Key: Depart

DEPART as local leaders continue — at any cost– to reproduce new leaders and churches.

Relying upon locally trained leaders ensured the new movement had a continual supply of potential church planters and church leaders.^{[1] [2]}

The movement formed its own missionary teams to go reproduce churches cross-culturally.^[3] [4]

As in an Olympic relay race, the “baton” of leadership for the new church planting movement was passed on to the local leaders.

The churches hosted a special farewell event for Stephanas and his team. Amid worship, prayer and tears, Stephanas commend the churches into God’s hands. The team waved good-bye as they walked down the road, trusting the Holy Spirit to direct and empower the indigenous leaders to continue, whatever the cost, to reproduce new leaders and churches who would disciple their nation go beyond to other nations.^[5]

Their work completed, Stephanas and his team returned home and reported to their church. They all celebrated and thanked God together. The Lord had used them to bring the blessings of His Kingdom to a nation who had never heard! [6]

^[2] Dependence upon Bible College or seminary-trained leaders will mean a church planting movement will always face a shortage of leaders.

^[3] Acts 10, Acts 13:1-3

[4] Healthy Churches: A UNIVERSAL ELEMENT IN CHURCH PLANTING MOVEMENTS “Church growth experts have written extensively in recent years about the marks of a church. Most agree that healthy churches should carry out the following five purposes: 1) worship, 2) evangelistic and missionary outreach, 3) education and discipleship, 4) ministry and 5) fellowship. In each of the Church Planting Movements we studied, these five core functions were evident.”

“A number of church planters have pointed out that when these five health indicators are strong, the church can’t help but grow…. The most significant one, from a missionary vantage point, is the church’s missionary outreach. This impulse within these CPM-oriented churches is extending the gospel into remote people groups and overcoming barriers that have long resisted Western missionary efforts.” David Garrison Church Planting Movements, page 36.

Garrison goes on to ask, “‘Is God’s glory, His true nature as revealed in the Person of Christ, evident in these Movements?’ The answer is seen in the millions of changed lives, healed bodies and souls, passion for holiness, intolerance of sin, submission to God’s Word, and vision to reach a lost world.” Church Planting Movements, How God is Redeeming a Lost World, page 198.

^[5] Acts 20:17:38

[6] Acts 14:26-28