I asked Steve a few questions for the blog. It's short and packed with content - sort of like the Gospel of Mark, just without the divine inspiration. :) Steve is in Australia, so with the time difference he wont be able to check out your comments and questions until around 6pm. But he will make it to the blog to interact. So hit him up now and he'll respond later this evening.
Why did you write Movements that Change the World?
A number of reasons. As a church planter I remember hearing Peter Wagner say, "Starting new churches is the most effective form of evangelism under the sun." I thought if that's true, then starting church planting movements could be even more effective.
I dived in to some church history and discovered that God was continually raising up movements for the renewal and expansion of the Christian faith. I learned that those movements are always on the fringes.
I began looking at Jesus as the founder of a missionary/missional movement that now spans the globe. I read Acts and Paul that way, and the lights came on.
You've identified the characteristics of dynamic movements. Tell us about them.
The five characteristics are: white-hot faith, commitment to a cause, contagious relationships, rapid mobilization and adaptive methods.
White-hot faith is the engine room of a dynamic movement. The apostle Paul was not converted by clever arguments but through a powerful encounter with Christ on the Damascus Road. We would not have had the Reformation without Martin Luther's struggle with the question of, "How can a holy God forgive a sinner like me?"
The secret of Jesus' life and ministry was his relationship of loving obedience to the Father and dependence on the power of the Holy Spirit. He drew his disciples into the same relationship and sent them out with no other resources.
A white-hot faith provides the motivation, energy and legitimacy to go change the world.
Next is commitment to a cause. For good or for evil, history is made by people committed to a common purpose. Nothing changes unless people care deeply and are willing take action. Jesus had high expectations of his followers. So high, that some of them walked away.
John Wesley was the founder of the Methodist movement. On one occasion he visited Bristol. When he arrived there were 900 people in the local Society. When he left 143 of them had been removed for various reasons: among them wife-beating, smuggling, and drunkenness. Wesley led a disciplined movement that changed the world.
The third characteristic of movements is contagious relationships. We are all just six handshakes away from everyone on the planet. Ideas, like viruses, spread from person to person and from group to group. In the age of the internet, contagious relationships are still the most important form of communication.
The most responsive people to the gospel are those who have recently seen someone in their world come to faith.
Whenever we see the Christian faith expanding exponentially, it's traveling across networks of preexisting relationships. We tend to focus on building quality relationships with a few. Jesus focused on connecting broadly and then through one responsive person, reaching households and villages. That's how we see the gospel spreading in Acts.
The fourth characteristic is rapid mobilization. Movements don't abolish the clergy, they just ordain everyone for ministry. What did Jesus do? He went after ordinary people and trained them on-the-job. His lecture on the nature of faith was conducted on a sinking boat in the midst of a storm. There was theological content integrated with life and ministry. Jesus grew leaders and released them to go and change the world.
You don't get dramatic expansion of a movement if everyone is a paid professional. If anyone is paid, they are paid to pioneer new fields and mobilize others. Whether they are in New York or New Delhi, that's what missionaries do.
The last characteristic is adaptive methods. The best illustration of an adaptive method I can think of is the game of soccer. Soccer is the world's game played by hundreds of millions and watched by billions. Why? I think it's because you can drop a ball at the feet of a three year old and she can start playing. It may take a lifetime of practice to master the game, but only an instant to begin enjoying it. Try doing that with American or Australian football.
Adaptive methods are simple, flexible and transferable. That's one reason why Jesus taught by telling stories. A good story, like the prodigal son, can be told by anyone to anyone, even across the boundaries of culture and time.
Movements are unchanging when it comes to their core message and beliefs. At the same time they are willing to change everything else to get that message out and get the job done. Unfortunately we have churches that are unwilling to change their methods, but quite happy to change the heart of the gospel. They have the worst of both worlds and the fruit is clear to see.
Where are the current examples of dynamic movements today?
The exciting news is they are mostly in the developing world--Africa, Asia, Latin America. These are also the regions of greatest population growth. Today, over 90% of new Christians will come from these regions. Expect that trend to continue.
In the US I've been encouraged by leaders such as Neil Cole, Bob Roberts, Ralph Moore, Tim Keller, Mark Driscoll, and Jimmy Seibert who emphasize multiplication of disciples, workers and churches rather than just growth. A growing band of leaders are seeing the church as a movement.
The whole missional/emerging discussion has helped unfreeze us all in our understanding of church. If that is combined with a commitment to the Gospel and a passion to multiply disciples it could be quite fruitful.
What are some contemporary examples of adaptive methods?
I think the Alpha program is a good example. The strategies that David Garrison and others have developed to fuel church planting movements around the world is another clear example.
Who do you want to reach with the message of this book?
As I wrote I thought of a number of actual people. A couple leading a home group who have led eighteen people to Christ in the last year, and are wondering if this is the beginning of a new church. I thought of the leader of a large church in Kenya that is growing leaders who plant churches in the suburbs and the slums. I thought of a young woman in China who has come to faith, and is now reaching her friends with the gospel. I thought of a church leader in New York with a vision to reach the cities of the world.
What difference do you hope the book will make?
I want people to discover Jesus as the leader of a movement that changes the world.
Steve,
I look forward to reading the book. Had a couple questions for you. Are you seeing movements occur at this time in Australia? Are these movements usually house or simple churches?
Thanks so much!
Hi Steve,
As a lover of church history I look forward to reading your work.
I am a church planter in the state of Connecticut and part of a group praying for another "Great Awakening" in New England. This area is "rocky" soil for planters. Not a month goes by that I don't think about how much easier it would be to plant in another area of the United States.
With that being said, your fourth point, "Rapid Mobilization", strikes a cord. I believe biblical revival begins with Christians turning to God in repentance and allowing Him to work in them in such a way that unbelievers are drawn to God.
The "problem" of New England is that too many church folk are content with the status quo. As long as they have a place to go to on Sunday morning they are content. As long as the preacher preaches "good doctrine" they are content. There's a lot of "head knowledge" but no action.
How do leaders like myself light a fire under these people so as to mobilize them?
How do we move them beyond orthodoxy to orthopraxy in outreach?
Finally, what other books would you recommend that chronicle revival/movements throughout the ages?
hi almost an m
The scene in Australia is varied. Historically the most prolific church planters have been the Penetcostal denominations. The trend there is towards the multisite model and larger churches. Not a strong emphasis on multiplication. But there is still plenty of momentum.
Some evangelical churches and denominations are planting, but mostly by addition.
Something is brewing amongst the Reformed evangelicals cross denominationally. They're planting churches and exploring what form a movement could take.
There are some encouraging signs of life here and there. I'm encouraged by what Tim Scheuer of Church Army is doing in Sydney. It's early days, but people are coming to faith and being mobilized immediately to reach their relational worlds. It's certainly "simple church".
The other guy I'm watching is Dave Lawton who heads up church planting at Crossway in Melbourne.
It's a large church transitioning to become a movement. They began by adding ethnic congregations on site and planting new satellites off site. They did that well. But have now shifted, under Dave's leadership, to seeing the satellites as reproducing interdependent hubs.
Dave didn't stop there. He gathered a team and start planting churches (plural). It's all simple church model. Early days, but some great stories of people coming to faith.
Both Dave and Tim have been influenced by what they have learned of church planting movements around the world. They are familiar with Neil Cole, Floyd McClung, David Garrison and Ralph Moore.
There's more I could say. If you search my blog www.movements.net you'll find some case studies.
Hi Brendan
How do motivate the unmotivated? Don't try. I think you should shift your focus to reaching people who don't know Christ and them mobilize them.
I think we've all spent too much time trying to "fix" the church rather than reaching people. We have a model in what Jesus did with Israel. He found ordinary people on the fringes and formed them into a dynamic movement.
Ironically, this strategy is the best hope for renewing the existing church.
Paul Pierson at Fuller, taught me that the breakthroughs in the renewal and expansion of the Christian faith always occur on the fringe, not at the center.
hi almost an m
The scene in Australia is varied. Historically the most prolific church planters have been the Penetcostal denominations. The trend there is towards the multisite model and larger churches. Not a strong emphasis on multiplication. But there is still plenty of momentum.
Some evangelical churches and denominations are planting, but mostly by addition.
Something is brewing amongst the Reformed evangelicals cross denominationally. They're planting churches and exploring what form a movement could take.
There are some encouraging signs of life here and there. I'm encouraged by what Tim Scheuer of Church Army is doing in Sydney. It's early days, but people are coming to faith and being mobilized immediately to reach their relational worlds. It's certainly "simple church".
The other guy I'm watching is Dave Lawton who heads up church planting at Crossway in Melbourne.
It's a large church transitioning to become a movement. They began by adding ethnic congregations on site and planting new satellites off site. They did that well. But have now shifted, under Dave's leadership, to seeing the satellites as reproducing interdependent hubs.
Dave didn't stop there. He gathered a team and start planting churches (plural). It's all simple church model. Early days, but some great stories of people coming to faith.
Both Dave and Tim have been influenced by what they have learned of church planting movements around the world. They are familiar with Neil Cole, Floyd McClung, David Garrison and Ralph Moore.
There's more I could say. If you search my blog www.movements.net you'll find some case studies.
Brendan,
I forgot to mention some good accounts of renewal and missionary movements through the ages.
Historical:
Howard Snyder, Signs of the Spirit
Paul Pierson, Dynamics of Christian Mission
Contemporary:
David Garrison, Church Planting Movements
Phillips Jenkins, Next Christendom
I've listed the top 30 or so books that I've found on movements here.
Brendan,
I forgot to mention some good accounts of renewal and missionary movements through the ages.
Historical:
Howard Snyder, Signs of the Spirit
Paul Pierson, Dynamics of Christian Mission
Contemporary:
David Garrison, Church Planting Movements
Phillips Jenkins, Next Christendom
I've listed the top 30 or so books that I've found on movements here.
Steve, I look forward to the book. I am new to the church planting movement arena, but am working amongst it... Any advice to a young man?
Thanks for your book Steve. It is ‘must’ reading for all serious about God’s kingdom.
In Australia there is a growing commitment to multiplication. I see a number of people, local churches and some denominational leaders cultivating the key principles that you outline in 'Movements that Change the World.'
A number - including Tim and Dave - are seeing the beginnings of multiplication. But, you are correct - it is generally 'on the fringe'!
Published by Missional Press ... www.missional-press.com
Given your research on church planting movements Steve, what do you say to Dave Garrison's and Ed Stetzer's comments at the 2009 Exponential Conference that in the 34 industrial westernised democracies there are no church planting movements?
Jared
Sorry I haven't replied yet. I'm away most of this week. Will try and get to it after I'm back.
Hi Steve,
Warm greetings. Just wanted to say hello, and congratulate on writing on this subject. The excerpts and comments have whetted my appetite. Looking forward to studying it, and passing on the good stuff.
Have worked with Montgomery, Wagner, et alia in CP strategy initiatives worldwide, and quick to recognize new contextualized approaches are needed for every generation and culture. Insightful reads on humanity are essential to mvmts, whether in the East of West. So new works are always welcome and vital.
Yet, the greatest centerpiece of any HS guided movement is love. Unconditional love and care are DNA essentials in any movement.
Will post again after reading the book.
Are you acquainted with Ross Campbell, NZ, who has been coordinating CP mvmts in Africa for years? If not...he's a great assett in this genre.
Warmly,
Bob Waymire
Etna, CA
Ref: Global Mapping
LIGHT International
DAWN
OCI
I am a church planter based in Cameroon, leading the church planting movement for central africa region. I believe in that the tremendeous results we see through The Timothy Initiative demonstrative the hand of God upon this movement. May God help us.
Simon
email : simondjaoue@yahoo.fr
Let me first start off by saying God Bless You! This ministry that you are engaged in is truly a blessing to people. It must be a wonderful thing to see God's churches grow before your eye's, the portion of the book that we were allowed to read was wonderful, looking forward to purchasing the entire finised product. Keep up the good work, Reginald.