“The churches that the apostles and Paul planted were, for the most part, light and lean `House churches’ without a great deal of institutional trappings… The most effective missionaries are multiplying churches which are very simplified.”Stephen Hawthorne (Perspectives On the World Christian Movement Study Guide, William Carey, 2009, pg 50)
Principles our mission measures every strategy by. Every Plan must be;
1) Simple: Any plan must be easily remembers and orally repeated on no more than five fingers, without writing it down. If a 500 page church planting manual is required it's to complicated for a country with an adult literacy rate of 13%.
2) Economical/Cost Effective: Local Christian's often can't afford cars, and motor bikes, amps and speakers, or projectors. On a strategy "wagon wheel" we westerners are only one spoke(of 5 or 6) supporting no more than any other spoke, of the required participation to make a plan happen. If it requires more than the spokes can offer, the plan is scrapped for one that is economical enough. We are not willing to drain all the resources on one church plant. It must be economical enough that we can be planting many at the same time.
3) Easily Repeated: By this we mean a plan for church planting should be the plan for the whole body. Not just church leaders. Literate or not, young or old, the plan must work for ordinary church members too. We practice the "Priesthood of All Believers" Every plan must be simple and economical enough that church members look at what we are doing and say. "Hey, I can do that!" "Hey, I have something to offer here!" A can do spirit is developed within the whole body. Sharing the gospel and gathering people into churches is not merely the task of "leaders" or "Elite Professional", the commission is for all.
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