Fuller Church Planting

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.” - Psalm 100:4

As we enter into the month of Thanksgiving, let’s enter with thanksgiving. How do you cultivate thanksgiving in your community?

“Old churches must not simply stand as monuments to the past but as spiritual grandparents that have invested in the future by passing on their life to others and releasing their offspring to form new congregations. Church planting needs to be given priority by old-line denomination” - Eddie Gibbs.

He wrote this in 2000 and in 2024, this truth still rings true!

“Instead of a river, God often gives us a brook, which may be running today and dried up tomorrow. Why? To teach us not to rest in our blessings, but in the blesser Himself" - A.W. Pink.

May we all be reminded to rely on the Lord in times of blessing and in times of trials. Praise the Lord for his continued presence in our lives.

Dwell on the way you see the Lord's hand working in your life and ministry.

I recently heard a sermon from Rev. Dr. Jacqueline Thomas called "Managing the Middle". Her focus was on forming leaders to manage the middle of a calling or ministry venture.

Like many of the children of Israel, too many planters get stuck in the middle of the wilderness never to experience the promised land.

How are you forming yourself and others to manage the middle.

“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold is a wise rebuke to a listening ear” (Proverbs 25:11-12).

In a world where we are compelled to be quick to speak, quicker to be angry, and slow to listen, the art of wisdom must return to missional engagement. What does a word fitly spoken sound like in your context?

"Read the Scripture, not only as a history, but as a love letter sent to you from God!" - Thomas Watson.

Praise the Lord for His Word and His love for you. Be in His word daily to be encouraged, convicted, and strengthen for the work He has set before you.

Looking for a free church planting coach? We are running our church planter coaching certificate, and one of the participants needs a planter to coach at no cost for 8 months. So if you need a coach who is getting high quality training, DM us.

“While therefore your tears flow, let a due proportion be tears of joy. Yet take the bitter cup with both hands and sit down to your repast. You will soon learn a secret: that there is sweetness at the bottom” - Adoniram Judson.

Bring your tears before the Lord and may He grant you peace. Even in our trials and tribulations we can have joy in the Lord. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” - Romans 15:13.

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock" – Jesus (Matthew 7:24-27).

At a time in the U.S. when the church has been shaken by scandals and moral failures, the church needs leaders who are building their lives on the Rock. How are you forming rock-solid disciples?

"If anything other than the kingdom of God is the framework for Christianity in America, let’s be okay with God removing it and let’s pray with Jesus for his kingdom to come" – Daniel Yang.

What is the framework for Christianity in your church plant or missional community? If it is not the Kingdom of God, are you ok with removing it? May his Kingdom come and his will be done in your community.

Reformation Month - the celebration of reading God's Word in our own language.

What a freedom we should take advantage of! Yet, how often are we actually in God's word. Take time to sharpen your swords and commune with the Creator of the Universe.

"The Bible is a remarkable fountain: The more one draws and drinks of it, the more it stimulates thirst" - Martin Luther

A Good Confession.

Confession is key to reconciling relationships. A good confession has the following components. It is 1) specific, 2) states the harm caused to another, 3) expresses how that harm could make the person feel, 4) acknowledges wrongdoing, and 5) asks for forgiveness.

How might integrating these elements into your practice of confession help restore relationships in your ministry and in your community?

Why We Should Go?

Sometimes we are confronted with questions as to why we should live missionally. Richard Colemen responded to this question with several points. This is one “why” we should live missionally. “So, why should we care? Because as the angel said to the shepherds in Luke 2:10, the good news of the savior is for “all the people” and not just the people in your ‘hood.’”

How do you respond to questions of why you live missionally? How do you explain your why to your team?

There is still time the Fall 2024 Coaching Cohort!

In a fast-changing, diversifying world, coaching church planters is about far more than "here's how I did it." What planters need from a coach is the ability to blend a deep understanding of planting missional churches with a profoundly "client-centered" approach which recognizes that the planter knows their missional context best. Merely mentoring or consulting with planters doesn't unlock the fullness of how the Holy Spirit is guiding the planter to embody and express the gospel.

For more information, check out our website:
https://churchplanting.fuller.edu/coaching-certificate/

At Fuller's Festival of Beginnings, Dan Meyers preached on: "God of the Small: The Strange Scale of Divine Deeds”.

He said, “Dear friends, I Proclaim to you a fuller truth than the world will tell you, there is something about the little things when given up to God when done in the name of Jesus, when empowered by the Holy Spirit, there is something about the little things things that is far from small at all”.

Be faithful in the little things, and you will see God working in your life.

“Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice” Psalm 27:9.

Have you ever been stumped by a problem or trapped in a low place in life? If you are like me the answer is yes! I have been blessed to have friends who prayed with me for breakthroughs, provided wisdom that un-stumped me and encouraged me through valleys. Friends are vital to our spiritual formation. Remember to lean on your friendships in times of trouble and celebrate with them in times of victory!

"The poverty of the poor is not a call to generous relief action, but a demand that we go and build a different social order." ~ Gustavo Gutiérrez.

As you consider serving your community, what does it look like to build a different social order that reflects the kingdom of God? How might your missional theology expand to embrace the sentiments of Gutiérrez.

Multiethnic church planting is the future of church planting. Read Len Tang’s article, “Three Reasons to Plant Multiethnic Churches Now” on Exponential Next.

https://exponential.org/three-reasons-to-plant-multiethnic-churches-now/

Len Tang said, "Planting multiethnic churches isn’t a fad – it’s the future.

In fact, most major cities and regions are already incredibly diverse. Yet, very few of their churches are multiethnic, and even fewer are intentionally started to reach the “vibrant variety of people,” (as Fuller President David Goatley calls them) that live in these cities. What is most concerning is that right now very few planters or church planting networks realize the urgency to start churches made up of people from many nations, tribes, and languages (Rev. 7:9".

Three Reasons to Plant Multiethnic Churches Now - Exponential Planting multiethnic churches isn’t a fad – it’s the future.

“Joy is not gush. Joy is not mere jolliness. Joy is perfect acquiescence ~ acceptance, rest ~ in God’s will, whatever comes" - Amy Carmichael.

Rest in the knowledge that God is sovereign and He has a plan for you. Take time to rest in the joy that God is in control in every situation and circumstance, Philippians 4:4

Church Planters, having planted churches ourselves, we understand how essential coaching is to the health of the Church.

We have a limited amount of coaches available to coach you this year! Please contact us for more information.

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor…Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Eccl.4:9,12)".

Just like we need a team of people to plant a successful church, we need a team of friends to encourage us along the journey. This is especially true of friends who are not working directly with your church plant. They can provide a friendly and safe place beyond ministry. Are genuine friendships a part of your system of support?

Check out this article by Len Tang!

Multi-ethnic church planting is, and will be, playing a huge role in church multiplication. Len Tang and Mark DeYmaz who are both engaged in multi-ethnic church planting share their knowledge and experience about this approach, they also discuss the challenges faced by multi-ethnic church planters and potential strategies to overcome those challenges.

The Future of Multiplication with Len Tang and Mark DeYmaz - Exponential Multi-ethnic church planting is, and will be, playing a huge role in church multiplication. In this episode, we are joined by Len Tang and Mark DeYmaz who are

In an increasingly diverse world, the church is embracing polycentric leadership.

The Lausanne Movement says this of polycentric leadership: "When applied to leadership, it reflects a developing model of diversity in leader teams and mission leadership—a paradigm that can only be fully appreciated when we come to see God’s design for his Body, that though we are many, and do not have the same functions or abilities, we are one in Christ and each member belongs to all the others (Rom 12:4-5)".

How might you embrace a polycentric theology of leadership in your context?