Introducing Team Expansion West Kalamazoo Christian Church February
Introducing Team Expansion West Kalamazoo Christian Church February, 22, 2004
Team Expansion’s Beginnings 1978: Began 3 years of prayer & planning Uruguay selected: lowest % of evang. in S. Am. 1981: 2 missionaries for first field: Uruguay 1982: 5 missionaries left for Uruguay 15 -year plan – ’ 82 -’ 97 Vision: a church plant 1996: Mission accomplished Leadership trained Ongoing annual consulting Montevideo Uruguay
Seven Key Principles Teams Church Planting Unreached People Bible-based Monthly reports Grace Coaching
Case Study: Ukraine 1990: Survey trip to “Soviet Union” Kherson selected: (Partnering church, Muslims) 1991: Summer “Festival”; 2 missionaries, Recruited partners 13 baptisms 100 new believers – incredible openness 1992: Ongoing Leadership Training Annual summer festivals 1996: Mission accomplished Leadership trained – church of 700 From mission receiving to mission sending: 3 missionary families, 3 daughter churches Two dozen “spin-off” churches Kherson
Our Vision is to. . . Partner with local churches to. . . n Send and sustain teams of interdependent missionaries to. . . n Plant indigenous churches among unreached people groups worldwide. n
Partner With Local Churches to Send & Sustain n n n Forge partnerships Find workers Train them Build them into teams See them through support-raising Help local churches provide accountability Innovate. . . until a new church rises
Teams of Interdependent Missionaries Working Side by side for mutual accountability. . . n Encouragement n Mutual support n n Sharing n Synergy 2 x 2 gifts/skills 1 x
To Plant Indigenous Churches n n n Church-planting movements Our calling Churches with. . . n n Resources Self-supporting Skills Self-leading Energy – Self-propagating “Fit” – Self-determinant
Among “Least Reached” Peoples n n n The needy In the places where God seems to be calling us out to “join Him” there The least evangelized peoples, wherever they’re found (<5%)
Ways to Get Involved. . . Church Planting TEE Development Literature $$$ Relief Ed. TESOL Media Discipling Prayer Research Communications Medical Mfg. Business Agriculture Int’l Services Leadership Training Team Leader Working Together!
25 Years Has Brought. . . • • • • Central Asia #1(2) Bosnia (2) Southeast Asia #1 China (2) Colombia (36 “completed”) Cote d’Ivoire (Jula) Cuba Ecuador France Hispanics in USA (2) India Ireland (2) Italy (2) Japan Cent. Asia #2 • • Projects in • 35 countries • 57 Projects 238 full-time missionaries • • • 7500 new believers Kosovo Laos Mongolia N. Africa #1 Mozambique Philippines Somalis Dozens of new Taiwan (2) churches Tanzania N. Africa #2 Turkey Ukraine (5) Uruguay Venezuela Plus International Services Hundreds of Ministry Partners
Reaching the World. . . Where the World Needs it Most
Riding a Wave of Growth A Prayerful Look at the Future Actual: 21 26 36
Our Vision: Church-Planting Movements n n Hopeful Outcome: By 2015: 80 Indigenous Church Planting Movements (ICPMs) Each would be: n n Reaching its own community Beginning to send missionaries crossculturally
Int’l Services’ 7 Primary Objectives n n n n Build a foundation of prayer. Launch new projects -- i. e. , discover, research and effectively open new fields for church-planting. Create & sustain mutually-beneficial partnerships with churches, individuals, and agencies. Recruit new people -- i. e. , discern whom God is calling to join us. Provide comprehensive training for each worker. Care for the whole person -- i. e. , spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically, and socially. Be purposeful about our work -- i. e. , innovate, plan, train, stay on task, & report.
International Services: Team Expansion’s “Home Office” • • Prayer Mobilization New People n New Partners n New Projects n • Outreach Preparation n Care: Whole Person n Purposefulness n • Operations The Hopewell House “Home Office” in Louisville, KY
Overcrowded. . . Nowhere to Grow
Our Hopes for a New Center n Here’s the plan n We’ve purchased 112 acres of land at $7500/acre Selling home-building lots on 52 acres for an avg. of $20, 000/acre If all goes well, we’ll pay just $1000/acre for final 60 acres!
Goals for the 60 acres. . . n n n Create a missions prayer & retreat center Training for new missionaries Prayer focus n n n Strategic planning Prayer walking “trail” Prayer requests from around the world 6 major global “centers” Team Expansion’s “home office”
Dream: A Missionary Prayer and Training Center Training future missionaries in. . . n n n Prayer and praise Personal Bible study Knowing God Team dynamics Peacemaking Marriage & family/Single issues And. . . n Bible knowledge n Missiology n Religion of destination people (e. g. , Islam) n Evangelism & discipleship n Gathering small groups & establishing churches n Cross-cultural adaptation & language learning n Integrity n Godly communication n Persevering in hardship
Master Planning. . . n How to maximize the value/use of the land n n n Where to build What to build Placement of roads & utilities Unique: Starting from scratch (empty land) How to utilize work groups from visiting short-term teams
Dedication of “Emerald Hills”
Prayer & Worship
Altar of Remembrance Prayers for a Time Capsule Sept. 9, 2028
A time to remember. . . A time to dream. . .
Will You Partner with us to Pray? Please Pray for Team Expansion. . . n n Emerald Hills Our Workers n n n n Health & safety Adjustment Language skills Relationships Encouragement Families Balance, spiritual refreshment & growth* This outline courtesy Darlene Polachic, Saskatchewan, Canada, in the Lookout, Sept. 20, 1998
Will You Partner to Enable the Creation of a Strategic Prayer Center n n 1852 Least Reached People Groups 1852 “Shares” to enable the creation of a Prayer & Learning Center
Ropes/Challenge Course Horses Family, Men’s, Women’s Short-term Housing Activities Center Maint. & Storage Building Prayer Trail Recreation (B’ball, V’ball, etc. ) Prayer & Learning Center Amphitheater Lake Prairie Cabin Children’s Pavilion & Discovery Center (2 alpacas)
Mobilization: Mobilization Dir. Crossroads (10) Mob Squad Coord. Crossroads Interns (6) Mob. Squad (16) Operations Mob. Sec’y (4) Operations Dir. Advocacy Coord. Info. Tech. Advocates (12) Training/Events Coord Promotions Dir. Facility Mgr. Outreach Sec’y (3) Outreach Dir. Leadership. Member Care (2) Field Coords. (12) Conference Prayer Center Prayer Dir. Prayer Staff Strategic Prayer Center Gathering Room Emerald Hills
To Learn More about Team Expansion. . . Browse the web at. . . www. teamexpansion. org Or write: Info@Team. Expansion. org Or call: 1 -800 -447 -0800
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