Church Multiplication

 

The Missionary Church is committed to the Great Commission vision of multiplying disciples. The multiplication of churches is an effective tool to opening the door to making more and better disciples.

The Reason

  1. There are an estimated 190+ million unchurched people in the United States.
  2. There are areas of the United States that are experiencing strong population growth but have inadequate numbers of churches.
  3. New communities respond to new churches.
  4. God has given us a vision for the unchurched, which includes those who are church damaged, church dropouts or have previously experienced no felt need to seek the Lord.
  5. Our objective is to obey our Lord in His command to make disciples. (Matthew 28:18-20)
  6. Through the broadening of our home church base we have a greater capacity to develop churches worldwide.
  7. Each new church provides the opportunity for the expression and development of specific and unique spiritual gift among Christian leaders.

While growing from 290 churches to 500 churches, the Missionary Church has become a leader in disciplemaking and church planting.

The work God is doing is resulting in 30-40 new churches and 6,000 to 7,000 new disciples each year. In most of the past 15 years, the Missionary Church has been one of the three fastest  growing denominations in the U. S.

The need for more disciples and more churches has never been greater. In nearly every part of the United States, two-thirds or more of the people are in need of a relationship with Christ.

Often the question is asked, “What kind of churches do you start?” The answer is, “All kinds.” The bottom line is we will start any model of new church that is biblically sound and multiplies disciples. Such churches reflect who the Missionary Church is and has been throughout its history-committed to Scripture and the Great Commission.

Our methods have changed. Many of our new churches are started by bi-vocational church planters. Most of our new churches receive only $20,000 to $30,000 in start-up funds from district, regional or national sources within the Missionary Church. For many it is less than half that amount.

Yet the fact is we have more opportunities to start new churches than we have funding to support. We need your help. We need you to join us in funding new churches.

Your gift of only $25 per month along with the gifts of 999 others like you will enable you to start a new church every month-a new church that will make and multiply disciples month after month and year after year.

Each month you will receive Church Plants & Planters, our email newsletter, updating you on the church plant of the month and giving you information on the church planter. You will also receive a receipt of your contribution and a remittance form and an envelope for your next gift.

 

VALUES

 

  1. We value the church as the visible expression of Christ in the world.
  2. We value new churches for the fresh and stronger bonding they bring to our network of churches.
  3. We value a spontaneous and multiplying indigenous church planting.
  4. We value the Great Commission through winning, building, equipping, sending and multiplying disciples.
  5. We value connection, cooperation and relationships among people, churches, districts, ministry agencies and even other denominations that are committed to building God’s kingdom.
  6. We value relevancy to the culture to which a church is ministering.
  7. We value a biblical orientation and foundation.
  8. We value the utilization of both lay and pastoral gifts and involvement.
  9. We value the power and direction of the Holy Spirit

 

SCOPE

 

The People
People associated with a Missionary Church are challenged to rethink their own involvement in Christian living, witness, service and giving. We challenge people to win people to Christ, disciple them and spread the mission of the gospel of Jesus Christ at home and abroad through the multiplication of growing churches.
The Churches
Every Missionary Church is challenged to review her opportunities, blessings, leadership, and commitment and lay plans for church multiplication. The next major wave of church plants will come as a result of existing churches parenting new churches.
The Districts
Each district is challenged to develop a church multiplication vision and strategy that maximizes resources to address the needs and opportunities within its borders. The encouragement of individuals and local churches to be involved in multiplying churches as well as venturing into new territories can all be used of God to expand His kingdom.

The Denomination
Church multiplication is a challenge for the Missionary Church with all her churches and agencies to build a stronger base to reach our world for Christ. We recognize the importance of utilizing the resources of the denomination to assist our districts in developing a vital church multiplication ministry.

The denomination is committed to cooperation with the individual districts at the level of their need. This cooperation may be as minimal as consultation and encouragement or as advanced as major oversight and development.

The denomination is also committed to the development of new churches and districts in areas outside current district boundaries. God has opened the door for the Missionary Church to move into new areas of the U.S.

 

VISION

Church multiplication is a challenge for the Missionary Church to reach our world for Christ. We recognize the importance of utilizing the resources of the denomination to assist in developing a vital church multiplication ministry. In 2010 the Missionary Church committed to planting 250 churches in the next five years.

The denomination is also committed to the development of new districts. New districts are being envisioned and developed within existing regions and districts as well as in areas outside current regional or district boundaries. The shared vision of the denomination anticipates 20 new districts being started in the next five years.

With a new awareness and passion for the cities of America, the Missionary Church as committed to initiating discipling and church multiplication ministries in 20 new cities in the next five years.

 

Strategic Process

 

Church Planting doesn’t just happen. We recognize it takes the work of God to change lives and build the church.

We approach the fulfillment of our church planting vision with plans and strategies that we believe God has enabled.

Prayer
Prayer is foundational to our strategy. Church planting is a spiritual matter. Without the power of God we cannot take the strongholds of Satan.

We ask church planters to build a team of at least 25 prayer partners who will pray for them daily.

We are also building a team of people who will pray for our church-planting ministry and for God to send more church planters into the harvest field.

Assessment
Church planters have unique gifts, abilities and skills. We assess potential church planters through behavioral interviews and other testing to determine their qualifications and to build an appropriate support system to help them be effective in ministry. We confirm our pre-assessment with an independent assessment.

This screen process has increased the effectiveness of our church plants. It has enabled us to tailor our coaching and support to each church planter’s needs.

We provide a Church Planting Self-Assessment which can help confirm how God is leading one to be involved in Church Planting.

Training
The Church Multiplication Training Center (CMTC) has significantly impacted our church planting process. This training helps church planters apply the principles of church planting to the community where their project is focused.

The CMTC has not only benefited the Missionary Church, but also more than 110 other denominations and mission agencies. The CMTC also provides training for parent churches, restart churches, culturally oriented church plants and the redevelopment of existing churches.

Coaching
Each church planter is assigned a coach for the initial two years of the church plant. The coach and planter meet monthly for encouragement, accountability and consultation.

Networks
Support and encouragement are important in the early years of a new church. We involve church planters in a network with other church planters to help sharpen skills and maintain focus.

Policy Manual
Click here to download the Church Multiplication Policy Manual.

 

Church Multiplication Training Center

 

Our Mission
The Church Multiplication Training Center exists to develop practical church planting skills while encouraging the personal spiritual growth of planters, pastors, spouses and coaches of planters.
Our History

The vision to better equip church planters and their coaches began to take form in the summer of 1991. Bill Malick, the founder of the Church Multiplication Training Center was increasingly impressed with the need for such a vehicle after being involved with more than a dozen church plants. After months of consultation with Dr. Robert Logan and Steve Ogne (both with Church Resource Ministries) the training systems of the CMTC were birthed with the first BootCamp in October 1992.

The initial financial backing and encouragement came from the Western District of the Missionary Church and the Legacy of Faith Foundation. Presently, the Church Multiplication Training Center has expanded to work with more than 110 denominations and mission agencies representing the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Western Europe. Translation work has been completed in Spanish and is underway in Chinese and Russian.

The Missionary Church, Inc. continues to play a significant advisory and support role, maintaining a kingdom perspective. The Missionary Church is excited to see many groups and agencies with like passion join hands by adopting the CMTC as their choice for training church planters and their coaches.

Without the counsel, commitment and contributions of Dr. Robert Logan and Steve Ogne, and without the financial support of the Western District of the Missionary Church along with the encouragement of the Western District Churches and their superintendent, Mike Livingston, the Church Multiplication Training Center would not exist today.

GENERATE
Generate offers a comprehensive, strategic planning workshop for the planter, spouse and other team members along with the coach. Included are skill development, resourcing, developing a discipling engine, master planning and spiritual preparation. The planter gains the ability to clearly articulate the vision and strategy for the church plant.

Website: cmtcmultiply.org

 

Stories

Ignition Church – Knoxville TN
In 2007, God birthed a vision in Hunter Wright’s heart to start a powerful, life-changing church in the city of Knoxville. Four years later, a team of 14 people left their jobs, sold their houses and moved to Knoxville with Pastor Hunter and his wife, Kristina, believing God to move in the city like never before. Ignition Church is about “trying to reach people who are far from God.”
Following the death of her godmother, Bekah began to search for God. She tried various churches, listened to worship music, prayed, but. . .nothing.

She noticed a dramatic change in the life of a co-worker and learned of the friend’s new relationship with Christ. She encountered Christ-followers from Ignition at a nearby coffee shop. She checked out Ignition’s web site and saw they were “trying to reach people who are far from God” and thought this might be for her. She visited Ignition and began searching Scripture. She read of the crucifixion and became amazed at such love for her and she became a follower of Christ.

Centerpoint Church – Danville KY
Over the past 18 months, Jason Kilby and his family found Danville KY has 75,000 people in a 10-mile radius. On a good Sunday, there could be 10,000-15,000 people in church, which breaks their hearts. The ministry focus for them is off East Main Street, an area of over 5,000 people (7,000 when college students are included) with no vibrant church within two miles. The area has the highest rates of drug use, crime, and single moms in town. It’s a dark place where there have been three murders in a recent four-month period. Jason and his team believe by planting this church in the center of the darkness God has the potential to change this place.

They have taken the words of Hebrews 12:2-4 to heart and believe they are the influence God is looking for to bring His people in the center of the city back into a relationship with Christ through the body of believers called CENTERPOINT church.