Four Fields Troubleshooting: 4. Church Formation

We’re looking at how to troubleshoot each of the Four Fields of a church planting movement.

Field 4: Key Questions

• Are the ordinances (Baptism and Lord’s Supper) in place in new churches?
• Are local leaders stepping forward? Being empowered?

Reproducing Discipleship truths/Vision casting:

Church planting is the reset button in the Kingdom of God. When a church functions rightly, everything needed for accountability, resourcing, vision and encouragement for sending is built into each generation – Acts 2:38-47; 13:1-5.

In Field 1, start with the end in mind of church formation. Church is not the place you go, it is who we are. Help people understand “what is church?” Help people be church. Help people identify and covet together as church. Weekly, coach people through the nine elements of a healthy church.

Everyone has to be part of two churches for multiplication to occur.

Don’t allow outside teachers who are not familiar with multiplication principles and practices to lead the group; protect new believers from wolves.

Define leadership qualification with Scripture (1 Tim 3; Titus 1), don’t let our preferences define leaders.

Early on, you may need to share leadership/gifts among networks of small “acorn" churches until leadership is raised up in local churches (Ephesians 4:11-12).

Diagnostic Questions: 9 Key Elements of Healthy Church (Acts 2:38-47).

• Are people sharing the Gospel?
• Are others coming to faith?
• Are people being baptized?
• Are we meeting regularly?
• Are we studying the Word of God?
• Are we praying regularly?
• Have we taken the Lord’s Supper together?
• Are we worshiping together?
• Are we giving sacrificially?
• Has this group committed and coveted together to be a church?
• Have we identified caring, committed leaders?

To find out more about the Four Fields download Nathan’s training material and listen in to my interviews with Nathan in South Asia and Jeff Sundell and Friends.

Next: Troubleshooting Reproducing Leadership