Focus on Reproduction, Mentor's Guide, MG12

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F O C U S O N R E P R O D U C T I O N

A tipping point occurs when new church starts reach a critical mass and, like falling dominoes, cascade into an out of control movement flowing from church to church to church. Many near-Church Planting Movements fall short at this critical point, as church planters struggle to control the reproducing churches. But when the momentum of reproducing churches outstrips the ability of the planters to control it, a movement is underway. Finally, Church Planting Movements occur within people groups or interrelated population segments. Because Church Planting Movements involve the communication of the Gospel message, they naturally occur within shared language and ethnic boundaries. However, they rarely stop there. As the Gospel works its changing power in the lives of these new believers, it compels them to take the message of hope to other people groups. ~David Garrison. Church Planting Movements: How God is Redeeming a Lost World . Midlothian, VA: WIGTake Resources, 2004. pp. 21-23. (Based on a true story) A multi-racial urban church of about 75 members, with about $40,000 in the bank, its own by-laws and 501(c)(3) authorization, and a solid leadership core of elders, felt God’s leading to join a evangelical denomination of largely Anglo, upper middle class believers. In negotiations with the denomination’s district leadership, it was made known to them that they were not quite ready yet. They had no ongoing track record that they could sustain a mortgage, no proof of expansive growth, and their constitution was far more elder oriented than congregational in government, which was the denomination’s vision of church governance. By most standards, this church was stronger than most urban churches will ever be. Based on this case study alone, discuss the likelihood of urban churches finding a home in one of the major White evangelical denominations today. Should urban churches form their own associations? Are there denominations more conducive to urban church issues than the major evangelical White ones? Not Quite Ready

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