In my previous post, I shared part 1 of my lecture given at Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary on the topic of apostolic church planting. The video of part 2 is posted below.
Here I address some of the challenges of applying apostolic church planting strategy and methods to a post-Christianized context. These challenges include ecclesiological traditions, pastoral missiologies, preferences for complexities, desires for numbers, and cross-cultural realities.
It was a great delight to spend a couple of days with the wonderful faculty and students of MABTS. If you are not familiar with them, check them out! I am so thankful for what the Lord is doing through them.
Great work bro! I love what you were saying about culture. None of us are culturally neutral because what we present is what we believe about ecclesiology. Also, I agree the pastoral approach of the present not sufficient to reach lostness. Pastors are wired differently than Apes. One thing that I have experienced is How can they coexist? I pastor FBC-HOXIE AR 115 yr old church and we are extremely traditional. However over the past year we have entered into apostolic church planting with those that have no connection with any church. It has been a very successful experience. It is hard and very disappointing at times but it is so effective of reach those that are not church folks. It is extremely difficult to balance the pastoral approach and apostle approach at the same time. I truly believe that pastors with established church ministries that are flatlining are ripe for such a change oin ministry philosophy. I get paid nothing extra to plant a church but I belie!ve that the making disciples mandate is regardless of financial gain. I also agree that Complexity kills movement. We must find a way to communicate the Gospel to the margin or ppl not like us. We must also simplify structures and specific ministries so that kingdom growth might happen more naturally. I love this. It truly helped me to see that we are moving in the right direction by not killing our established church while starting something new. Thanks bro! Will Vassar FBC-HOXIE and Hope Family Missional Community Network
Thank you for sharing, Will. And thank you for your work! You and your church are one of very few endeavoring in such necessary Kingdom labors. Keep up the work! And share with us what is working and not working. May we learn from you.