What is Church Planting?: Ivies, Oaks, Cacti, and Everything in Between

*This is one in a yet-to-be-determined multi-part series entitled, "What Is...?" This series seeks to answer your "what is" questions about different ministry forms in France and Europe as well as define terms I pick up and use along the way. To better access this series in its entirety, click the label on the right side of your screen.

From August 4 through 10, I participated in Greater Europe Mission’s Annual Conference held in Sopron, Hungary, a little east of Vienna, Austria. While there are many items to highlight from the conference, I want to take a little bit of time to discuss six church-planting initiatives as presented in various conference sessions. This is not meant to be exhaustive nor conclusive. I am learning just as you are. My prayer is that you and I will be more informed of what God is doing in Europe through this work.

An Introduction
The mission statement of Greater Europe Mission reads as this: "The purpose of Greater Europe Mission is to assist the peoples of Greater Europe in building up the Body of Christ so that every person is within reach of a witnessing fellowship." But what is a "witnessing fellowship?" At conference, it was defined as "a community of believers who love and worship a Triune God and who, through words and deeds, are proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world." Our presenter very clearly pointed out that GEM does not pursue establishing or partnering with a specific model. Witnessing fellowship is a fluid model and below you will read more about a few practices on the European table.

Redeemer Presbyterian, NYC Philosophy
A significant player in church-planting movements, Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City facilitates a Church Planting Center to equip and train up church-planters from around the world. Tied to its mission, Redeemer believes the Church must be at the center of Gospel-driven personal, social, and cultural changes; thus, there must exist more churches to initiate the changes Redeemer envisions. Redeemer does not bill itself as a model or as a planter of churches internationally but proposes a philosophy and offers a training center in the context of its own life and ministries. The church not only facilitates training for missionaries and international church-planters but is active in NYC planting churches. A relatively young church as history goes (1989), Redeemer itself seeks to have communities that serve local neighborhoods as well as reach out to those unsure of church life and the Gospel.

I pick up on two distinctives through presentations at conference and through some reading. One—those schooled in Redeemer’s philosophy plant churches which take into account those who are unchurched, specific populations, specific cultures, and/or diverse ways of “doing church.” What does this mean? Here’s an example as was shared—you want to start a church in a young, artistic community? You probably won’t be sitting in pews singing from hymnals. Instead, you might begin with a mix and mingle coffee hour, have dancers as part of worship, and the general style will be relaxed, come-as-you-are. Or, you want to start a church for young professionals? You might meet on a Saturday night or weekday night and you might host Christians in business luncheons during the week or corporate prayer breakfasts. In a layperson’s terms, the philosophy might read as “to meet them, be them.” As far as Christian lingo goes, a shift from “seeker-friendly” to “missional” has occurred which overarches this church-planting vision. Second distinctive—this movement and means are Gospel-driven. What does this mean? It means those who come to church will have to deal with the cross, that Jesus will be encountered as a means to living fully and faithfully, and that hard topics aren’t going to be glossed over for anyone. This will be a come-as-you-are and encounter Jesus and His people kind of place that wouldn’t exist if the Gospel didn’t.

Romanian Torch Project
At conference, a Romanian pastor shared with us an exciting work that he and others have initiated as a church-planting movement in Romania and beyond. Click here to read more, in Romanian (sorry, don't have an English link). The Romanian Torch Project seeks to ignite a passion for missions in individual churches that pushes people and churches outside of themselves and into their communities and world. The initial aim has been and continues to be to focus on the Romanian church. However, as fires for church-planting and sharing the Gospel have been lit, this vision has been carried across the continent of Europe. This pastor along with others travels to major cities in European countries challenging pastors and congregations to place at their functioning center a passion for missions. Each church is then called to be a “torch,” responsible for spreading the light to other churches in their vicinity. As each church prays and pursues sincerely being a light of Christ in their community and for other churches, some are then asked to step out and continue the ministry of building up the church by planting a church.

The Torch Project takes its motivations from two core ideas. One, a church-planting movement is inherently born out of a mission-driven church. For example, if a Romanian church is to involve itself with church-planting, it must have a larger vision of the world than itself and its needs. It must be impassioned by taking the Gospel out into its own land and into the larger world. The pastor spoke specifically of North America in the 1700/1800s, Britain in the 1600-1900s, and South Korea today as places on the globe historically known for mission fire and action. (Plenty of critique exists today on methods and motivations back in the day, but let us recognize where and what God uses for his good rather than always taking a critical eye to them—note to myself more than anyone.) Such passion and action must be reborn today if the Church in Europe is to continue its existence. Secondly, a national church planting other national churches because people have a passion for their people is usually more helpful and more authentic than outsiders coming in to do the work. For one practical reason alone, financing, this is true. For many years, rich North Americans have financed church plants all over the world. While this is not necessarily wrong to do, it is not always helpful as it leads to less ownership in the hands of nationals. As well, nationals are better equipped because they share culture, language, and history to reach other nationals. Again, while North American church plants are not wrong, as the Torch Project demonstrates, they are not the best nor most effective in the long-term.

Pub Church in Sweden
Forrest Hendrix, GEM long-term appointee to Sweden, shared at conference about an unusual but impacting location for church—a pub. I don’t want to get details wrong so since I didn’t take very good notes, this will be short; but let me say this. What Forrest and others who work with him are doing is WAY cool. Out of necessity more than anything else, the church relocated to a pub where Forrest is friends with the owner. Pubs normally attract rough crowds (really?!) and this one is no different, situated in a heavy-immigrant area of town. But since the church has started meeting there as well as facilitating coffee tables in the wee hours of the morning to calm the drunken crowds, police have remarked to Forrest that they have less crime and in general are called on fewer times. Without saying as much, they have seen the presence of Christ which brings peace at work in their midst.

Now, here’s a little commentary on the Pub Church. It might be controversial to many church-goers--stateside and elsewhere, older generations, and fundamentalists. Drinking facilities and church don’t mix. “But it’s not a church building!” Fill in other negative responses here. But, the beauty of the Pub is it’s a place many go that wouldn’t darken the door of a church, especially in Sweden. It’s a local pit stop and while the man in the corner is seeping in his beer, he might overhear the Gospel. And it’s an admission from the church, that hey, we have needs—a meeting facility—that others, i.e., those outside the church like the pub-owner, can meet. While the Pub Church is not a movement, it’s definitely a new and different way of doing church, of being in a local community in a very unique way, and it’s food for thought. As Forrest presented, he never advocated that everyone in Europe needs to start a Pub Church. Rather, he gently and humorously presented a way God is working to be present in otherwise dark places.

Polish National Church
I have to admit--I did not take very good notes during this session so what I have to share will be brief. Here's the main idea: A Polish pastor talked to us about a Polish church plant which is funded by Polish people, staffed (I use that term loosely as I doubt it's a full-time/paid position) by Polish people, training Polish people. He came to share with us about the exciting work of a new and young church in Poland being by and for its people, with resources in their language. When asked, what's the most helpful thing we can do to support this work? he replied jokingly yet sincerely, "Stop giving us money." For a national church to truly thrive, it must be funded from within, his testimony suggested.

Traditional Church Plant Model
A current GEM missionary shared about his history and work in Austria, citing what he has been a part of, having no fancy name other than "traditional church plant." What does this mean? A team is assembled to plant a church in a particular city, country, etc. A pastor is identified as well as other roles pertinent to a new church--outreach, discipleship, finances...This team may or may not be comprised of nationals and, for the most part, North Americans. It depends on what relationships have been built in the specific country or city, what language acquisition is still needed, missionary networking, along with a few other aspects. Ideally, a church planting team goes in 1) with significant language ability, 2) having relationships with national Christians in place, 3) aware and sensitive to cultural and social issues, 4) educated on the history of the Church and Christianity, any sore spots, any bright points that will need to be taken into account for ministry. As the missionary presented, he did mention working with nationals and this is really quite key--have a base of Christian nationals leading and attending the church, who are committed to the church plant because they know of it before it is planted.

Two points I would like to stress here: gender in church planting; singles/married in church planting. The missionary, while not suggesting it be required, highlighted that church plants in general have relied on a married pastoral team. The pastor will bear most of the responsibility for the church in the early stages, and it is important that this load be shared. As well, he suggested it is just a generally better idea to have a married pastor than a single pastor. I stress again, he did NOT make it a necessity but a suggestion. The missionary was asked a question from the crowd, by his wife, about what role women play in church planting and could he discuss his experience with the audience. He said, as North Americans, we must demonstrate and model the significant role women have to play in beginning and supporting the work of a church plant. He admitted, there are places women can go, relationships women can build, leadership roles they can take, teaching to be given, that I (said missionary) or whoever is filling the pastor's role cannot do or take on for a variety of reasons. Gender roles in the Church are still tricky business in Europe in general (as if they're not in the states), and there is a lot of work to do for women to be seen and recognized as equal ministry partners. He suggested that if a team of North Americans is planting a church, they can help teach and model this to a variety of European cultures in a way that allows for church plant leadership to be shared between men and women.

The House Church Movement
Our last presenters discussed the house church movement, also known as simple or organic church. As exemplified in its name, a house church typically meets in a home. Typically, a small community of Christians share facilitating this way of doing church through teaching, music, discipleship, prayer ministries and more. In North America, many choose this form of church as a means to pursue authentic relationships in the wake of mega-church and seeker-friendly phenomenon. In other areas of the world, such as in Quito, Ecuador, where my sister served with a house church youth group, it is simply a means of coming together around a shared faith when culture and/or finances do not allow for the establishing of a church building. Christians living in closed countries who fear persecution have long been known to practice gathering for "house church."

Critiques and encouragements of this movement abound. What impetuses, opinions, and experiences you will find depends on who you talk to and WHERE you talk to them, i.e., USA, Indonesia, Spain, etc. I am not an expert on this movement, plus there is no one set way of "doing" house church. Thus, to speak of it specifically is not particularly helpful. The main take away point is that churches are established in homes for a variety of reasons. When it comes to missions, younger church-goers in the states, and the persecuted church, it's a thriving form and lively topic about which you should be aware.