The Evangel Network

The Evangel Network: That None Should Perish

© 2017. The Urban Ministry Institute. All Rights Reserved.

Copying, redistribution, and/or sale of these materials, or any unauthorized transmission, except as may be expressly permitted by the 1976 Copyright Act or in writing from the publisher is prohibited. Requests for permission should be addressed in writing to:

The Urban Ministry Institute 3701 East 13th Street North Wichita, KS 67208

ISBN: 978-1-62932-309-1

Published by TUMI Press A division of World Impact, Inc.

The Urban Ministry Institute is a ministry of World Impact, Inc.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bible. A division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All Rights Reserved.

Table of Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Chapter 1 Code of Conduct: TUMI’s Core Values . . . . . . . 11 Chapter 2 Drop Zone: a.k.a. DZ 25 . . . . . . . . . . 15 Chapter 3 War of the Worlds: The Big Picture . . . . . . . 17 Chapter 4 The Campaign . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Chapter 5 Battle Plan: Establishing Outposts of the Kingdom in Enemy-Occupied Territory (PLANT) . . . . . . . 27 Chapter 6 Joint Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Chapter 7 Our Arsenal /Munitions / Benefits . . . . . . . . 37

Appendix The Nicene Creed with Biblical Support . . . . . . 45

Introduction

Evangel means “Good News,” and now, because of Jesus, that is what we have to give. Let’s begin where we are, and share it from our neighborhoods to the ends of the earth.

Without question, I believe that this could be one of the most strategic moments in the life and mission of the Church of Jesus Christ. In a world that is reeling from natural disasters, ethnic rivalry, rattling among the nations with the threat of nuclear war, and general confusion and chaos, we appear to be in severe crisis mode. While the hearts of many are numb and frustrated, anxious at all the prospects of war, famine, hatred, and division, the Gospel of Christ continues to promise hope in place of despair, faith in place of fear, and life in the face of an ever-growing culture of death. In the societal shadows of dread and anxiety, the disciple of Jesus can have confidence in the prospect of a future where the Son of Man will preside as King forever in a new heavens and earth, which will prosper under his reign. This Kingdom is our future and our hope! In the wake of this hope, the risen Lord has charged his Church to go into all the world and preach the Good News to all peoples. We are on the brink of finishing the task; the Church has strategically engaged the great nations of the globe since the time of our Lord’s ascension and the sending of his Spirit, and now aggressive movements of the Gospel are sharing the Good News around the globe. Despite this progress, there is much to do, and the most strategic and fruitful approach to completing the

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task is the facilitation of church planting movements which engage their own people groups with coherent, compelling presentations and demonstrations of the Gospel. We can finish this task. We need to be hungry, focused, determined, and unified. All healthy assemblies, denominations, and agencies must band together to play their part in these end-of-the-age missional pushes to reach the lost, especially among those who are furthest from the reach of the Gospel. The Evangel Network is our call for fierce, hungry, and committed church planters to mobilize to strategically engage the unreached neighborhoods in the cities of America and the world. We intend to train qualified spiritual laborers who will respond to our Lord and boldly go to the hardest, toughest, and most unyielding places to proclaim the name of Jesus and establish a community of the Kingdom within them. We are recruiting folk with the dedication of a John Knox who wanted Scotland or death; we need men and women with that heart – “Lord, give me this neighborhood, or I will die.” Such devotion is extreme and costly, and will require that we die to our methods, strength, and ideas, as the adage says, “Grace is absolutely free, but it will cost you everything.” We deliberately want to lay dry wood on smoldering fires, and ignite new ones to inspire a new generation of urban church planters who are deeply moved to exalt the Son of God in their cities among the lost. We are looking for those whose hearts are on fire, who stir themselves up in their most holy faith, who are afraid of nothing but God, and willing to sacrifice anything but their dignity and honor in Christ. We are convinced that God treasures human beings, that their souls have inestimable, eternal value (i.e., #allsoulsmatter ), that the time of God’s

I NTRODUCTION • 7

invitation to life is short, and that vast numbers of folks are in eternal jeopardy of being forever estranged from relationship with the Father. All people need and deserve to hear of the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Committed to these truths, our sincere desire is that the Evangel Network will not be “your mother’s” church planting network, but “yo’ mama’s” church planting network. We need to be engaged, zany, fierce, fearless, and committed to the point of being accused of being reckless and extreme when it comes to reaching the lost. We are convinced that God is bringing together and forming an alliance with some of the craziest folk on earth, all of whom are unwilling that any should perish, but that all come to a knowledge of the truth in Jesus. Frankly, these convictions scream for us to be smart and shrewd in our approaches, but always unafraid and unashamed. We should prayerfully consider and pursue options that, at first glance, seem idiotic, even suicidal (e.g., planting a church and Jesus movement among the ISIS community). This is simply Calvary love personified; the love of Christ will constrain us to ask God to open doors (even the most barricaded and dangerous ones) for us to enter. Church planting of this sort must be wild, interfering, determined, creative. We want to do all we can to resource a cadre of the fiercest and most devoted church planting warriors of our time. We want to be known for our naked aggression not our calm calculations. We are looking for a few good warriors – and we would like you to join us. If my description above stirs anything within you, then the Evangel Network is for you. Our commitment is to provide the members of our alliance with the camaraderie, connections, and

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care necessary so that together we can be empowered to fulfill God’s call to multiply laborers and plant healthy churches in places where Jesus is not yet known. Our resources and reserves will deliberately target those leaders, movements, and organizations who long and pine to reach the hardest groups – the so-called unlovely, unlikely and less desirable folk for whom Christ died. As such, we pray that the Evangel Network will connive, partner, and collaborate in every way possible to heartily deploy church planters to those places other movements or networks normally spurn or reject as “not worth our resources or time.” We do not wish to be known as the most polished or polite church planting network, but we long to be known as the most outrageous one for Christ. As his fools, we hope to demonstrate boldness, to never be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, which still is the power of God for salvation to the Jew and the Greek (Rom. 1.16). Read ahead prayerfully, and ask the risen Lord of the harvest, Christ Jesus our Savior, what role he might have you play in this movement. Join our effort to play our part in the Great Commission of our Lord at this critical time. Our prayer and hope is that God will bless us, and multiply the impact of a movement determined to be Gospel oriented, apostolic in heart, and fearless in character, all for the fulfillment of the Great Commission among the poor in the cities of the world. The next time you walk into a room that our Evangel Network serves as hosts, do not be intimidated or offended at the wildness of our dreams or the intensity of our scheming to touch places none others are willing to engage. We intend to go – with or without resources, with or without endorsements, with or without favor. Adopt this spirit of ours as your own, i.e., that apostolic Gospel-to-the-nations spirit, and let us learn to be

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apostolic agents of the Kingdom in our time again. Remember what is at stake in the proclamation and demonstration of the Gospel among the lost. Remember who you are, and flesh it out, with us. If these perspectives and sentiments resonate deeply with you, then please know that we want to connect with you, associate with you, and learn together with you. We need each other desperately now to become a part of a movement that will target the hard places for the Lord. Together, we can stir one another as we discover again how to nurture an apostolic heart. Tell me, when is the last time you cried over those in Satan’s grasp, or offered all your time and money to win some forsaken, despairing community for Christ? This longing, this pining must become the fuel of our movement. We hope to engage the lost, equip the called, and seek the banner of Christ raised in places formerly counted as the domains of darkness. The resurrection of Christ guarantees that fruit will be borne, in his name and for his glory. As you engage these ideas, please remember that this movement was forged in the fire of passion for Christ, a burden for souls, and confidence in the power of God to save and transform. We intend to be both inspirational and prophetic, to be biblical and practical, and to provide challenge as well as encouragement. Corporately we recognize the Church’s duty to hear ever afresh Christ’s call to go to the nations, to proclaim the Gospel and demonstrate its power, to win the lost and to snatch souls from the flames – of despair in this life and eternal judgment in the next. Have you heard his call?

Millions still languish in despair and misery without a knowledge of Christ, and we believe that we are still the stewards of mysteries

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of God, armed with the Gospel that can set them free. Join Evangel and help us discover new methods, models, and means to get this word of life to the broken and battered communities of the cities of America and the world as quickly, coherently, and persuasively as possible. God formed this network for such a time as this. United, we can make a difference for the Kingdom.

“Christus Victor!” (To Christ be the victory!)

Rev. Dr. Don L. Davis October 6, 2017

C HAPTER 1 Code of Conduct TUMI’s Core Values

The Calling of God

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. ~ Romans 8.28

We do all we do fully assured that God is at this very moment calling, gifting, and anointing men and women in the city to represent his interests there, and are convinced that these chosen city leaders will be the vessels through whom he advances his Kingdom.

The Kingdom of God

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

~ Matthew 6.33

We are burdened to see the freedom, wholeness, and justice of the Kingdom of God embodied, celebrated, and proclaimed in

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church communities who show visibly what the “Rule of God” looks like when it is embraced by people who acknowledge Christ’s lordship.

The Centrality of the Church

. . . if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. ~ 1 Timothy 3.15

We hold deeply the conviction that effective ministry takes place in the Body of Christ, the agent of the Kingdom, where we facilitate the multiplication of healthy, reproducing urban churches, especially among the poor.

The Power of Community

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it ~ 1 Corinthians 12.27

We share a passion to employ innovative distance education programming to create and outfit a network of training centers in urban areas that provide excellent, affordable, and spiritually dynamic ministry education that is sensitive to urban culture.

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God’s Election of the Humble

Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? ~ James 2.5

We possess a certitude that God has chosen those who are poor in the eyes of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the Kingdom which he promised to those who love him (James 2.5).

The Standard of Excellence

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. ~ 1 Corinthians 10.31

We are held by the consuming belief that all effective, credible leadership development demands the requisite formality and rigor of disciplined excellence, with a flat refusal to be remedial or second-class.

The Explosiveness of Multiplication

. . . and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. ~ 2 Timothy 2.2

We are zealous to facilitate and empower urban church planting movements that share a common spirituality, express freedom in

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cultural expression, and strategically combine their resources to reach and transform the cities of America and the world.

C HAPTER 2 Drop Zone a.k.a. DZ 25

Definition

Drop Zone / drop zohn /. A specific area upon which airborne troops, equipment, or supplies are airdropped. Also called DZ. Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms.

FROM – As origin, source (indigenous), James 2.5 ESV

Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?

~ James 2.5

FOR – As recipient, target (“least of these”), Matt. 25.34-40 ESV

Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. [35] For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, [36] I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” [37] Then the righteous will answer

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him, saying, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? [38] And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? [39] And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?” [40] And the King will answer them, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” ~ Matthew 25.34-40

C HAPTER 3 War of the Worlds The Big Picture

Definition

War /wahr / of the worlds . A state of armed conflict between worlds.

According to the Bible, our lives are lived in the midst of an invisible spiritual war. One of the most dangerous things we can do is simply ignore this reality.

~ John Dawson, Taking Our Cities for God

There are two kingdoms in conflict. One of these rulers is God Sovereign Almighty, the Lord of the Heavenly Armies, whose Kingdom will rule overall. The other is the Prince of the Power of this world, the god of this age. His purpose is to rule and to reign and his priority is to keep in bondage the souls of men by keeping their minds blinded to the Gospel of the Good News of redemption in Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Though King Jesus has defeated this prince the battle continues to rage around the world. C.S. Lewis, with clear insight, said, “There is no neutral ground in the universe: every square inch, every split second, is claimed by God and counterclaimed by Satan.” But God is ever on the move in this War. His Kingdom continues to expand and

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advance in the hearts of men and women who were bound by the prince of evil, releasing them to take their cities back for God.

C HAPTER 4 The Campaign

Definition

Campaign / kam- peyn /. In the military sciences, the term military campaign applies to large scale, long duration, significant military strategy plans incorporating a series of inter-related military operations or battles forming a distinct part of a larger conflict often called a war. Purpose The Evangel Network is a global movement (large scale) of networked churches committed to facilitating and resourcing movements to plant healthy, multiplying Christ-centered churches that honor and glorify God and delight in him, especially from and for the poor, until the return of the King (long duration). As a global movement of networked churches we commit to (series of inter-related operations):

1. A theological confession based on the guardianship and cross-cultural transference of the Great Tradition

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2. A common strategy ( significant strategy plans ) based upon our missional engagement that is guided by our vision to recruit, empower, and release urban leaders who will plant churches and launch indigenous church planting movements, and our discipleship, church planting, and church planting movements as expressed in our PLANT acrostic 3. A common set of standard practices that are historic church practices to be implemented with cultural sensitivity and flexibility

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Explanations

I. Our Theological Confession

We are unashamedly Evangelical (Gospel, Christ, and Word centered). We unashamedly affirm the Great Tradition of the one, holy, apostolic, and catholic Church. We are those who unite around those inerrant biblical truths that the historic Christian Church has believed for the last two thousand years, no matter what tradition. This is expressed by the Vincentian Canon, “that which has been believed everywhere, always, and by all.” Not only must the Church have belief in it, but it must also explicitly have confessed its centrality. We are committed to embody, articulate, and contextualize the theological confession and strategic practices of the Church in our lives as the people of God in the city. We must BE the Church before planting the Church (see PLANT acrostic on pages 29-30).

A. The Ancient Future Call of the Church sign-off

B. Embrace our Theological Confession, Strategic Commitments, and demonstrate a contextualized expression of these in theology, worship, spiritual formation, and witness. These contextualized models will allow us and our partners to understand and follow the theological confession and standard practices so that leaders will be trained uniformly.

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II. Our Strategic Commitments Are Fundamental (i.e. DNA), not Merely Methodological

A. As in families, parents birth children, raise them in their homes, and prepare them to be parents. They bear our name and character. They share our biology and nurture. This shows the intimacy needed to create and sustain a church-planting movement. B. We believe that authentic spirituality will give birth to authentic spirituality, i.e., who we are as church planters and disciples will inevitably be reproduced in our converts and new assemblies. We expect, therefore, that the congregations that we plant will share the same love for Christ as our chartered church plant teams, embracing the same mission, vision, doctrine, and spiritual disciplines which we cherish and embody. We reproduce after kind, and see no distinction between the spiritual formation of the new congregation and that of the sent team.

C. Our DNA is self-death; the cost of discipleship

III. Our Relational Connection

Evangel will identify, equip, and release charismatic indigenous leaders who are called by the Spirit to spawn and spearhead new movements of church planting among the poorest of the poor. We will provide them with the resources, consultation, and collaboration that will enable these movements to multiply as many healthy churches among the unreached as quickly as possible.

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IV. Our Interdenominational Identity While Developing Commonality to Facilitate Standardization and Reproducibility

We will partner with traditions that do things differently than us. We will promote church-plant movements, not just one.

V. Our Open, Voluntary Movement

The Evangel Church Plant Network is an open, voluntary movement. It is World Impact’s approach to “birthing churches” and embracing those churches under the Urban Church Association. You keep your way of doing Church (distinctive, governance, polity, format, etc.) but you join the Evangel Network movement approach of church multiplication among the urban poor. We are committed to resourcing the Great Commission by equipping leaders and empowering movements. We help you and your planters to plant churches among the urban poor. The Evangel Network allows us to know who “are ours.”

VI. Our Mission

We are committed to facilitating church planting movements by evangelizing, equipping, and empowering America’s unchurched urban poor.

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VII. Our Vision

Our vision is to identify, equip, and release indigenous urban leaders who will plant churches and facilitate church planting movements from and for the poor.

VIII. The Evangel Network Goal

100/300/2021 – 300 churches planted globally by 2021 with at least one church planted in each of America’s top 100 poorest cities with populations over 200,000.

XI. Our Global Ends Statement

The Gospel of the Kingdom proclaimed by the empowered urban poor to every people group through indigenous churches and movements.

C HAPTER 5 Battle Plan

Establishing Outposts of the Kingdom in Enemy-Occupied Territory (PLANT)

Definition

Battle plan / bat -l plan /. The strategy to be used in a military engagement; the plan for accomplishing a goal or dealing with a problem or difficult situation. The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became Man for no other purpose. It is even doubtful, you know, whether the whole universe was created for any other purpose.

~ CS Lewis, Mere Christianity

The Evangel Network Battle Plan is centered on two initiatives:

1. The Evangel School of Urban Church Planting, and 2. The Evangel School of Urban Church Planting, Dean Training

As a global network of churches committed to the Great Commission, we will identify, equip, and release hundreds of thousands of called, gifted, charismatic urban church planters to reach the more than five billion souls bound and spiritually chained in the kingdom of darkness.

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Initiative 1: The Evangel School of Urban Church Planting The Evangel School of Urban Church Planting assesses, strategically plans, coaches, and resources planters to enter into the poorest of poor communities with the power of the Gospel to establish an outpost of the Kingdom of God leading to the spiritual liberation of souls. Initiative 2: The Evangel School of Urban Church Planting, Dean Training The Evangel School of Urban Church Planting, Dean Training, assesses, equips, certifies, commissions, and resources Deans to host an Evangel School of Urban Church Planting in their context. The 10 principles that guide our church planting efforts 1. Jesus is Lord (Matt. 9.37-38) 2. Evangelize, Equip, and Empower unreached people to reach people (1 Thess. 1.6-8) 3. Be inclusive: whosoever will may come (Rom. 10.12) 4. Be culturally neutral: Come just as you are (Col. 3.11) 5. Avoid a fortress mentality (Acts 1.8) 6. Continue to evangelize to avoid stagnation (Rom. 1.16-17) 7. Cross racial, class, gender, and language barriers 8. Respect the dominance of the receiving culture 9. Avoid dependence (Eph. 4.11-16) 10. Think reproducibility (2 Tim. 2.2; Phil. 1.18) Our shared spiritual vision to identify, equip, and release indigenous leaders to plant churches and facilitate church planting movements is expressed in World Impact’s PLANT Acrostic.

C HAPTER 5: B ATTLE P LAN • 29

World Impact’s PLANT Acrostic Strategic Planning Process P repare: Be the Church

1. Pray. 2. Do demographic and ethnographic studies to select a target area or population. 3. Form a church-plant team, which is the initial church which community believers can join. 4. Select reproducible methods to implement standard church practices (e.g. evangelism tools, follow-up materials, order of worship). 5. Initiate Evangel discussion. 1. Recruit and train volunteers. 2. Invite others to join the church. 3. Conduct evangelism to add to the existing church. 1. Form cell groups and/or Bible studies to follow up and disciple new believers, to continue evangelism, and to identify and train emerging leaders. 2. Consolidate the groups into a larger body for corporate worship, instruction, and fellowship. 3. Announce to the neighborhood the beginning of public worship, instruction, and fellowship.

“Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns and the other prisoners were listening.”

L aunch: Invite Others to Join

“And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” A ssemble: Train Others to Be the Church “Let us not give up meeting together.”

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N urture: Train Others to Serve

1. Develop individual and group discipleship. 2. Give individuals roles to exercise their gifts in the church. 3. Observe areas of fruitfulness; give more responsibility to those who are faithful (deacons, elders, church planters). 1. Commission faithful indigenous leaders to be elders and pastors. 2. Commission the church to be self-governing, self-supporting, and self-reproducing. 3. Live fully into your relational connection with your movement, denomination, and/or association. 4. Seek God’s leading as you ponder next steps to reproducing a new church/multiplication.

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others.” T ransition: Train Others to Lead “And what you have heard me say, entrust to reliable people who are qualified to teach others.”

World Impact’s PLANT Acrostic Theological Explanations

I. P repare: A Church That Reproduces Churches “Of a Kind”

A. Our identity is based on the guardianship and cross- cultural transference of the Great Tradition, which guards against heresy, sectarianism, syncretism, schism and pragmatism. A church is birthed from an existing church (we have to be the church before we can plant the church). We reproduce after our own kind. We do not

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start churches ex nihilo , but from other churches. We have an organic link from church to church back to Pentecost; to the Apostles; to Israel; to the Trinity. Community has been eternally existent and we are a part of that stream. B. The “P” of PLANT recognizes that the church exists as soon as the team is formed. Paul’s team was the church in Philippi before Lydia’s household joined them. Launch adds to the existing church.

II. L aunch and A ssemble: Called and Gifted Apostolic Leader(s)

A. Great Commission driven ( Launch )

1. Through a bold and uncompromising proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and his Kingdom that calls people to repentance and conversion

2. A disciplined approach to equip converts to become disciples of Jesus Christ

3. A high standard of leadership development for the care, protection, and growth of the Church

4. An unwavering belief that the Church has been empowered to multiply (Gen. 9.7) so that every tribe, language, people, and nation will be “. . . filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Hab. 2.14)

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B. Great Commandment lifestyle ( Assemble )

1. As a commitment to obedience to Jesus Christ the Lord (John 14.15, 23)

2. As a demonstration to the world that we are followers of Jesus Christ (John 13.35)

3. An undying love and commitment to advance the Kingdom of God among the poor through four fundamental responses:

a. Respect

b. Love, compassion and justice

c. Preach the Gospel

d. Expect great things

III. N urture: A Training Ground for Leadership

A. Future church leaders observe and practice their developing skills in a church with real people, identities, and structures, under leadership that ensures consistency of practice.

B. Leaders must be developed in the context of community.

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C. Leaders must be able to defend the Apostolic Tradition.

1. TUMI facilitates leadership development through its Capstone and other curricula.

IV. T ransition: Common Commitments (Theological Confession, Strategic Commitments, Standard Practices) That Train Leaders to Plant Churches and Facilitate Church Planting Movements A. These will be replicated from one church to another, e.g. when an emerging leader learns how to serve communion at the mother church, he knows how to lead communion at the daughter church plant. B. The structures (theological understanding and practical application of the standard practices ) must be designed to make it easy to train leaders and export to new churches. Structures facilitate and enable innovation.

C. Church planters are freed from re-inventing the structures locally by plugging into existing structures.

D. Urban Church Association

1. Evangel Network churches located in proximity to each other gather together for fellowship, resourcing, and missions (UCA Manual).

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2. The Evangel Network will do everything possible to ensure that every member congregation is solidly connected to other healthy assemblies of faith, whether in association, in shared tradition and communion, or affiliation and relationship with a denomination or church movement.

C HAPTER 6 Joint Operations

Definition

Joint Operations / joint op-uh- rey -shuhns /. Joint warfare is in essence a form of combined arms warfare on a larger, national scale, in which complementary forces from a state’s army, navy, air, and special forces are meant to work together in joint operations, rather than planning and executing military operations separate from each other. The Evangel Network works aggressively and intentionally to enter into joint efforts of evangelism, discipleship, and church planting among the urban poor with those who adhere to our Theological Confession , our Strategic Commitment and our Standard Practices . We will function under the banner of One Lord, One Faith, and One Baptism in personal service, prayer, resources for the mission (evangelize, disciple, plant churches), exchange of views, and the use of technical services. It’s been said that the secret of war lies in the communications. The Evangel Network will be a conduit of communication through social media and the website to the domestic and global Evangel Network members for prayer and information dissemination.

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C HAPTER 7 Our Arsenal / Munitions / Benefits

Definition

Arsenal / ahr -suh-nl /. An array of resources available for a certain purpose. Resourcing the Great Commission: The Three Contexts of TUMI Resources and Partnerships (overview; see following pages for details) Contexts of Resourcing and Partnership Key Conception Context One The One Call to Make Disciples of Christ The Great Commission Context Two

Movement A discrete company in God’s Kingdom Army Congregation A platoon, connected to a particular company Evangelism Culturally conducive, effective Discipleship Ongoing process of integrating a baptized believer into the life of the church Commission Identifying, equipping, and releasing empowered urban Christian leaders

The Two Major Agents of the Kingdom Display:

Movements and Congregations

Context Three The Three Stages of Spiritual Formation: Evangelism, Discipleship, and Commission

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Resourcing the Great Commission: The Three Contexts of TUMI Resources and Partnership Rev. Dr. Don L. Davis • Visit www.tumi.org for more information/resources.

Contexts of Resourcing and Partnership Context One The One Call to Make Disciples of Christ: The Great Commission

Summary

Key Conception

Matt. 28.18-20; Mark 16.15-16; Luke 24.44-48; John 20.21-23

The Great Commission is the charge to reach the vast number of doomed souls in eternal peril with the Gospel of salvation and transformation as authentically and quickly as possible among all peoples.

Context Two The Two Major

1 Tim. 3.15-16

Agents of Kingdom Display: Movements and Congregations Movements, Denominations, Missions Organizations, Gospel Ministries

Trueblood’s “Company of the Committed”; the

A discrete company in God’s Kingdom Army, raised up by the Spirit to represent the Kingdom in a unique, particular, and discernible place and population

basic unit of Kingdom display and witness – a credible church movement, planting

churches within a particular people and locale Local, concrete outpost of the

Local Congregations (pastorally led assemblies of Christ followers)

A platoon, connected to a particular company, raised up by the Spirit to represent the Kingdom in the company’s spirit and name, to engage people as to help them be formed according to the three stages of spiritual formation in a local assembly

Kingdom in a specific locale, neighborhood, under the auspices, instruction, and authority of a credible church movement

C HAPTER 7: O UR A RSENAL /M UNITIONS /B ENEFITS • 39

Suggested TUMI Resources

Biblical Image

WI Staff and Associate Roles

Laborers in the harvest field

All TUMI resources connect to the fulfillment of the Great Commission’s charge to make disciples of all nations (i.e., the universal priesthood of believers)

World Impact Staff and Associates serve as Area Specialists, experts in training and referring leaders and churches by need, by age, by process, or by resource)

The role of the Tribes in Israel, i.e., particular tribes of the singular nation (e.g., the Churches of Macedonia The role of the Clans within the tribes of the nation, specific gatherings by blood and allegiance (e.g. house of David) (e.g., the church at Philippi)

Note: TUMI resources and consultations are informed by biblical models and analogies of birth, growth, maturity, and fruitfulness (systems thinking) of our conversion and calling.

Note: WI Staff and Associates are charged to identify, equip, and release urban Christian leaders to spawn and strengthen indigenous movements and congregations to fulfill the Great Commission.

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Resourcing the Great Commission: The Three Contexts of TUMI Resources and Partnership, continued

Contexts of Resourcing and Partnership Context Three The Three Stages of Spiritual Formation: Evangelism, Discipleship, and Commission From Sincere Seeker to Baptized Believer

Summary

Key Conception

Eph. 4.9-15; Col. 1.28-29

Credible communication of the Good News leading to repentance and confession of Christ, and baptism, connected to a local assembly and its life together Incorporation of a baptized believer into official, formal, and genuine relationship with a local congregation, under pastoral care and supervision, integrated in its life and witness Enabling growing, maturing disciples/ body members to discover their gifts and find opportunities to serve as laborers in their own unique, Holy Spirit led field of oikos and/or their specific call to ministry

Culturally conducive, effective evangelism (sharing the Good News) of God’s love in Christ that results in saving faith and baptism in connection to an authentic assembly of Christ followers under pastoral care Ongoing process of integrating a baptized believer into the life and witness of a local church, involving nurturing spiritual formation, meaningful worship, dynamic fellowship, and spiritual witness to people within their oikos network of family, friends, and associates Identifying, equipping, and releasing empowered urban Christian leaders to Spirit-led context ( Sitz im leben ), i.e., their circle of family, friends, and associates, and to their specific called group for witness (e.g., Paul’s call to the Gentiles) minister and Christ’s ambassadors in their

Communicating the Good News to Open Hearts

From Baptized Believer to Maturing Disciple/Body Member

Equipping Baptized Believers to live the Christian life in kingdom community

From Maturing Disciple/Body Member to Commissioned Minister Maturing disciples commissioned by the laying on of hands of pastor and elders to engage in outreach, ministry, and witness to those within their oikos and their calling Clergy: formal class/category of official

pastoral authority certified by the congregation or the movement

Lay Minister: commissioning and releasing mature disciples to serve as ambassadors in their respective contexts, undergirded with prayer, authority, and resources from their assembly

C HAPTER 7: O UR A RSENAL /M UNITIONS /B ENEFITS • 41

Visit www.tumi.org for more information/resources.

Biblical Image

Suggested TUMI Resources

WI Staff and Associate Roles

The Ethiopian eunuch, Acts 8

Fight the Good Fight of Faith (FGFF) The Most Amazing Story Ever Told, Bible Blossom, Let God Arise! (LGA) Prayer Resources, TUMI Productions, etc.

Training others how to evangelize and follow up new believers

The Thessalonican believers, 1 and 2 Thess.

FGFF, Heroic Venture, Jesus Cropped from the Picture, Sacred Roots (workshop, book, and resources), Church Year Calendar and Annual, select Foundations courses, SIAFU Chapters and Network, select Ambassadors Workshop courses, Sojourner’s Quest, select Capstone modules, LGA Prayer Resources, TUMI Productions, etc. Capstone Curriculum, Ambassadors Workshop Series, Onesimus Workshop, LGA Prayer Resources, Evangel School of Church Planting, TUMI Productions, etc.

Training in how to disciple, one on one, small group, connecting with other believers in community, teaching, and providing solid under-shepherding of growing disciples

Timothy, 1 and 2 Tim.

Apprentice emerging leaders in particular roles and functions to start new kingdom-oriented ministries, and to strengthen existing ones. We provide the resources and how-to to establish, run, and grow new kingdom-oriented ministries that ultimately will demonstrate the freedom, wholeness, and justice of the Kingdom in and among the poor, at-risk neighborhoods and families (Matt. 13.23)

TUMI works with movements and congregations to establish their own credentialing processes which allow them to certify official agents for ministry

Appendix

A PPENDIX • 45

The Nicene Creed with Biblical Support The Urban Ministry Institute

We believe in one God,

(Deut. 6.4-5; Mark 12.29; 1 Cor. 8.6)

the Father Almighty,

(Gen. 17.1; Dan. 4.35; Matt. 6.9; Eph. 4.6; Rev. 1.8)

Maker of heaven and earth

(Gen. 1.1; Isa. 40.28; Rev. 10.6) and of all things visible and invisible. (Ps. 148; Rom. 11.36; Rev. 4.11)

We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages, God from God, Light from Light, True God from True God, begotten not created, of the same essence as the Father, (John 1.1-2; 3.18; 8.58; 14.9-10; 20.28; Col. 1.15, 17; Heb. 1.3-6) through whom all things were made. (John 1.3; Col. 1.16) Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became human. (Matt. 1.20-23; John 1.14; 6.38; Luke 19.10) Who for us too, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, suffered and was buried. (Matt. 27.1-2; Mark 15.24-39, 43-47; Acts 13.29; Rom. 5.8; Heb. 2.10; 13.12)

46 • T HE E VANGEL N ETWORK

The third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, (Mark 16.5-7; Luke 24.6-8; Acts 1.3; Rom. 6.9; 10.9; 2 Tim. 2.8) ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. (Mark 16.19; Eph. 1.19-20) He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his Kingdom will have no end. (Isa. 9.7; Matt. 24.30; John 5.22; Acts 1.11; 17.31; Rom. 14.9; 2 Cor. 5.10; 2 Tim. 4.1)

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and life-giver,

(Gen. 1.1-2; Job 33.4; Ps. 104.30; 139.7-8; Luke 4.18-19; John 3.5-6; Acts 1.1-2; 1 Cor. 2.11; Rev. 3.22)

who proceeds from the Father and the Son, (John 14.16-18, 26; 15.26; 20.22) who together with the Father and Son is worshiped and glorified, (Isa. 6.3; Matt. 28.19; 2 Cor. 13.14; Rev. 4.8) who spoke by the prophets. (Num. 11.29; Mic. 3.8; Acts 2.17-18; 2 Pet. 1.21)

We believe in one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.

(Matt. 16.18; Eph. 5.25-28; 1 Cor. 1.2; 10.17; 1 Tim. 3.15; Rev. 7.9)

We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sin, (Acts 22.16; 1 Pet. 3.21; Eph. 4.4-5) And we look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the age to come. (Isa. 11.6-10; Mic. 4.1-7; Luke 18.29-30; Rev. 21.1-5; 21.22-22.5) Amen.

A PPENDIX • 47

The Nicene Creed with Biblical Support – Memory Verses

Below are suggested memory verses, one for each section of the Creed.

The Father Rev. 4.11 – Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created. The Son John 1.1 – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Son’s Mission 1 Cor. 15.3-5 – For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. The Holy Spirit Rom. 8.11 – If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. The Church 1 Pet. 2.9 – But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

48 • T HE E VANGEL N ETWORK

Our Hope 1 Thess. 4.16-17 – For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.