The following is a picture of what I hope my church can accomplish together–building on the framework of the Pauline Cycle (more on that later). It is often helpful to start with the end in mind and that is my goal here. Over the next few months, I plan to add links to videos and blog posts in order to explain (and justify biblically) each component.
This “picture” will not be realized overnight—it is an ambitious vision. But our God “is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.”
I welcome your questions and input.
The Big Picture: Church Planting from the Pauline Cycle
I envision an Antioch-type Church (Acts 11-14)…preaching, teaching, learning, believing, rejoicing, encouraging, ministering, serving, fasting and praying–seeking God’s will for our participation in His work, ready and willing to trust and obey
I see the elder board consisting of one, unified team with a shared understanding of Great Commission work as the planting, strengthening and multiplying local churches everywhere (a.k.a., the Pauline Cycle)
…I see some on the elder team more locally-minded in their shepherding work (leading the church to strength)
…I see some on the elder team more globally-minded in their shepherding work (leading the church to expansion)
I see CBC (and most churches) as currently in the strengthening phase, working toward the multiplication phase. I believe the current need is for a clearer focus on the goal of “establishment”—including the development of a clear pathway for all willing members and attenders to walk
…a pathway aimed at establishing all members in the faith and participating somehow, some way in the shared vision of Great Commission work
…a pathway that begins with guiding parents to bring up their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord
…a pathway that includes children’s and youth ministries coming alongside and supporting parents’ work of establishing children in the faith
…a pathway that builds on the establishing work of parents’ and children’s and youth ministries to make sure all willing young adults and new/unestablished believers are becoming well-established in the “first principles” of the faith
…a pathway that encourages all to serve in appropriate ways—according to opportunity, qualifications, giftedness and willingness.
…a pathway that is reproducible, encouraging most to participate in establishing others. Some will show leadership potential and be encouraged to participate in leadership development
…a pathway that includes stabilization as a natural part of the establishing process, overseen by the elders, including deacons, older well-established men and women and vetted biblical counselors when necessary, to shepherd people through the storms of life—marriage and family strife, work and direction struggles, mental illness, addiction, etc.; even helping people completely rebuild their lives in some cases
…a pathway that builds on the establishing work done earlier to identify and develop emerging leaders for both shepherding locally and shepherding globally. These emerging leaders will be mentored by older, more seasoned leaders for as long as it takes for them to become competent leaders
I see the deacons, staff and other emerging locally-minded leaders handling the day-to-day operations of the church—benevolence, mercy ministries, building maintenance, accounting, etc.—under the oversight of the elders
I see the elders focused on overseeing the establishing pathway
…with the locally-focused elders overseeing
…the shepherding of parents, staff, emerging leaders, counselors and others in the work of establishment and stabilization
…the development of emerging locally-minded leaders (elders and deacons and others)
…helping to identify more emerging globally-minded leaders
…overseeing the gatherings of the church
…cooperating with globally-minded elders toward our shared goals
…with the globally-focused elders shepherding the work of expansion locally and beyond. This work will include all three major aspects of the Pauline Cycle (i.e., planting, strengthening and multiplying) in whatever opportunities God provides
…developing and implementing a local, regional and global evangelism and church-planting strategy in cooperation with the locally-minded elders
…guiding well-established globally-minded leaders (Barnabas types) and mentoring younger leaders (Timothy types) to participate in the work of expansion
…recruiting more young leaders by working in partnership with other ministries (i.e., USMB, Tabor, Calvary)
…working with existing missions partners to encourage and strengthen their multiplication efforts
…working with already existing, but struggling churches to help them develop strength—primarily through encouragement, advising and training of existing leadership
…developing other partnerships (USMB, Southern Districts, KC ministries, BILD International, etc.) when appropriate to encourage and support multiplication.
