Three Things Necessary For Missional Movement Within a Church System
Wednesday, January 5, 2011 at 5:09PM 
I believe that there are three things necessary to foster a church planting / missional movement within our church body. These three, of course, are in addition to the leading and power of the Holy Spirit.
1. Permission
People within a system are hesitant to move forward and plant new ministries unless they feel that they have permission to do so. This permission comes primarily when I, as a church planter, learn that others have done something similar with success. It also comes from my ecclesiastical authority. So many times entrepreneurial leaders don't try new things is because they don't feel they have the permission to do so.
2. Provision
Missional leaders need resources. These are not only financial, but there is a great need for training, best-practices, materials and partnerships. Without proper provision, the movement may be stunted.
3. Protection
If there is a possibility of being picked off by the world and also those within the church body who are against what the missionary is doing, then the entrepreneurial spirit begins to weaken. This protection comes from the fellowship of brothers in the ministry who will band together and have each others' back when one of them is attacked. The ecclesiastical leadership also has to grant protection to the mission leader. I am privileged to be in a District that will protect me when someone raises an issue with the ministry that I am leading. Others don't have that privilege. Thoughts?
I have wanted to flesh this out a lot more, but need more time to do so.
Church Planting, Denomination, Missional, Synod, System in Church, Missions
Reader Comments (5)
I like your 3 Ps. My observation on #3 is that those who sense a lack of protection first try to work underground then simply withdraw from the unsafe system. Often the withdrawal is not formal, simply a reallignment of where they get their #2 needs met and a complete disinterest in the authority of the unsafe system to give or withold #1, permission.
Well said, these issues are all interrelated.
Where the interrelatedness gets fascinatingly funny is when the old authority structure tries to re-exert it's now non existant authority to give/withold permission and is shocked, shocked! to be told that they are irrelevant and/or incompetent.
The sad part is that the dying system is actually losing the very elements that could bring it to new life. On the other hand, this is the pattern of the history of Christian denominations in America where growth always starts at the fringes which are routinely rejected by the center.
I'm in agreement with your three Ps. I wonder at times if God provides a fourth "P" - maybe call it "passion." It is a sense of urgency in God's callling people into missional lives/missional ministry. I think that is seen past Church Planting Movements. Of course, if you include this under the Holy Spirit, it's already covered.
Kevin, this is a great thought. If there is one thing that is not normally found in an established church body it is that of passion for planting new churches. The Holy Spirit drives this, however, if Passion is missing, there is no movement or chance of one.