Mere Missions

72 • M ere M issions : M oving F orward to M ultiply

AWitness to all the nations, a City set on the hill, A Flame that burns for Jesus, A Dwelling where Abba lives, We’re the Flock of the Great Shepherd, A Virgin and Christ’s dear Bride, We’re the Church of the Living God In Jesus Christ. A Chosen and Holy Nation, a Kingdom of Royal Priests, An Ark that saves God’s people, a Fold for Jesus Sheep! We’re a Vineyard for God’s Own Pleasure, The Object of His Desire, We’re the Church of the Living God, In Jesus Christ. Of critical importance in empowering for church planting is that the church plant team and the church planting movement know exactly what a church is so that they know when the task is completed, i.e., a church has been planted. If this is not clear, then our spiritual enemy, who hates the Bride of Christ, has the advantage. He will subtly play upon the church plant teams lack of clarity and bring frustration, impotence and ultimately, kill the effort and movement. The radical minimum “marks” of a church must be biblical and practical for the sake of the church plant team and the movement. The Apostle Paul apparently had his marks. How else could he confidently go to “every church” (Acts 14.23) unless he knew what constituted a church for him to go to? Understanding these “marks” empowers the church plant team by bringing clarity to the call and task the Lord of the Harvest has given them. So, what are the irreducible marks of a church? In coaching many church planters who were planting in communities of poverty, I have communicated the following four marks in