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About C4USM
The Center for U. S. Missions
is a partnership between The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS)
World Mission, Concordia University Irvine, and the North American
Mission Executives of the LCMS. It provides research and training for
mission work among unevangelized people in the United States. We are
Christ-centered, mission-driven and service-oriented. |
Contact Us
Center for U.S. Missions1530 Concordia DR WIrvine CA 92612-3203Phone: 949.854.8002 x1780and 10738 S. SplitstonePinckney, MI 48169Phone: 734.468.0185Email:
office@centerforusmissions.comWeb:www.c4usm.com |
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MOVING BEYOND ADDITION
Kingdom Growth by Multiplication
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By Michael R. Ruhl
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My
pulse quickened while walking into the huge conference center at the Exponential national church planter conference in Orlando, Florida. Resisting the urge to pinch myself as a
reality check, the rush of amazement was granted free flow as it swept over
me. The Spirit of God was in the process
of gathering 4,000 church planters into a single place, all of them bursting
with hope, joy and passion to start new Christian churches in these United States of America.
There was a new theme that was
woven into the myriad of speakers and breakout learning sessions: The
real mathematics of the Kingdom
of God is MULTIPLICATION
- and not simple ADDITION.
The Scriptures begin with the
command to MULTIPLY. God urged Adam and
Eve toward multiplication in the Garden of Eden: Be fruitful and MULTIPLY and fill the earth ... (Genesis
1:28a). The Apostle Paul reminds the Corinthian Christians that ... God who supplies seed to the sower and bread
for food will supply and MULTIPLY your seed for sowing and increase the harvest
of your righteousness (2 Corinthians 9:10). And the Great Commission itself to ... G0
therefore and make disciples of all the nations ... (Matthew 28:20) is also
rooted in MULTIPLICATION - not simple addition.
Unfortunately the vision of many
congregations is limited to simple addition. The saints in those churches do reach out faithfully to the unsaved
people in their community and share the good news of Jesus Christ with
them. That is most commendable. But all too often the vision in many of
those churches is still rooted in simple addition. New and previously unsaved people are
converted to faith in Christ by the Holy Spirit and then ADDED ONE SOUL AT A
TIME to the Body of Christ (church).
But when a church MULTIPLIES, it
moves into new church reproduction. As
new churches are planted by the Mother
Church, more new
disciples are made in multiple locations which results in exponential Kingdom Growth. That
is always the result when the Holy Spirit moves a congregation beyond simple
addition to embrace the miracle of MULTIPLICATION.
Some years ago, well-known
missiologist C. Peter Wagner made an enduring comment: The
single, most effective evangelistic methodology under heaven is planting new
churches.
Can you join us in suggesting a
modification of that classic comment? The single, most effective strategy under
heaven for reaching lost people is ... planting new churches which in turn
MULTIPLY by reproducing themselves.
God grant that all of us are
empowered by the Spirit of God to lift our eyes from the sidewalk of status quo
and survival, even if we have to "pinch ourselves". May we rejoice in the striking discovery
that, for the first time in many years, the current pace of 4,000+ new church
plants in USAmerica now exceeds the number of Christian churches which close
their doors and die each year (3,500 - 3,999).
That amazing statistic was
announced by Rev. Dr. Ed Stetzer from LifeWay.
We pray that the American church
continues to move beyond simple addition to the miracle of MULTIPLICATION ... all
for the sake of the Kingdom
of God.
Rev. Michael R. Ruhl is the Director of Training for the Center for U.S. Missions. |
Discuss this topic in our blog
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Click here to add your thoughts about this topic.
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Questions for Reflection
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1. Why do so many Christians and
churches cling to ADDITION as the
primary mathematics of the Kingdom of God? What factors restrict
this vision of mission?
2. What "means" has God
already provided to move churches beyond
simple addition to MULTIPLICATION?
3. Where do you see MINISTRY
MULTIPLICATION taking place in your
church?
4. What specific Scripture
references point to MULTIPLICATION as
the ultimate
mathematics of the Kingdom
of God?
5. How are you modeling
MULTIPLICATION in your calling as a
Missional Leader?
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News From The Center
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 C4USM Connections
C4USM Connections is our new e-newsletter sent out periodically. It is designed to keep you informed about the training, research, and resources offered by the Center for U.S. Missions. Click here to subscribe.
High Impact Upcoming Events:
Church Planter Coach
Certification Training in Romulus, Michigan on October 18-19, 2010 Church Planter
Assessment Center in St. Louis, Missouri
on November 14-16, 2010 Daughter
Church Planting Training
in Kansas City, Kansas January 7-8, 2011
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Mission Moments is a monthly electronic newsletter sent by the Center for U.S. Missions to bring information and encouragement to all who desire to share God's great love in Jesus Christ with others. Permission is given to copy this article for distribution within your congregation or organization. Please credit the author and the Center for U.S. Missions. The Center for U.S. Missions provides research and training for mission work among unevangelized people in the United States. A partnership of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod (LCMS) World Missions, Concordia University in Irvine, California, and the North America Mission Executives of the LCMS, the Center serves all Christian denominations.
Center for U.S. Missions 949-854-8002 x1780; office@centerforusmissions.comMichael Ruhl, Executive Director of Training, mike.ruhl@cui.eduMil Behnken, Office Manger; mil.behnken@cui.edu |
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