counting members by those that attend a discipleship group and the Seattle church that asks people to commit to a mission project every year if they want to be counted as a member.  Counting Kingdom actions instead of people in the seats – I love it!  I’d like to propose that to our church.  A few years ago we started to make the shift of empowering and encouraging church members to lead and do what God is calling them to do.  It’s been tough and slow to move from a consumerism mentality to a leader/participant mentality.  We have lost a few people as we have worked to become a missional church instead of a spectator church.  As I sit and listen and learn in class I see those that are just starting out on this journey with the possibility of planting a church and believe that it would be easier to start from scratch than try to change an existing church. There is always a lot to ponder after each class.

Book Review

Book Review:  An Introduction to Pentecostalism: Global Charismatic Christianity

Anderson, Allan. 2004. An Introduction to Pentecostalism: Global Charismatic Christianity. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press.

Chapter 1

This chapter approaches the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements by introducing five Sunday worship services from different churches on different continents to communicate that this is a global phenomenon, not just western.  The examples of the five churches in Korea, Nigeria, Argentina, England and the U.S. demonstrate similarities and differences that help define the terms “Pentecostal” and Charismatic”. The main goal of this book is to study and broaden the perception of Pentecostalism that challenges existing theories and beliefs. 

Part One – Historical Development of Pentecostal Distinctives

Chapter 2

The theological and historical background is discussed in this chapter beginning with the early church in the book of Acts where Paul talks to the church about speaking in tongues, prophecy, and miraculous healings. As early as the second century the use of the gifts began to decline especially in West and was even considered Satanic or only for biblical times and therefore for the majority ceased. During the protestant reformation the gifts were non-existent except for an occasional Anabaptist happening.  Methodism and Holiness movement, which was linked to the healing movement, was very important in the shaping of the Pentecostal theology. This chapter explains that charismata forms of Christianity have been found throughout history and continue to spread as a Pentecostal movement. 

Chapter 3

This chapter suggests that North American Pentecostalism was birthed out of the 1906 Azusa Street Revival. The origins of Pentecostalism is discussed with four approaches to this subject: 1. providential 2. historical 3. multicultural 4. functional or sociological.  Anderson leans toward the multicultural approach. This chapter goes on to explain the many divisions in Pentecostalism and how in North America the first 50 years they form segregated denominations. There are hundreds today, the largest being Church of God in Christ, Assemblies of God, Church of God, Foursquare, IPHC, UPC and Pentecostal Church of God.

Chapter 4

Pentecostalism in Latin America began in Chile with originating with the work of Willis Collins Hoover in connection with the Methodist Pentecostal Church.  Methodist Chilean Pentecostalism continued to follow Methodist doctrines and practices but did not follow the North American doctrine of ‘initial evidence’ early on but has since followed suit.  Pentecostalism spread to Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and throughout all of Latin America. The 20^th century has shown tremendous growth of this movement in various and creative ways in Latin America that have deemed South America the most Pentecostal continent on earth. 

Chapter 5

The European Pentecostal movement is much smaller in comparison to other parts of the world. Numerous factors play into the limited growth in most of Europe such as the presence of a strong state church, exceptionalism of Europe, mobilization of the minority of people in the developed world and the influence of Reformed theology. However, European Pentecostalism maintains its distinction from North American Pentecostalism and has developed it’s own roots which has in some ways grown and with continued growth may help rescue Christianity from this post-Christian continent. 

Chapter 6

The Pentecostal and Charismatic movements are undoubtedly the fastest growing forms of Christianity on the continent of Africa.  Classical Pentecostalism started in 1907 with missionaries from Azusa Street going to Liberia and Angola.  Although a western influence ignited the movement in the beginning, the national pastors have taken their rightful positions to carry the movement and provide a contextualized Christianity. 

Chapter 7

The world’s largest continent, Asia has the largest religious and cultural diversity with a significant Christian Pentecostal population that is growing at an exponential rate.   One of the most significant growth in a single church in South Korea was David Yonggi Cho Full Gospel Church (now Assemblies of God) with a congregation size of over 1 million people.  Cho teaches the five-fold message of the gospel: renewal, fullness of the Spirit, healing, blessings, and the second coming.  Korean Pentecostalism continues to spread effectively. 

Chapter 8

There is some ambiguity in the definition of the terms “Pentecostal” and “Charismatic”. Today it is very difficult to distinguish between the two.  As the ebb and flow of the movement of Pentecostalism, there will always be change whether it is through a revival movement, institutionalism, or the process of renewal. The important thing to remember as new Pentecostalism develops is that change will always occur and that the Holy Spirit will continue to move in new and creative ways. 

Chapter 9

Historically and globally we see the Pentecostal movement evolve, develop, divide and continue to grow.  Embracing the successes and failures of those that have gone before us and learning from them, there is now the opportunity to write history from an educated perspective.  Anderson suggests we re-write global Pentecostal  history to reflect the extensive contributions made by the global pioneers so that the US classical Pentecostals will understand that Pentecostalism was not just created in the USA to be then given to all the world.

Part Two – Pentecostal and Charismatic Theology in Context

Chapter 10

The main theme in Pentecostal and Charismatic theology is the work of the Holy Spirit that enables and empowers people for kingdom service.  They may not agree with the exact expression  of their theology, but a personal and divine encounter with the Holy Spirit is the same for both.  Speaking in tongues, whether it was xenolalia (foreign tongues) or glossolalia (unknown tongues) was a central preoccupation in early Pentecostalism. There has been debate over the definition of spirit baptism in the doctrines of ‘consequence’ and ‘subsequence’. Although the majority world has contextualized a powerful and holistic pneumatology, in the western world the supernatural is often separate or missing. 

Chapter 11

Pentecostals and Charismatics strong emphasis on mission and evangelism empowered by the Holy Spirit was a natural response to their strong pneumatology.  Church growth was organic because a church full of the Sprit has a missionary Spirit that was key to the expansion of the church.  Pentecostals and mainline missionaries differed in that Pentecostal missionaries were ‘sent by the Spirit’ often without formal education or training, whereas, mainline denominations required extensive training or seminary.  When the PMU was formed, the main qualifications were that those sent out had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and that they had a fair knowledge of all books in the Bible coupled with correct Pentecostal doctrinal beliefs.  Although many times paternalistic and chaotic in operation, the western missionaries frequently reported back many converted to Christianity as well as miracles, signs and wonders.  We have much to attribute to the Pentecostals and Charismatics for their contribution to Christianity through their ongoing effort of proclaiming the gospel and demonstrating it contextually.

Chapter 12

The source of Pentecostal theology is reading the Bible with a posture of plenary relevance with a great emphasis on ‘correct’ biblical hermeneutics.  They believe that Holy Spirit interprets the meaning experientially not so much literal understanding.  How does scripture apply to my daily life? Their theology includes belief that the Bible has the answer for all of life’s issues such as poverty, sickness, evil sprits and broken lives.  However, within the many denominations of Pentecostalism, their hermeneutics are diverse which can result in inadequate application of scripture to moral issues. 

Chapters 13 & 14

There has been a tension in the area of education and ecumenism in Pentecostalism that is still present in some ways today.  Historically, some of the most successful and effective Pentecostal and charismatic missionaries and leaders have had little to no theological training or education.  The emphasis has been mainly on a spiritual call and the doctrine of the ‘priesthood of all believers’.  Walter Hollenweger’s studies brought about a shift in Pentecostal theology in the 1960s ‘that it is possible to speak in tongues and be a critical scholar.’  This scholarly research into Pentecostalism also opened the opportunity for Pentecostals to engage in ecumenical dialogue.  This has led to the 21^st century theology of Pentecostalism being a “contextual” theology that addresses the strengths and weaknesses. This allows for change as well as liberation to allow the Spirit’s transformation power both personally and socially. 

Chapter 15

What is the future of Charismatic Christianity?  If Pentecostalism is currently growing faster than any other Christian movement of our time, what will we do to embrace it or not? Some say that secularism and modernity will phase it out even when studies show that it is not just the poor that are embracing it but also the middle class.  The emphasis on emotional and intuitive through freedom in the Spirit continues to mobilize people and plant and build churches that are bringing social and personal transformation.  This in itself affirms the validity of Charismatic Christianity today.

    

My thoughts on the last class session 10-10-11

Blog 10-10-11

I have been contemplating church as a people movement by participating in the mission of God (missio Dei) with people who are not Christians. I loved the example Dr. Bolger used about the republican students and the gay and lesbian students from Berkley joining forces to build a home for habitat for humanity. Doing things that we as followers of Jesus do and inviting others who don’t follow him to join us or better yet, we join them. What is the bridge that connects us to them?  Is the common denominator a heart for justice, an obligation to care for humanity or creation, an extra curricular activity, or a desired outcome?  Do our current bridges pull them out of their culture or engage them in their culture?  Another question would be what is our motivation for asking them to join? Is it to complete a task or a goal or is it truly relational?  Once the project or activity is finished, the connection will cease unless it is relational.   They must feel like they belong before they will believe.  And even then, in a post Christendom world, it will take a long time. Are we willing to commit to longevity? The other thought that I have been pondering for the majority of the churches in the west, is are we positioning our churches where there are no bridges to the poor?  Many churches have food ministries to the poor including ours. 5 years ago we started not distributing food from our building and instead taking food to locations in the community where the marginalized and poor hang out and live.  Most of them do not have transportation and most of them would not walk through our doors.  Relationships are growing and some have come to our church to attend a celebration service but most of them come to serve in the food ministry.  It is incredible to hear their stories of feeling productive and valuable as they work with us. As McGavern suggests, these people found God outside the walls of the church building and through the people of God joining them in their culture. 

My thoughts on the last class session 10-3-11

I appreciate that Donald McGavern was intuitive enough to notice that after 30 years of being in a missional context in India that things were not right.  The conversion rate inside the mission station was not as high as outside in the community.  He went against the norm and the western influence and began to ask the tough questions.  For someone whose familial roots were western missions and someone who was being considered for the next denominational leader, this was a big risk. Realizing the cultural divide, he suggests not asking the community to come to the mission station but rather they go out to the community and live with them. By asking them to come to faith within the context of the mission station, they were asking the Indian people to become western which was completely foreign to their normal lives.  The barrier was asking people to become something they are not.  So they let him go and for the next 18 years McGavern lived among the people and experienced some conversion but not what he thought was successful. In fact, he thought those years were a failure. His theory of a people movement was that movements happen through the people in the community, through others they are in relationship with, not by a foreigner or paid staff. He returns to the US and writes a book called “Bridges of God” about growing people movements.  He then started the Fuller School of Mission.  As I reflect on McGavern’s life a few things strike me: 1. He had discernment that the way things were being done currently were not working.  2.  He was courageous enough to say and do something about it even though it went against everything he knew and at the risk of losing position or power in the church.  3.  He was willing to be uncomfortable and sacrifice his own position or advancement in the church and his family.  4.  What appeared to be a failure was actually a catalyst for reforming the western mission movement. It was also the birth of a graduate school that is unequivocally missional.  Many others and I have been the beneficiary of McGavern’s wisdom, experience and obedience.  I am thankful for this class but it is definitely stretching me.  The lecture and conversations thus far in this class have encouraged and challenged me to understand and consider my ecclesiological beliefs.  The way we have been doing church is simply not working.  As I listen to Dr. Bolger and the other students, I ponder how do we “do” or “be” the church Jesus is coming back for? Am I willing to speak up and say this is not working? How do we love like Jesus and be in unity with other believers so that all the world will know we are his? Am I willing to work together in unity even if we see things differently? How do we share the love of Christ in a way that generations that follow my generation will embrace his gift of salvation without asking them to become who they are not?  How do we re-reach my generation with Christ’s love and be authentic and accept that the “church” became irrelevant or anemic to them?  Am I willing to live among the people – do life together even though it is messy?  How do we as a church change without stopping and restarting completely? Would I see this as failure like Mc Gavern did?  Am I willing to risk doing something different with the possibility that something wonderful like the church reproducing and multiplying  contextually in various cultures within our western culture?  My prayer is that through this class I will have the courage to change, the wisdom to know how and Holy Spirit’s leading.  These are the things I ponder as I drove home last night and even today as I went to my job at the church.  Pondering………