Latest Blog Posts
-
It is VERY hard to divorce from our heads all that we "know" about the church already from experiencing what we have gro ...Readmore...April 6, 2011 by Art
-
Have you felt led to get started on a new journey with God via Simple Church? Here's what I'm learning: When getting tog ...Readmore...February 9, 2011 by Art
“This training manual has been a turning point in my ministry. After getting to know and understand what God wants from me as a church planter, I now follow the plan of God. He is building His church today from district to state and from state to another country. I recommend all church planters to know the plan of God for building His church. This manual can help you discover that plan.”
—Santosh Makal, Church Planter, West Bengal, India, and Bangladesh
“Your manual is clear, complete, and useful. We train church planters in Ho Chi Minh City with this manual.”
—Pastor and Church Planter, Vietnam
“God has used [this manual] to change my life and given the men around me a deep root in the Scriptures. Our church is acting more like the one that the Scriptures talk about and many are blessed because of it.”
—Ken Auer, Businessman and Pastor, Raleigh, North Carolina
“I can now say this is next to the Bible in relation to the church and its ministry. You ask how and why? I say, ‘Because it takes the reader to the Bible itself to discover the supercultural, timeless and biblical principles in establishing new churches.’ This manual is a tool God can use to empower you to discover the process God wants you to follow.”
—Pastor and Church Planter, Myanmar
“The last ten years, I studied and applied this biblical philosophy in my life and ministry. When I studied and used this manual in the ministry, I went from an educator to biblical church planter.”
—Mari Daniel, Church Planter, Karnataka, India
“By the end of the book each participant will have his own Bible-based, church planting strategy. The training method used to teach with this manual is very simple. Each question presented makes the participants rely on the Holy Spirit and answer in truth from the Bible. The best thing about the manual is it is very practical.”
—Ramesh Sapkota, Church Planter, Former Attorney, Nepal
“Participants who work simultaneously through this training resource are most likely to discover God’s biblical strategy for church planting as well as their individual direction for planting churches.”
—Phil Largent, President, IMD International, Denver, Colorado
Latest Blog Comments
- Mark on The Church in a Locality
- Private Servers on Now what?
- Art on Starting Out Simply
- Sol on Starting Out Simply
- Greg Zamora on Discipleship? Speaking about Christians versus Speaking to Christians
 |
 |
 |
View the SupraCultural concept interactively with audio
Empower and transform the ministry Yes - Four weekends FREE
|
Week 1Assignments in workbook, Parts 1 & 2 (prework assignments include Lessons 1-6, Supplements A-D, and Project A in the Manual) Weekend 1: Explore every chapter of Acts as you identify the key, supracultural principles of the church. Learn to distinguish between absolutes (function--the what and why) and non-absolutes (form--the where, when, and how). Avoiding the traps of focusing on forms/copying models of forms and in overemphasizing one or two functions over all others. Contrast your current practices with biblical principles and map areas for improvement/change. Friday Night (Part 1 in the Manual) 7-9 PM
Saturday (Part 2 in the Manual) 9 AM – 4 PM
|
Week 2Assignments in workbook (by groups for 11-13) Part 4 Lessons 10-14, Weekend 2: By surveying Paul's letters in historical order, you will learn to address the specific, real life issues that are important in establishing and guiding churches. From dealing with sin, liberty, the world, and community life, to giving, assembly meetings, conflicts, gifts, questionable things, and more, the church will learn to find and follow God's solutions.
Saturday (Part 2 in the Manual) 9 AM – 4 PM
|
Week 3Assignments in workbook Part 5 all do Lessons 15, 16 (plus by person for Lessons 17-42) Weekend 3: Develop a biblical understanding of the family and their complementary roles. Explore the structure of the church as a family and the functions of the seven biblical, complementary roles in the church family.
Saturday (Part 5 in the Manual) 9 AM – 4 PM
|
Week 4Assignments in workbook (Part 3, Project C Part 6—no homework on Part 6) Weekend 4: Develop a biblical model of leadership, a composite map for needed adjustments and changes, and a shared strategy for planting new churches.
Saturday Led by Local Leadership (Part 6 in the Manual) 9 AM – 4 PM
|
NOTE: Some churches also use their Sunday School and/or Service times to continue this focus
All Christians have a sense that we want to be both biblically faithful and yet culturally "relevant" or accessible. But when we get the relationship confused between unchanging Principles and Functions and their corresponding, flexibly adaptable practices and forms, we can fall into several patterns of response that hurt more than they help. The following chart shows the extremes of these responses. Most churches fall into one of these categories, but at a less extreme position (and so less visible and more intractable). Once you begin to see the difference between Principles and practices, Functions and forms, you will be in a muich better position to chart a course of responding to God, reaching towards maturity, and reaching your community here and now.
