Evangel Dean Basic Training Manual-English

72 • T he E vangel D ean B asic T raining M anual

D. Not all church planters are the same: be prepared to assess both calling and gifting.

1. Recognize and support different church planter callings: St. Paul and St. Thomas or a St. John?

a. Apostolic calling of the church planting missionary (the “Pauline” perspective, e.g. “Paul and Timothy in Philippians 1.1) (1) The Pauline or apostolic perspective approaches church planting from the perspective of one who has an “overwhelming passion to go to those who had never heard the good news of Christ.” 12 (2) Values apostolic mission and confidence in the Holy Spirit’s work of raising up leaders who are self- governing, self-supporting, and self-propagating (e.g. Hector Cedillo, David Garrison). 13 Apostolic church planters can work within their own culture or be cross cultural church planters. (3) The sub-category of an Apostolic church planter working cross-culturally requires a high degree of cultural competence. This cross-cultural apostolic call is illustrated by Thomas who tradition records traveled outside the Roman Empire to preach the gospel all the way to India. b. Church planting pastor (The “Local Church Leader” perspective, e.g. “overseers and deacons” in Philippians 1.1 or the Apostle John in Ephesus)

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12 Don L. Davis, Vision for Mission: Nurturing an Apostolic Heart. Wichita, KS: TUMI Press, 2000. p. 10.

13 Don L. Davis, ed., Planting Churches among the City’s Poor: An Anthology of Urban Church Planting Resources, Vol. 2. Wichita, KS: TUMI Press, 2015. pp. 401, 419; David Garrison, Church Planting Movements: How God Is Redeeming a Lost World. Midlothian, VA: WIGTake, 2004.