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Strategy for Reaching Your Mission Field
Tim AhlenPastor, Forest Meadow Baptist Church, Dallas
ContextCleveland CountyOklahoma
Cleveland Cnty. Realities
• 2010 Population: 255,755
• 29.7% speak a language other than English at home
• At least 45 total languages
• Total # evangelical religious adherents increased by 2,078 while population increased by 47,739 in the past decade.
1990 2000 2010
Population 174,253 208,016 255,755
Adherents All Religions 69,666 (40.0%) 92,122 (44.3%) 110,195 (43.1%)
Unclaimed byAny Religion 104,587 115,894 145,560
EVANGELICAL 46,060 (26.4%) 57,299 (27.5%) 59,377 (23.2%)
Unclaimed byEvangelical 128,193 (73.6%) 150717 (72.5%) 196,378 (76.8%)
# of Churches Needed
(membership of 100)1,281 1,507 1,964
TOTAL COST ($2 million per
church)
$2,562,000,000
$3,014,000,000
$3,928,000,000
Years to Reach 400 (3.2/yr) 457 (3.2/yr) 595 (3.3/yr)
Cleveland County OK
Conventional
thinking patterns
dominate
our thinking making
it difficult for us to
think outside the
box.
London January 2003
Great Commission Initiative (GCI)
•Purpose - igniting CPMs in North America
•Principles- Penetrating lostness (people groups, people group
segments)
- Work within their worldview
- Rapidly multiplying, healthy churches (easily reproduced)
- Retreat in order to return (Celtic monasticism)
- New Wineskins for New Wine (Leave the old wineskins alone!)
Great Commission Initiatives (GCI)
•Purpose - igniting CPMs in North America•Principles•Particularities- Missiology- Great Commission, panta ta ethne
- Ecclesiology- Simpler, easily reproducible, NT churches
- Discipleship- Obedience based, 2 Tim. 2:2
- Communication- Oral and literate forms
Luke 15:1-10
It is all about penetrating lostness.Even if 99% are saved, the 1 gets priority.
Always.
The Great Commission
•As you are going, as you are sent,
•Live in Immediate, Radical, Sacrificial Obedience to Jesus Christ
•Make Christ followers•Baptize them•Teach them to obey everything Jesus commanded
•In the context of their culture and heart language
•Make Christ followers of panta ta ethne
•All ethne- ethnolinguistic people groups•All ethne- 11,500 of them- ½ have never heard the name of Jesus Christ.
•All ethne- wherever you find them
Biblical Terms for People Groups
Hebrew (OT)
Am– the People of God
Goyim– Everyone Else― The nations― The heathen― The ethnic peoples
Am– the People of God
Goyim– Everyone Else― The nations― The heathen― The ethnic peoples
Greek (LXX and NT)
Laos– the People of God
Ethnos– Everyone Else
The nationsThe heathenThe ethnic peoples
Laos– the People of God
Ethnos– Everyone Else
The nationsThe heathenThe ethnic peoples
The Bible uniformly tells us that we are to make disciples of the ethne– those people who do not
belong to God.
The Bible uniformly tells us that we are to make disciples of the ethne– those people who do not
belong to God.
History of American Immigration and Evangelicalism
From the 1500’s to 1775
•Immigrants (ethne) from all over Europe moved into colonies and established their faiths
•Usually as a State Church.•Highly ethnic in their orientation
By 1775
•Congregational (745 churches)
•Anglican/Episcopal (405 churches)
•Presbyterian (490 churches)
•Lutheran (235 churches)•Methodist (Less than 200 churches)
•Baptist (About 200 churches)
History of American Immigration and Evangelicalism
From 1775-1850
MethodistBaptistPresbyterianLutheranCongregationalEpiscopal
From 1850-1950
BaptistMethodistLutheranPresbyterianEpiscopalCongregational
History of American Immigration and Evangelicalism
How did this happen?•Methodists relied on circuit riding lay preachers who served God at great sacrifice (Endless Line of Splendor, by Luccock)
•Baptists relied on lay led congregations, taught their frontier members to start a church wherever they moved. (Sandy Creek Assoc.)
•Presbyterians required trained and ordained clergy, ruled by presbyterial polity.
Lutherans prospered on the frontier because they never developed a strong colonial base and thus were persecuted.Congregationalists had polity fitted to the frontier, but fractured with theological controversy, died out after 1900.Episcopals were wealthiest, most traditional, episcopal polity required highly trained clergy, tied to cultural centers
US Religious Scene from 1775-1950
•By 1910 church members had grown to 43%•By 1960 church members had grown to 60% (pp.33ff, Herberg)
•Beyond the category of “church members” at least 75-80% of all Americans said they were adherents of Christianity
•In 1775 church members were from 10 to 12% of the US population
•By the 1950s denominationalism was clearly established, active and very strong in term of loyalties and influence in America
•Denominational solidarity split along Protestant/Catholic/Jewish lines.
Immigration from 1820-2003
•From 1820 through 1924 = 35,999,402•From 1925 through 1960 = 5,841,559 •From 1961 through 2000 = 24,248,470•From 1820 through 2003 = 69,869,450•In 2000 A.D. the projection prior to the Census was 26,800,000 foreign-born persons in the US in July of 2000
•Actual foreign-born enumerated in 2000 Census was 31,100,000 persons
What’s Happened Since 1950
•A New Wave of Immigration (1965)•Africa•Asia•Middle East•Latin America•Eastern Europe
•These immigrants aren’t assimilating like the Western Europeans did
Projections of Legal Annual Immigration into USA
• 2000 = 964,000 (Medium Assumption)• 2005 = 872,000 (Medium Assumption)• 2010 = 713,000 (Medium Assumption)• 2030 = 1,100,000 (Medium Assumption)
• Notes:
a. There are legal quotas by country that set restrictions on immigration into the USA
b. There are no limits upon family members petitioning for others in their family to immigrate into the USA
c. There are no limits upon the number of persons who can come into the USA through their seeking and being granted political asylum
TA ETHNE(Scripture) SEGMENTATION
S.C. Selection& Mentoring RESEARCH
ENDVISIONMASTER PLAN
Often known as Jim's Tube.
Church Planting Process
IMPLEMENTATION
The Priority of Scripture
•Scripture forms the strategic foundation•Great Commission
•Penetrating Lostness
•Scriptural mandates, patterns and principles determine our praxis.•Making disciples, teaching them to obey Jesus
•Training trainers
•Heart language
•Scriptural outcomes comprise endvision.•Revelation 7:9
The Task of Segmentation
•Who Are the Lost?•Ethnolinguistic People Group Segmentation
•Distinct ethnic groups= first line of demarcation•Sociological Segments identified under EPG’s.
•Where Are the Lost?•Mapping physical location•Mapping spiritual location
The Task of Strategy Coordination•WIGTAKE?
•What’s it going to take to ignite a CPM in this people group?
•What is our current reality?•What needs to be done to get us to our destination?
•What resources are needed to get there?•Who is responsible?
The Task of Research
•Harvest Force•Mission Team•Other Resources
•Harvest Facilitators•Persons of Peace•Gatekeepers
•Harvest Field•Ethnolinguistic People Group
The Task of Research
•Characteristics of the People Group•History
•Culture
•Language
•Religion(s)
•Access
•Communication Preferences- Literacy
•Worldview Analysis•Bridges to the Gospel
•Barriers to the Gospel
The Task of Endvisioning
•Begin with the end in mind!•A detailed narrative description of what the CPM will look like in that people group when it occurs.
•Based on compilation of SC’s research•Becomes the “north star” for all subsequent planning.
The Task of Master Planning
•A detailed, stepwise strategic plan•Starts with the endvision•Works its way back to your current realities
•Includes several components•Endvision
•Objectives (or, Pillars) •Goals
•Action Plans
The Task of Implementation
•Starts With Current Realities•Develops and Deploys Resources•Carries Out the Master Plan•Evaluates Progress•Makes Needed Adjustments•“Sets the Sails” for the CPM•“Passes the Baton” as soon as possible
Phase 2 Objectives- Strategy Coordination
•Identify the Dynamics of EPG Strategy as It Applies in Your Ministry Field.•Your Ministry Field- Segmentation•Your Ministry Field- Research•Your Ministry Field- Master Plan•Your Ministry Field-Implementation
•Begin to Do Worldview Analysis•Understand Discipleship that Multiplies
Oral Strategies
•Learn to Communicate the Gospel by Telling Bible Stories
•Use Your Previously Done Research to Identify Bridges and Barriers to Communicating the Gospel
•Learn to Select and Craft Bible Stories and Bible Studies for Effective Evangelization and Discipleship.
Church in Antioch
•The Antioch Church was Multiethnic - Greeks (Lucius)- Hebrews (Paul, Barnabas)- Africans (Simeon)
•The Antioch Church was Multiethnic - Greeks (Lucius)- Hebrews (Paul, Barnabas)- Africans (Simeon)
Acts 11:19-30 (NIV) Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.
During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.
Church in Antioch
•The Antioch Church was Missional - They took up a famine
offering- They sent Paul and
Barnabas on a church planting mission trip.
•The Antioch Church was Missional - They took up a famine
offering- They sent Paul and
Barnabas on a church planting mission trip.
Acts 11:19-30 (NIV) Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.
During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.
Church in Antioch
•The Antioch Church was Multiplying - Internally by multiplying
groups within the church- Externally by multiplying
churches in Asia
•The Antioch Church was Multiplying - Internally by multiplying
groups within the church- Externally by multiplying
churches in Asia
Acts 11:19-30 (NIV) Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.
During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.
Church in Antioch
•The Antioch Church was Mature• It was at Antioch that Christ
followers were first called Christians
•After one year, they were SOARing Christ followers
•The Antioch Church was Mature• It was at Antioch that Christ
followers were first called Christians
•After one year, they were SOARing Christ followers
Acts 11:19-30 (NIV) Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.
During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.
• Practically continuously fertile.
• Average of seven babies per pregnancy.
• 1 month gestation period.
• Sexual maturity: 4 months.
• 3 years: 2 -> 476 million (ideal potential)
•Only fertile four times per year.
•Only one baby per pregnancy.
•22 month gestation period.
•Sexual maturity: 18 years.
•3 years: 2 -> 3
Incremental Growth v. Rapid Multiplication
Elephants Wabbits
60 36 24 18 12 9 6 4
1 1 1 1 1 2 2 4 8
3 1 2 2 4 8 16 64 512
5 2 2 4 8 32 64 1,024 32,768
10 4 8 32 64 1,024 8,192 1 million 1 billion
15 8 32 128 1,024 32,768 1 million 1 billion ---
20 16 64 1,024 8,192 1 million 67 million --- ---
30 64 1,024 32,768 1 million 1 billion --- --- ---
Reproduction rate matters!
Reproduction rate in months
Years
60 36 24 18 12 9 6 4
1 1 1 1 1 2 2 4 8
3 1 2 2 4 8 16 64 512
5 2 2 4 8 32 64 1,024 32,768
10 4 8 32 64 1,024 8,192 1 million 1 billion
15 8 32 128 1,024 32,768 1 million 1 billion ---
20 16 64 1,024 8,192 1 million 67 million --- ---
30 64 1,024 32,768 1 million 1 billion --- --- ---
Reproduction rate matters!
Reproduction rate in months
Years
60 36 24 18 12 9 6 4
1 1 1 1 1 2 2 4 8
3 1 2 2 4 8 16 64 512
5 2 2 4 8 32 64 1,024 32,768
10 4 8 32 64 1,024 8,192 1 million 1 billion
15 8 32 128 1,024 32,768 1 million 1 billion ---
20 16 64 1,024 8,192 1 million 67 million --- ---
30 64 1,024 32,768 1 million 1 billion --- --- ---
Reproduction rate matters!
Reproduction rate in months
Years
In 2003, FMBC was one congregation. . .
. . .averaging less than 30 in attendance
In the last eight years, we’ve planted 17 congregations
I.B. Forest Meadow
Sudanese Community
Church
The Well
TEAM ChurchZambian
Light
Rockwall House Church
7 Nepalese House
Churches1 Ethiopian
Mesquite House Church
Pleasant Woods Apts.
Oromo Baptist
Fellowship
I.B. Ivy
Dinka Anglican
Hurst Sud.
Bedford Sud.
Arlington Sud.
Uduk Sud.
Me’en Sud.
FBC Sud.
Stone bridge
Journey
CrossingKey stone
Life Pointe
Life House
Break through
Gate way
Stone water
Rock bridge
East Meadows
Guatemalan
House Church
2 Nepalese House Church
Indian House Church
I.B. Luzy
Verdad
I.B. Indigo
I.B. Hebron
29 H.C. Verde Valley
AZ
TEAM Church Plant
That have planted 62 congregations. . .
I.B. Forest Meadow
Sudanese Community
Church
The Well
TEAM Church
Zambian Light
Rockwall House Church
7 Nepalese House
Churches1 Ethiopian
Mesquite House Church
Pleasant Woods Apts.
Oromo Baptist
Fellowship
6 Flint MI
I.B. Ivy
Dinka Anglican
Hurst Sud.
Bedford Sud.
Arlington Sud.
Uduk Sud.
Me’en Sud.
FBC Sud.
Stone bridge
Journey
CrossingKey stone
Life Pointe
Life House
Break through
Gate way
Stone water
Rock bridge
TEAM Church Chicago
Guatemalan
House Church
2 Nepalese House Church
Indian House Church
I.B. Luzy
Verdad
I.B. Indigo
I.B. Hebron
19 H.C. Verde Valley
AZ
Woodland Trails
The Spring
High land
Malek Sud.
Aliet Sud.
Amookm Sud.
4 Nepalese
House Church
Park land
House Church
GuatemalanHou
se Church . . . That Planted 32
congregations
I.B. Forest Meadow
Sudanese Community
Church
The Well
TEAM ChurchZambian
Light
Rockwall House Church
6 Nepalese House
Churches
Mesquite House Church
Pleasant Woods Apts.
Oromo Baptiist
Bulgarian Chicago
Hisp anic Plant
Chicago
Bayview
Nepalese
Iraqi
StonewaterChurch Plant Summit
Hurst
7 H.C. Verde Valley
Flint, MI
I.B. Ivy
Dinka Anglican
Hurst Sud.
Bedford Sud.
Arlington Sud.
Uduk Sud.
Me’en Sud.
FBC Sud.
Stone bridge
Journey
CrossingKey stone
Life Pointe
Life House
Break through
Gate way
Stone water
Rock bridge
TEAM Church Chicago
Guatemalan
House Church
2 Nepalese House Church
IndianHouse
Church
I.B. Luzy
Verdad
I.B. Indigo
I.B. Hebron
29 H.C. Verde Valley
AZ
Woodland Trails
The Spring
High land
Malek Sud.
Aliet Sud.
Amookm Sud.
4 Nepalese
House Church
Park land
House Church
GuatemalanHou
se Church
A Total of 113 Congregations Averaging more than 9000 in
attendance!!
That planted 2 Congregations
I.B. Forest Meadow
Sudanese Community
Church
The Well
TEAM ChurchZambian
Light
Rockwall House Church
7 Nepalese House
Churches1 Ethiopian
Mesquite House Church
Pleasant Woods Apts.
Oromo Baptiist
Bulgarian Chicago
Hisp anic Plant
ChicagoHispanic
Fla.
Bulgarian
Bayview
Nepalese
Iraqi
StonewaterChurch Plant Summit
Hurst
6 Flint, MI
Lausanne
CSI
Soma
FMBC
ION
Neil ColeAssociations Conventions
Real Life
GCI
Challenges
•Lack of awareness
•Mental models
•Social complexity
•Baptist systems
•Lack of urgency
•Resistance to change
Cost
•Spiritual warfare
•To the church
•To the association
•To individuals
Benefits to Existing Churches
•Disciples who SOAR
•Units that multiply like rabbits
•A church that transforms
•A Kingdom that grows
Benefits to New Churches
•A tailored approach for evangelism/ discipleship/gospel communication
•Disciples who SOAR
•Units that multiply like rabbits
•A church that transforms
•A Kingdom that grows
Learning more
• GCI
- www.mygci.org
- training offered around the country
• imb.org (Global Research)
• usapeoplegroups.com
• peoplegroups.org
• peoplegroups.info
• namb.net
• ubahouston.org