1. Planting & Nurturing Churches
Stages of Church Maturation

2. Planting & Nurturing Churches
Planting Churches – is the initiating of reproductive fellowships who reflect the kingdom of God in the world.
Initiating – the beginning of the process
Body of fellowship – community of believers (horizontal perspective)
Reproductive – God’s intention for the church
Reflect kingdom of God – Vertical relationship manifested to the world

3. Planting & Nurturing Churches
Guidelines for planting new churches
Planters must see their work as a spiritual activity.
Planters must have a vision of what God’s church should look like in a particular culture.
Church planters communicate in relevant manners to the culture.
Church planters pay attention to web-lines.

4. Planting & Nurturing Churches
Nurturing churches – is the building up of the local body of Christ so that each part of the body contributes its gifts and talents to the whole work of the church.
Building up – equipping members for service
Local body – congregation in a particular area
Work of church – Worship, evangelism, service

5. Planting & Nurturing Churches
Guidelines for effective nurturing
Must be done in a loving, caring community of believers.
Leads new Christians to visualize specifically what God desires them to become.
Involves modeling the Christian life and disciplines of prayer, worship, study, living in peace, fasting, and meditation.
Nurturing must be passed on

6. Planting & Nurturing Churches
Four stages of church maturation
Initial church
Developing church
Independent church
Mature church

7. Planting & Nurturing Churches
Initial church - first contacts and evangelism
Being a part of the community
Visiting people (home, work, socially)
Goal is friendship and sharing gospel
Times of study and teaching
Group of interested people
Group of people who become Christians
Not yet familiar with function of the church

8. Planting & Nurturing Churches
Developing church – building the body into a function church
Understanding the purpose, nature, and function of the church
Assisting people in finding their gifts & talents
Encouraging emerging leaders (not appointed by missionary)
Experience in church activities
Avoid too much dependence on missionary
Begin leadership training & assistance in teaching

9. Planting & Nurturing Churches
Independent church – local leadership takes responsibility and roles in ministry
Leaders functioning in various roles
Church functioning without the assistance of the missionary
Leaders teach their own members and evangelize
Missionary primarily working in providing more leadership training

10. Planting & Nurturing Churches
Mature church – appointed leaders with experience in nurturing
Elders and deacons selected by the church
Leadership experience in solving problems
Training of new leaders in the church
Planting other churches
Missionary is a co-worker