A helpful chart from "The Shaping of Things To Come" book (see below and archives for other posts out of this work), about ways to re-see what you do in the moving away from the old "attractional" system of hoping they will come to you and then be converted, one at a time, by what you offer them--to the newer (well if you forget the first 300 years lol) model of incarnational "multiplication" systems...
First the Attractional/Growth Model, then the Incarnational/Reproduction Model
Church culture vs. Mission Culture
Initial focus is on...
Individual converts vs. group conversions, e.g. households and networks (friends, etc.)
Believers turf, e.g. church services vs. Unbelievers turf
Finding Christians (fill in the blanks you UUs) to come to services vs. Finding persons of peace
Begin in the church vs. begin in people's homes
Large group meeting--celebration vs. small groups--cell fellowship
Scripture taught as academic information vs. Scripture taught as application
Build programs and buildings vs. build leaders
Leadership...
Pastor as lone ranger vs. apostolic/partnership team
Imported professional clergy vs. indigenous new Christians become leaders
Leader of participatory audience at best vs. Equipper of emerging leaders and reproducers
Finances...
Funded church planter vs. bivocational church planter
Heavy financial investment vs. minimal financial investment
Resources are imported vs. Resources are local
Structure....
Needs of the church vs. Needs of the community
Clergy-centered/driven/dependent vs. lay-centered/driven/dependent
For slow growth (leads to stagnation) vs. For rapid reproduction
I can see this working not only with new church planting, but also with established churches hoping to break out of their boxes and default modes and starting new ministries. Same principles apply.
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