In 2008, the world watched in amazement as the Olympics opened in Beijing, China, to 2,008 drummers in complete unison. In what many consider the most impressive opening ceremonies in the history of the Olympics, it was not the pyrotechnics or computer-generated graphics that impressed the world-wide audience, but rather the power and artistry of human beings working in unison. In our western world today of unique expression and individuality, this makes us at least a little uncomfortable, even in our Christian circles.
As we think of where the church has grown the fastest in recent years, it is in places like China and India where a lot of believers are doing the same thing in unison and in a very radical way to spread the story of Christ. The term that best describes it is dynamic standardization. This “church planting paradigm-buster” came to me in 2006 when Rev. Dr. Don L. Davis taught a course at The Urban Ministry Institute in Wichita, KS, on Church Planting Movements. We looked intently on principles of how these churches were multiplying rapidly through the Holy Spirit empowering believers who were gathering together to do the same thing in unison – the basic work of the evangelism, discipleship, and leadership training to aggressively advance the Kingdom! The final challenge to us as students was crystal clear: would we be prepared if God were to release His Spirit in such a powerful way on America’s urban centers, that thousands of churches were to be planted? His challenge to us still rings in my ears and got me thinking about expanding our church planting paradigm to not only allow for but even plan for church planting movements among America’s unchurched urban poor!
World Impact has a specific mission to facilitate church planting movements. But why all this pie-in-the-sky talk about church planting movements when the life and ministry of the local church in the city seems so hard and slow? Take a close look at the picture of ladies who came together recently at a women’s retreat around a common theme of being Released: Empowered to Live Free. This is the power of movements and it is happening right before our eyes in the prisons and in neighborhoods around us! The real question is, are we seeing what God is doing? Are we preparing ourselves for the harvest that is coming?
Why are church planting movements important today? We at World Impact believe that God has uniquely gifted each believer in the urban church to work together in unison to bring glory to Christ the Victor. God is raising up strong committed urban believers right before our eyes. Are we doing all we can to identify, equip, and release them so that the bride of Christ might aggressively advance as it prepares for the marriage supper of the Lamb?
Click here to read more about urban church planting.
