Building a Strategy toward a Sustained Saturating CPM

Building a Strategy toward a Sustained & Saturating CPM Cooperating with God based on what we learn from a Pauline Case Study Steve Smith

Questions ► BASE PRESUPPOSITION: § CPMs are Spirit-initiated works § Yet, our posture indicates whether we will see Him work through us or not ► Are you postured for CPM? § E. g. A ship setting its sails for the wind § Are you utilizing methods that allow for the Spirit to work? ► No one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins as well; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins. Mark 2: 22 ► How do you get there from here?

Posturing for CPM 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Path: Discerning the critical path of sectors that must be reached Presuppositions: your mental boundaries / expectations (faith) of what God will do Principles: the foundation of how you operate your ministry that cooperates with the Spirit Plans: your action plans to persistently work in expectation that God will honor such efforts Person of God: – Nothing lasting will happen in your ministry without you first being a man or woman of God with a heart of integrity. The quality of your ministry will directly reflect the quality of your spiritual life.

► ► ► 1. Path – Understanding the basic sectors that need a CPM Simon & his companions went to look for him, & when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else – to nearby villages – so I can preach there also. ” Mk 1. 36 -38 At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. But he said, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent. ” Lk 4. 42, 43 After this the Lord appointed 72 others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. Lk 10. ► What do these Scriptures teach us about Jesus’ sense of purpose, planning and goals? ► Why did Jesus move on to new villages? ► Basically, we need to know the basic sectors of our target group that need a multiplying movement of churches § Know well the condition of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds. Prov 27: 23 ► Paul did the same thing

Exercise Read you passage ► Answer ► 1. Where did he work? 2. How long was he there? 3. How many churches and believers resulted? 4. Any other results? 5. How did it come about? 6. Why did Paul leave? 1. Acts 2. Acts 3. Acts 4. Acts 5. Acts 6. Acts 7. Acts 13: 4 -52 14: 1 -25 15: 39 -16: 40 17: 1 -34 18: 1 -21 18: 23 -20: 1 -38

Journey #1 (12 months) ►CYPRUS – whole island receives gospel in 2 months via gospel & signs ►PHRYGIA – less than 1 month ►GALATIA – 3 -4 months § Paul targets capital city – PISIDIAN ANTIOCH § Movement results through whole region § Joy-filled discipled § Paul run out by persecution § ICONIUM – large number believe via bold witness & signs; run out by persecution. § LYSTRA – non-Jewish background believers via sign and witness. Run out by persecution. § DERBE – Many disciples ► Returned & strengthened believers (sev months? ) § Solidified churches (appoint elders) Phrygia Galatia Cyprus

Journey #2 (3 -4 years) ► CYPRUS – Barnabas & Mark visit believers ►ACHAIA § ATHENS – few disciples, poor response § CORINTH – great harvest; Priscilla & Aquila. Protected by authorities; stay 1. 5 years. Weekly training. Reach most of Achaia ► GALATIA & PHRYGIA – revisit believers (2 -4 mos) ► ASIA, MYSIA, BITHYNIA prevented by Holy Spirit ►MACEDONIA – 3 -4 ► Touches Ephesus briefly; leaves P&A Macedonia months § PHILIPPI – witness via 2 POPs, miracle. Sent away by authorities § THESSALONICA – large number of disciples. Run out by Jews § BEREA – large number of disciples. Run out by Jews but Paul & Silas stay longer – 1. 5 years Phrygia Paul & Silas Galatia Achaia Barnabas & Mark Cyprus

Journey #3 – (4 -6 years) ► GALATIA & PHRYGIA – NO PLACE LEFT revisit believers – several weeks - months ►ASIA – Illyricum reached 3 years § EPHESUS – daily witness & training by Paul; great signs; radical commitment & life transformation § ALL ASIA hears gospel § Ephesus as a BASE Macedonia ASIA § ILLYRICUM reached ► EPHESUS (Miletus) - visit believers – 1 week Galatia Achaia ► MACEDONIA/ ACHAIA revisit believers – 4 -5 mos Phrygia Cyprus Romans 15 – From Jerusalem to Illyicum. . . no place left for me in these regions.

Lesson ► In your small groups list 2 important lessons you have learned from this

Lessons from Paul’s situation? ► 6 basic CPM streams § Once there were sustained CPMs he felt finished ► He tackled regional centers ► He had 2 priorities ► § ACCESS CRITICAL: He worked with his disciples in a weekly or daily process § He stayed as long as possible § Imparted his LIFE to them § CP appears to have been by witnessing Christians along the way § Helped the locals expand to the area § Moved on when this was working well (when possible) § Work night and day to win devoted followers He planted the DNA of multiplying disciples He had key trainers / helpers in each region ► Thru witness, signs, life transformation ► He returned whenever he § Help them begin multiplying could to help the movement in their witness. continue ► Not much else! ►

Path – Key Centers ► Plant KEY STREAMS of CPM in basic sectors (ethno or geographic segments) § This can be where you end-vision from the end and work back § OR it could be defining the basic ethnogeographical groups that need a stream of CPM ► Either way, you must periodically evaluate how the work is progressing in getting to each major sector

Example - SS ► Look at the end and work our way back ► Define the most basic sectors you must get to, then work your way to larger more inclusive ones ► 4800 villages § 90+ districts ► 35 key areas § 11 counties (PRIORITIZE most populous counties) ► We must catalyze the seeds of CPM in each basic stream of population. § CPM that is sustained and saturating

Example – YK ► Started building relationship in his city and training anyone available ► Gradually over time looking around to ask what other key sectors need to be reached

For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men proved to be among ► E. g. 1 Thes 1: 5 -8 ► FIND orwe. WIN local youbelievers for your sake. You also became (e. g. Po. P) § Paul brought them the imitators of us and of the Lord, word with power / HS ► Helpreceived themthe begin having word in much and conviction tribulation with the joy of the Holy witnessing to their § Paul acted as an Spirit, so that you became an oikos example to all the believers in example § Helpand them become Macedonia in Achaia. For the ► They imitated him trainers others word of the Lordofhas sounded forth § They began to witness from you, not only in Macedonia and § Multiplying believers to others Achaia, but also in every place your ► They became examples ► Help them purposefully faith toward God has gone forth, so to them form churches that we have no need toalong say anything. Goal in each sector the way

Pitfalls on the path ► Not getting to all basic segments – people still unreached ► Doing what is insufficient § What I like, what is popular, what I am “able” to do § Not focusing on highest value activities ► Making it too difficult § Getting too scientific § Not a simplified process ► Not starting § Spending too much time preparing for the path

Paths in a CITY ► What might the basic relational sectors of a city look like? Discussion § What are the basic relationships in a city? § How do people tend to associate in a city? § Can you have a CPM in one sector of your city that does not affect the others? ► How do you know when a CPM is going in a way that will permeate the whole city?

Exercise ► Take the next few minutes and try to lay out the key sectors of your group that need reaching ► What are the regional centers that your work needs to expand from?

2. Presuppositions of how God works ► ► Presuppositions are the ► Presuppositions restrict or way you think that set free you! It’s your FAITH! guidelines and parameters about how § Let us have the same faith as you should approach Paul your ministry. These parameters can radically alter your basic approach to a ministry. These is your mental paradigm, your mental assumptions, about what can and cannot happen

What were Paul’s presuppositions? ► ► What did he expect God to ► Resources do? E. g. How long will it take to reach them? ► Assuming ready they are for reaching them are in the harvest And this [preaching about the kingdom] took place for 2 years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. (Acts 19: 10) § Focus on multiplying disciples (e. g. § “Do you not say , ‘There Acts 8: 4) are yet four months , and then comes the § Expect churches along the way (as harvest ’? Behold , I say shift in my thinking) to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields , ► Right efforts, not just MORE that they are white efforts for harvest. " (Jn § Faithfulness & Fruitfulness 4: 35) § Expected the HS to show up! § Paul expected § Dependence on Him to mature immediate fruit from his believers preaching

Getting to CORRECT Presuppositions ► How do you shatter faulty presuppositions? ► How do you arrive at correct ones? ► Based on the Word § Do our presuppositions come from the Word? § Do we expect Acts to still live today? Acts 29! ► Based on Who God is § Are they based on a God Who is the same yesterday, today and forever? (Heb 13: 8) ► Living in LISTENING mode!

Presuppositions: Example ► What constitutes a church? How many people? Where meet? § 2 -3 in a house ► Can new believers lead? § Yes, Acts 14: 23 ► How old does a church have to be to start a new one? § Old enough to be sure of following Jesus ► How quickly can we leave new churches on their own? § 6 -8 weeks (Paul’s journeys) ► Can a movement spread quickly and mature deeply? § Eph 4: 11 -16 ► Does CPM mean shallow Christians? § Usually the opposite

Presuppositions: Example ► Do church planters have to be supported financially? § No, Acts 8: 4, 19: 10 - they should be normal believers ► Can a “resistant” people believe? § Yes, People of peace (Luke 10) ► Does it take 40 -50 stories before a can believe? § No, e. g. Lystra (Acts 14) rural person ► Can a “reached” people think in new § Absolutely! 12 apostles ► Does a CPM have to start big? Does resources? ways? it need huge § No, it starts like a mustard seed (Matt 13: 31 -32)

Presuppositions – Where are You? ► What do you assume God can do? ► Do you assume Acts can be repeated? ► What are you expecting God to do? ► Is it in line with Who He is and what the Word says? ► Repeated readings of Acts helps!

Presuppositions: Where are You? ► How long did it take for Paul to see God work sustained CPMs in 6 provinces? § 8 -10 years ► If you assumed that God wanted to reach your target group in 5 -10 years rather than 50 years, how would you plan your ministry differently? § Yet work until it is accomplished ► What principles & plans would you have to use to get there?

3. Principles: the bedrock of your plans FIRST we look at the path (“what will it take? ”) ► SECOND, we try to discover biblical presuppositions / boundaries ► THIRD, we discover principles that are in keeping with these (before making plans!) ► ► Principles are the unchanging ways of God’s kingdom (how God acts) that we discover both in the Word and in council with the people of God. Principles are the bedrock of any ministry. ► They never change, though the application of them to a certain situation may vary. ►

Principles ► How do you discover principles that are in keeping with how God works? § Scripture § Nature of the King and His Kingdom

Principles: Example - Kingdom Jesus’ first words: “the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mk 1: 15) ► Heartbeat of Jesus: Lord’s Prayer “Your kingdom come” ► Acts first words: kingdom (Acts 1: 3) ► Acts last words: “preaching the kingdom of God … unhindered (28: 31) ► What is the kingdom of God like? ► How do you recognize it? ► How do you apply principles that encourage its growth? ► Study Kingdom Kernels Matthew 13: 1 -23, 24 -50, Mark 4: 26 -29, Lk 19: 1127: What are the principles of the kingdom? ►

Kingdom Principles ► ► ► We must focus on sacrificial followers who will live in obedience to the Word. Focusing on quick, but shallow responses will quench a movement. Focus on radical response, even though immediate. The kingdom is characterized by the life of God’s power and will spread and grow as we allow it to. We do not need to prop it up. Kingdom growth is exponential (30, 60, 100 fold) Responsiveness is there when the gospel is understood In any significant manifestation of the kingdom, there will be counterfeits, sins & false teaching. We must learn how to keep true believers in biblical tracks. Planting the right seed (DNA) at the beginning is the key to seeing the fullness of the kingdom of God. True kingdom movements start small. ► ► Even a minority of fervent believers is sufficient to bear strong witness and bring transformation to non. Christian environments. We should encourage contact with the world in the context of mutual Christian support. A true vision of the King can spark a joy in followers that leads to giving up all to enter & spread the kingdom of God. The King will return in final judgment one day. Only a sense of urgency about this imminent day will cause us to be desperate enough to seek only a God-sized work. Only faithfulness results in greater responsibilities. If you aspire to seek the kingdom come, aspire to be faithful in the little things you are given charge of now. JUST DO IT!

Principles: Example – Luke 10 ► Principles of how to ► Study Luke 10: 1 -20 bring the kingdom to ► What are the key places where Jesus has principles of not gone yet penetrating new target ► Based on a great groups? harvest field but few workers

Principles: Example – Luke 10 ► Single-minded tenacity (v 4) ► Find a God-prepared person of peace § Work through lines of relationship § Help whole groups come to Christ and become church (Cornelius) § Give the POP a vision for his oikos – Acts 11: 14 ► Depend on HS and POP (not outside $$) ► Power and proclamation (v 9) § Miracles attest the truth of the word ► Presence – living with people and living their lifestyle ► Move on till you find those ready to receive

Principles: Example – Paul E. g. Roland Allen Miss Methods and Spontaneous Expansion ► Focused on strategic centers (Rm. 15. 19 -23; Acts 19. 10 Ephesus/Asia) § Everyone is a key to reaching / discipling someone else Rapid multiplication can also be accompanied by rapid ► Diligent work to find and maturity rate (not instant win people maturity) – Eph 4. 11 -16 § Thru witness, signs and life ► Intentionally get to CP transformation through witnessing disciples ► Daily or weekly train local § 6 -8 week church planting rate believers in discipleship (max 20 weeks) and witness § Any Christian can start a new § We just lay foundations § Life-on-life – 1 Thes 2: 8 – Impart the gospel & your life § Help them repeat the process with others (e. g. 2 Tim 2: 2) ► church! § It’s not just churches starting churches, but believers starting churches

Principles: Example – Paul E. g. Roland Allen Miss Methods and Spontaneous Expansion A method and pattern of maturing based on Biblical obedience (Rm 6. 17) ► Raise up multiple leaders immediately from new converts (Acts 14: 23) ► § Leadership standards and definition of church is the Biblical minimum, not our cultural maximum § Based on character growth ► Follow-up is critical § Having regional (“big”) trainers is essential ► Church planting can be in a trade language and transferred into local languages

Principles: Key questions ► What principles underlie your plans? ► Are they biblically timeless? ► Are they kingdom principles or human / worldly principles? ► This week we will uncover these eternal principles and HOW TO APPLY THEM

PRACTICE! ►PRINCIPLES that do not lead to PRACTICE are POINTLESS ► PLANS are the step to make PRACTICES out of PRINCIPLES

4. Plans, Methods & Models: What you will do FIRST we look at the path (“what will it take? ”) ► SECOND, we try to develop biblical presuppositions / boundaries ► THIRD, we discover principles that are in keeping with these (before making plans!) ► THEN, we devise plans in keeping with these ► ► Plans are the time-stamped application of eternal principles in a certain situation. ► Plans are always subject to evaluation and revision, since we may not always understand how to best apply principles or because a situation has changed.

A few insights on plans 1. Purposeful - Focus on those that get to most directly to EV/CP and multiplying believers § Radically evaluate along the way (e. g. Athens) Plural – Ecc. 11: 1 -6 – we need multiple initiatives, not knowing which God will bless (e. g. many different people we witness to and train) 3. Practical & Simple – any person in your target group can learn it, live it and pass it on 2. ► For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void. 1 Cor 1. 17 4. Persistent – you don’t give up until you see sustained CPM! Gal 6: 8 -9

So what kind of plan did Paul have? ► Let’s construct it together (whiteboard)

Building a CPM plan ► Identify and penetrate your key centers § They may not be what you expect. § “What do you have in your hand? ” ► Do you have willing believers in any of those places? Write their names down ► If not, where do you need to win the first disciples? Who are they? ► Help believers multiply their lives § Persons of peace – witness to whole oikos § Train believers to win and train others, and repeat the process ►A simple method & process § What goals & expectations will you set? § Do you have a simple method?

Building a CPM plan ► Plan frequent access in ► Intentionally help the beginning believers start churches § Who will be training them daily or weekly? ► Singles? ► Spouses sent out for special season? ► Couples with no kids? ► Local partners? ► How will you gain access? § Will it be life-on-life? (e. g. 1 Thes 2. 8) § If you can’t have frequent access, is it worth starting there? § Build CP into their discipleship § Build CP into their expectations § Whenever there are enough believers, they just start a new church § If so, then you should see multi-generational churches § Are you helping believers form new churches?

Building a CPM plan ► Raise up and train emerging leaders § Over time, you must be intentional about leaders emerging and churches taking shape ► There may be a nebulous period where “groups” are still becoming “churches” § There must be a leadership training track that emerges § Are you intentional in help leaders emerge? ► Develop mid-level and regional trainers (e. g. Timothy, Titus, P&A) § They will help the movement continue strong § Return to train them frequently § Let them address the growing concerns and pass them down § Who are your mid-level trainers? § Are they passing this down to other leaders?

Building a CPM plan ► Encourage an ethos of boldness in the face of persecution § Think of how many times Paul was persecuted and this emboldened believers! § It starts in you and your key leaders: So death works in us, but life in you. 2 Cor 4: 12 § How will you encourage bold sacrifice? ► COOL PART! § This is what we came to overseas to DO! § Not brochures, websites, overseas recruiting, etc. § It’s possible now!

5. Person of God: Who you are ► ► ► Person of God – (Psalm 78. 72) FIRST we look at the path Nothing lasting will happen in your (“what will it take? ”) ministry without you first being a SECOND, we try to man or woman of God with a heart develop biblical of integrity. presuppositions / boundaries § The quality of your ministry will directly reflect the quality of your spiritual life. THIRD, we discover § Are you building fruit that will remain? (John principles that are in 15: 16) keeping with these (before making plans!) ► Are you the type of person God FOURTH, we devise plans would use to build a movement in keeping with these through? But FINALLY, God builds § CPMs are built around men and women movements around people of God § God uses men not simply methods!

Person of God: Who you are ► People of God – (Col 1: 28) - the team and locals that God has partnered you with § NOT people OR the task § people ARE the task ► Are you affirming and equipping the people around you? § NOT simply using them § E. g. The SC who said: “My heroes are the team members that are church planters. ” ► God does not work in a vacuum. He will speak through them also.

Stay the Course!!! ► Stay on the critical path; don’t become sidetracked § § Plan periodic times in to evaluate whether or not you are still on the path (Primacy of PRAYER – not dealt with here) There are ALWAYS many more things you can do. Most are GOOD, few are CRITICAL ► It’s not about ► § INNOVATION (but I want to be creative!) § or INTEGRATION (but we need to all work together!) § but about IMPLEMENTATION!