Reflections on CP Movementsdoc .docVIP

Reflections on Church Planting Movements Allen Thompson April 2006 Intro. My purpose in writing these reflections on Church Planting Movements (CPMs) is to bring clarity to Redeemer’s vision of seeing dozens of vital churches established in global cities of the world. My own interest in the subject goes back 50 years when I was dean of the “Los Pinos Evangelical Seminary” in central Cuba. My parents, in partnership with a Cuban Presbyterian pastor, started a work training Cubans to start churches. My Dad was the teacher-theologian, the Cuban pastor was the evangelist-church organizer. Within 30 years, under the blessing of God, over 100 churches were started. Today that movement continues in a very restrictive context with over 250 churches and a strong training base at the seminary. In this paper I will summarize the following: 1. Short literature review relating to CPMs 2. Common Definitions of CPMs 3. Comments on Redeemer’s definition and implementation of CPMs I. Short Literature Review Much helpful discussion of CPMs has emerged since David Garrison of the Southern Baptists wrote his booklet, Church Planting Movements, in 2000. Though articulated for the present world challenge in fronteer areas, Garrison did not uncover new theory or theology. Rather he researched movements to Christ in pioneer fields and from observation outlined possible strategies. Formerly in the 1970’s Donald McGavran began writing about “people movements to Christ” and the “Bridges of God” which then set the base for the Church Growth Movement not CPMs. In older missiology we look to foundational writers like Roland Allen who in the early 1900’s wrote The Spontaneous Expansion of the Church and Missionary Methods: St. Paul’s or Ours? Allen, an Anglican missionary in China, had great influence on releasing of national leaders to govern and propagate their own churches. His focus on the Holy Spirit’s role is also key to fostering CPMs today. II. Common Defin