Church Planting Movements: Killers and Thrillers

Church Planting Movements: Killers and Thrillers

A Potential Killer-A lack of sensitivity to the Holy Spirit

“Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;”

                                                                                    -Ephesians 3:8

Unreached People Groups opportunity to have abundant life for here and eternity comes down in part to our growing sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.  Do we expect that God is about movements? Are we expecting that disciple- making movements will be reproducing? Or is our common belief more likely expressed, “Oh, that Disciple Making Movement among the Unreached People Groups (UPG) X or Y happened there but not likely among our UPG. You must understand that this UPG is just really, really hard to reach.”  

For those called to focus upon home culture ministry, along with sending others to UPGs, this posture of our lack of expectation that God will fulfill His promises, is just as relevant to be confronted. He wired us, in Christ Jesus, to be partnered with His Holy Spirit in seeing the fulfillment of His purposes on the earth for His glory. Quite frequently, the common theme song rising from among cross-cultural workers is the more subversive mindset that assumes “this particular UPG” is SO difficult to reach.

It is quite often observed, as a tendency, that cross-cultural workers may at times confuse the lack of vision and faithfulness. There are laborers among UPGs which are faithful yet have lacked clarity of end vision. God will fulfill His promises along with His purposes, that is His promise. However, the question begs whether we, as laborers, will slow the impartation of Spirit led movements down. Will we actually be the agents who hinder a Disciple Making Movement, though His purposes will be fulfilled in the end? The good news is that many of us DMM practitioners have observed a ramping up of a sense of urgency for obedience. As laborers, the reliance upon God in complete utter dependence is vital. This dependency is built upon a foundation of total implicit trust along with heaps of sensitivity to the Spirit of God.

One area where it is easy to see a “killer” in the birthing of a potential DMM is in the area of a lack of sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s leading. Healthy DMs are predicated upon seeing where the Father is working and partnering with Him, by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Cultural irritants, no longer shockers

My husband and I were recently transiting through an airport in our Southeast Asian country we call home, for now. With ample time in transit to reflect, I considered that though we have lived here since 1991, honestly, home looks more and more as defined by God’s heart. Heaven truly is our home. Consequently, we are living more and more like the pilgrims we are called to be. Hebrews 11:13-16 describes this heavenly longing which this short list of faithful followers enjoyed,

"All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that {country} from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better {country,} that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them."

Vermin and Marble Flooring

Awaiting the next flight to yet another area of the country where we are privileged to train and coach national colleagues in Disciple Making Movements, I have been thinking. I have been thinking a lot lately about God's mercy and my personal need for daily transformation by the power of Christ alone. Having walked into the women's restroom in this airport, I observed a group of Muslim women washing their bodies in the sink.  Actually, the water was more out of the sink than in during this process. At that moment I thought of God's mercy. While anticipating a much awaited bathroom stall, I also observed the cause for pause sight of the sheer innumerable masses of vermin which infested the standing water on the restroom flooring.  Again, I thought of God's mercy and my personal need for daily transformation by the power of Christ alone. I also considered the obvious reality: no amount of marble flooring can bring the needed cleansing. Vermin and disease do not flee the occasional splash of water, which promotes a false sense of cleanliness. Vermin is still vermin. Eradication is the action needed, not a little splash now and then. The naked eye dare not feign recognition of the diseased places in life. Conversely so, a trained eye sees full well. Sensitivity to the Holy Spirit affords one the ability to look within and to really see what hinders a vital walk with Christ.

I wondered at that moment about God’s higher ways. I thought about how quickly I took a pause and internally committed to polite disdain regarding the cultural norm of these women. Perhaps this process in this moment in the seam of the fabric of time all actually began this morning as a fellow passenger in the airplane sat quite contentedly picking his nose. Of course, the small comfort is that in all of these years accrued I can definitely concur with the cultural norm of never using one’s left hand for greetings and such. "Tangan kotor" (dirty hand).  Trust me, there are very solid reasons for this cultural norm beyond what is appropriate to be written here. As one of the first cross cultural norms our family understood in our host culture, I am exceedingly thankful for that bit of culturally relevant piece of wisdom, especially as I considered this morning's flight.

Why do I share this somewhat tongue and cheek reflection? I guess in so many ways, life depends upon whose set of lenses I choose to appropriate. Do I really understand my own desperate need for His cleansing alone? That is, cleansing from the inside out. Am I growing in sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s biddings in my life? Going to the heart of the matter in all areas of life, is truly the heart the Father is after in each of His followers.

I have been reminded recently that each of us who come to Christ has a tendency toward a common ailment in the flesh. Before coming to Christ in faith, we understand the dire need of the cross. We understand that our hearts are desperately wicked apart from the saving power and mercy of our great God. However, one of the areas of disobedience potentially committed by our hearts after coming to Christ is when we begin to read and believe our own headlines, so to speak. Meaning, the sin of self-righteousness is a highly common ailment in the Bride of Christ.

Even the oft used phrase, "there but by the grace of God, go I," has potential to reflect this tendency. In a simple phrase as this, Satan can even ignite as fuel for my heart to think that somehow I am worthy in and of myself. While it is true that each of us is deeply valued by Christ, it is Christ' grace and forgiveness alone which brought us from being enemies of God to being called His children. Am I truly appropriating this reality in my life today?  If not, then my own road and my own process to walking in a spirit of humility and growing sensitivity to the Spirit of God will be paved with many opportunities to relearn or perhaps unlearn, over and over again.  As a potential “killer” of CPM as well as an obstacle to personal healthy growth in Christ, a lack of sensitivity to the Spirit is a major threat.

Desiring His Ways,

RA