How do we multiply?
How does Kingsfield multiply? What makes it a movement?
Answering the question begins with God. Following the Spirit of God who is the life and impulse behind, ahead and within all that we do is always our beginning.
What does that look like? As we understand this journey into multiplication, let's first use a couple of pictures from the world of plants to explain.
Think of aspen trees. Aspen groves develop by means of underground (and unseen!) ramets, such that a whole hillside of aspens can be actually one organism.
Similarly, we envision that as life in Christ emerges in one place, we will then seek/allow life to spread organically, perhaps unseen for a time, and anticipate new visible life to appear in another place. Each new community of Christ followers will be connected to another, and to the others.
Perhaps an even better image for this movement would be the familiar periwinkle plant, which grows as groundcover in many Ontario gardens. For the Ukrainians this robust plant with pretty purple flowers symbolizes eternity. And periwinkle, as gardeners who know this flourishing herb can testify, spreads widely and is difficult to remove or tame once planted. What a fitting picture of the Church! Eternal. Beautiful. Hardy. Unstoppable.
WHO will plant?
"And he called to him his twelve disciples ... These twelve Jesus sent out ..."
(see Matthew 10:1ff)
"While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off."
(Acts 13:2-3)
"The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be ..."
(I Timothy 3:1ff)
WHO will we send in multiplying the church? We ongoingly discern that as we watch and listen for God's leading. WHO God calls to lead is paramount. We seek to recognize and empower the servant leaders whom God is calling.
That said, we need not give the impression that only super-spiritual, perfect leaders (which don't really exist) qualify.
"Church planting is for lay believers, not just the seminary-trained and ordained few. Each believer is a vital part of a church planting movement, if he or she believes right and then behaves right." Henry Blackaby
Leaders in the movement will be discerned and selected based firstly on Character, then on Calling, Competency and Chemistry.
We will look for the character of Jesus in people; people who walk as Jesus did (I Jn. 2:6). These are leaders whose lives bear fruit (see Gal. 5:22-23 and I John 1:5-10). Elders will be people whose character is “above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money…” (see I Tim. 3:2-3) These are ‘apprentices of Jesus’ who are being transformed into the image of Christ (se Gal. 4:19).
Secondly, we will look to discern and affirm the evident call of God on leaders’ lives. This is done in the context of disciples of Jesus who know the leader well. Biblical discernment of calling is an essential next step in identifying who God desires lead in His church. (see Matthew 10:1, Acts 13:1-3, and 16:6-10 for examples)
Third, we seek competent leaders. These are people whose skills have been affirmed – and are likely very appreciated in the areas in which they currently serve (ie. home, vocation, community service). While we will seek Christ-like people firstly, we will not overlook a person’s skill set. We seek to release and empower skilled leaders Godliness doesn’t necessarily mean effectiveness – especially in leadership. That said, we will hold this reality in tension with the fact that God uses weak people, and unlikely people (see I Cor. 1:18-31!) to further His purposes.
Then we seek to check a person’s chemistry with the existing team. Does the potential leader fit? Do the other team members love being with this person? Is there a connection – or would the leader better be placed on another team?
Leaders will be tested, always approved first before being given leadership office. (I Tim. 3:10) That is not to say that people of all sorts will not be given responsibility and appropriate authority. But God’s leaders (ie. overseers, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, deacons, ministry leaders) must be people whose character and suitability for leadership has been tested over time
If you sense you may be, or discern that the Spirit of God may be calling someone you know into this adventure, please speak with one of Kingsfield's leaders. Contact Pastor Tim Doherty.
As we discern WHO, HOW do we multiply?
Based upon Jesus' instructions in Matthew 10 and Luke 10, Neil Cole* describes the ‘P.O.P.s' of launching new churches:
Practise of Prayer. (Luke 10:2) We will pray to God and ask Him for workers. With eyes to see and ears to hear we will follow His lead.
Pockets of People. (Matthew 10:5-6) We will discern which people to go to and identify where we need to be to engage and embrace and serve the people Jesus is seeking and whom He has in mind for us to reach.
Power of Presence. (Matthew 10:8) Our very presence has power, because the Spirit of God is within believers, and because Jesus has promised that He has all authority and that He is with us. (Matt. 28:18-20)
Person of Peace. (Luke 10:6) We seek receptive people. People who are ready to receive God and His people (and often the other way around first )
People of Purpose. (Matthew 10:16-20) We will ongoingly know that we are sent with a purpose and we will keep our eyes and ears open to Christ and our hearts and feet ready to follow Him.
As we discern WHO, and as we practise these 'P.O.P.s', we believe we will collectively sense (guided by the elders and 'Fivefold leaders' in Kingsfield) where and when to call out elders and comission new churches to gather and begin their unique mission-ministry. See What makes a church?
*Neil wrote Organic Church (Jossey-Bass, 2005)