An Emerging Church-Planting Movement in North America

by Mike Steele

A Worldwide Viewpoint.

Some things become painfully obvious when seen in the light of solid information. For years the Church in the United States has been in a constant state of decline with no end in sight. Our neighbors to the north, Canada, have seen an increase in church starts beginning in 1997. Gatherings of believers are multiplying around the world at an unprecedented rate. While Church planting movements flourished in other countries, here in the States we continued to see a massive drop in church starts.

I have been privileged to work with Dawn ministries for a decade. I had become acquainted with DAWN through a world-wide survey I had been commissioned to do for the AD2000 and Beyond Movement. Getting a picture of what God was doing around the world, seeing the massive growth of the church worldwide, led me to give my life fully to the idea of seeing a gathering of believers (a church) within easy access of very person of every class, kind and condition of mankind. That led ultimately to being invited to join Dawn Ministries. Early assignments with Dawn took me to ministry in parts of Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America before I began facilitating the work of Dawn in North America. Through this opportunity, I was able to see church planting movements happening on several continents.

The DAWN—Discipling A Whole Nation—strategy for mobilizing the whole Body of Christ in whole nations to work most directly at completing the Great Commission is now being implemented in about 150 nations around the world. DAWN suggests an approach that begins in prayer, utilizes information, and works continually in process toward the filling of the nation with gatherings of believers. It leads the Church to pursue a prophetic message from the Lord for the peoples of the land toward filling the land with disciples and disciple making communities..

DAWN Philippines, where it all began in 1974, has celebrated the fulfillment of its goal to increase from about 5,000 congregations in 1975 to 50,000 by the end of AD 2000.

Likewise, the Church in Zimbabwe has completed its project of doubling their 10,000 churches to 20,000 in a ten-year period. In the process, they saw 1.6 million come to Christ and into church membership. This represents fully 20 percent of the whole population coming into the Kingdom in this very brief period!

Fourteen nations in Latin America have planted a total of 87,500 new churches since 1992, five of them reaching their goals ahead of time. Venezuela, for example, previously had the lowest growth rate in the whole region. In 1992 the church leaders in Venezuela established a goal to increase from 4,900 congregations to 12,000 by AD 2002. They reached their goal in 1998 and set a new goal of 25,000 total churches by AD 2005. Meeting in Miami in 1999, the combined national Churches of the whole Latin region set a goal to plant 500,000 more churches in the ten years to follow.

Similarly, amazing things have been happening in both China and India with projections of new churches growing by leaps and bounds. In just one small province alone in one of these countries, application of the DAWN strategy resulted in the number of churches increasing from three to 550 and the number of believers from 100 to 55,000 in just five years. That exploded again in the next two years to 1,250 churches and 225,000 members.

Vibrant young leaders in another far eastern country were half way into their project of planting 30,000 new churches among an unreached people group, previously the largest unreached people group in the world. Across the Middle East—where, until recently, getting a convert or two on occasion was possible but where starting new churches was hardly ever mentioned—actual church-planting projects were underway.

As of October 2003, the DAWN vision has been a factor in over 1,050,000 churches being planted in more than 100 nations in the last ten years. In the first three years of the new century, plans have been laid in over 110 countries for the planting of more than 12 million new congregations in the next decade. Hundreds of volunteer DAWN associates carry a heart for the completion of the Great Commission and a burden to see their nations saturated with the presence of Christ in the form of local gatherings of believers. Yet, in this country, most have never heard of DAWN nor of such movements as those I mentioned above nor others popping up in many places around the world. .

America – The Exception to the Trend

Five years ago, I began to criss-cross the nation, following the Holy Spirit, in search of answers for mobilizing a church planting movement in the Church of America. In the process, I talked with thousands of pastors, read dozens of books, prayed agonizing prayers.

The facts spoke loudly. Hundreds of thousands of churches were half full each Sunday with little prospect of dynamic new growth. Well known researchers are speaking of at least 80 % of the church being stagnant or declining in growth. Yet few church leaders would entertain the notion of a fresh move of God in our land. It is no wonder that a high percentage of pastors in a poll indicated they would get out of the ministry if they could.

America – Last of the Giants

Jim Montgomery of Dawn Ministries had used this phrase to describe the United States as the one place where it would take a miracle of God to see a DAWN type saturation church planting project. Imagine trying to get the Church of America to join in what would appear to be yet another campaign to evangelize the nation. Hadn’t every local church at some point thrown its energies and resources into a cooperative effort that in the long run produced little or no new growth for their congregation? There are at least two instances where Jim and others made an effort to share the concepts of a church planting movement in the United States to no avail. Dawn’s work in the US had proved to be hopeful at best. Many attempts to cast vision to pastors and church leaders across the land had been met with a cold reception. Jim often spoke of America as being the last place to see a Dawn type project occur.

Misperceptions

American Christians tend to believe we are the most churched country in the world. The reality, however, is that the United States is the fourth largest unchurched population in the world. It also became obvious that much of what we had identified as Church in the United States had very little chance of multiplying and filling the nation with the glory of God. While there were perhaps 3,000 mega churches that were filling their pews, for instance, I observed that many of those attending were little more than spectators. Most neighborhood churches see gatherings between 40 and 80 people. And most of those churches haven’t baptized a new member in years.

Something in the structure of Church that had worked so well for our parents had lost its glimmer in this post-modern world. It wasn’t reproducing disciples who walked in the love of the Lord and set their world on fire. It just wasn’t authentic or real anymore to this “emerging” generation. It was viewed by many as a system of do’s and don’ts, as legalistic and controlling. While it is reaching some, its ability to transform culture and reach two hundred million people is seriously in question.

It seemed to me that the culture in North America had changed dramatically over the past century, but the Church had not caught up. In fact, the church now looked and acted in large measure, just like the culture. Our measure of success and our system of validation and affirmation matches the business models of our day. True life in Christ and the joy of community in Christ have faded on many fronts. The tremendous move of God around the world is being thwarted in the U.S. by what had become “Standard American Churchianity”.

My persistent prayer was, “Lord, how can we impact the millions of people who have either left the Church or won’t go to it?” In response, the Lord began to paint a picture of “church” that was new, refreshing, able to multiply by becoming “all things to all men” in order to reach the masses that wanted a relationship with Jesus but needed a new door to enter through. It wasn’t so much about structure as it was about a way of life.

Then the Lord reminded me of the old saying, “All roads lead home.” Jesus summed up all that was written when He encouraged us to fall in love with His Father and let that love flow through our families and spheres of influence. I realized that the problem in the American church was centered on the decline in true intimacy with the Father and in the understanding of nurturing communities where life and love is shared and freely expressed among the beloved. Our hearts are broken and only the love of the Father can heal them.

Ultimately, the Lord began to connect me with a network of men and women similarly passionate about the health of the church and the re-discipling of our nation.

We had the strong impression the Lord was leading us to some answers. We began seeing glimpses of what he was doing in out-of-the way places here and there. Could it be these scattered, unconnected oases in the desert held the answers to what we were looking for?

Emerging movements

In this process of observing the overall church culture in America that seemed inadequate at best to move up to another level of growth and impact, we began to bump into little movements that appeared to be making an impact in their spheres. While a few were in rebellion against the status quo, a new growing group of believers had begun to model biblical community, earnestly seeking the mind of the Lord for his people.

These small networks in various parts of the country had been developing a thought process revolving around the idea of church-planting movements. They were not all using the same terminology, but there seemed to be a common DNA. The three main strands of their DNA were:
1) The Word
2) Nurturing Relationships in communities
3) The Mission of the Kingdom.

The idea of living every day with Jesus and each other was a common thread. Their belief in a 24/7 relationship with God and people led them to see structure as a secondary issue. “Church” IS the people and happened in the midst of the people.

Several of these networks became acquainted and began to share together their ideas of relational community They are investing in a discipleship process much in the style of Jesus’ model of discipleship. They are living relationally with each other. And they are growing!

While still in its infancy, the last three years have yielded a growth rate that is off the charts. In 2000, we were aware of about five such networks of three to five gatherings each that exhibited simple/organic concepts. By 2003 there were over 75 such networks that we knew of, with the number of gatherings well exceeding 1,000. Every week people are calling or emailing us to say they have caught the idea and are starting their own gatherings and networks.

One Body, One Bride, One Family

These new expressions of “church’ believe there is but one Body in many
expressions. Larry Kreider in his book, “House Church Networks” states, “House churches, and churches of any kind, should never be exclusive entities cut off from the rest of the body of Christ. The healthy house church will focus on loving the Lord, loving each other, reaching the lost and loving the rest of the body of Christ anywhere and everywhere. Healthy believers will want to relate closely to the rest of the body of Christ
because they want to be “one with the Father and each other.”

Rather than living in isolation they see themselves as another extension of all that God is doing in the world. Furthermore, they see the opportunity to partner with more traditional models of “church” to saturate a city or state with the presence of Christ.

These new simple church networks were looking for a way of “being” the church that could be embraced by multitudes of pastors, denomination leaders and the average man and woman in the pew. They were praying for a paradigm that would be perceived as a prophetic word from the Lord that would be immediately seized by the early adopters and carried into the bulk of the Body of Christ in America. This way of life can be lived out in any grouping of the Body of Christ and bring everyone closer to God and each other.

What do they look like?

Some of these small movements seemed quite exotic in nature. As told in the DAWN REPORT Magazine, for example, I had recently met with a wonderful group of young people in their twenties who had begun multiplying house churches in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the heart of “sin city,” they were gathering bar waitresses, card dealers and hotel employees in their homes. Finding a place of acceptance and healing, many would come and participate even before they had come to know the Lord.

In a short period of time, they were already meeting in 15 different locations. Later I learned that one of their team had planted six new gatherings in just three weeks. They had developed their mission statement to read “We exist to see a church within walking distance of every person in Las Vegas and we exist to see a church-planting movement in every major city of the United States.”

In nearby Los Angeles, likewise not noted for its piety, I met with a similar group of leaders. They have developed a training program they call “Greenhouse”. They also developed the DNA model now expressed across this nationwide relational network. They reminded people that healthy time with Jesus and each other would lead to natural reproduction (evangelism). Many who are responding to this approach were in their 20’s and come from fractured backgrounds. One young man I met was an ex-drug dealer who is now planting a house church in the very neighborhood where he used to make his illicit living. Others are planting churches in various alternate lifestyle communities.

One of their approaches is to multiply “Life Transformation Groups.” Each LTG is made up of three people who: 1) read 30 chapters of scripture a week, 2) confess theirs sins for cleansing and healing, and 3) pray for a friend to join them.

When a new friend joins the group of three, it now becomes two groups of two asking the Lord to bring a third to each. Using this model, they had planted over 200 gatherings in the last few years

While these networks were joining together relationally, another expression of the movement was emerging. God brought the Dales from England some 5 years ago. They had been a part of a growing movement in England in the 70’s and 80’s. God laid on their heart to produce a magazine to catalyze what many were thinking and thousands responded. Last years final issue reached 50,000 copies. It became a point of connection and validation for many to see God at work. They also spawned a network in their hometown. They have raised leaders to give facilitation to this network and are now engaged in sharing the vision across the nation and the world.

One pioneer had been pursuing a multiplying model state by state across the whole country. Robert Fitts had already been planting house churches for over 12 years. Robert has faithfully shared the message of “simple life” in Christ with thousands. In the last year, Robert has developed a relational network, OFI, in 16 states which has over 100 gatherings.

In Dallas, Cincinnati, Seattle, Portland, Denver, Colorado Springs, parts of New Hampshire, Maryland and in many more states, these networks are springing up sharing a simple message of love in Christ and love with each other..


Growth of the simple church movement

This year, 2003, brought with it a pleasant surprise. Many who had long been in traditional denominations began to ask what it would look like to see these simple expressions of “church” emerge through their denominational channels. It seems that the Holy Spirit is speaking these truths into multiple spheres of influence all at once. We like to say that this is a sign that the Holy Spirit is the initiator. Some had been doing serious study of the Church in America and rethinking biblical models of church. Their desire was to touch the perceived needs of American believers and unbelievers alike. Furthermore, they were implementing models of church that fit the above criteria and that were beginning to see multiplication through discipleship and nurturing community life.

None of these networks, of course, have yet achieved the kind of growth I have described from nations overseas. Still, I see a new wind blowing across the land. To the glory of God, this simple-church movement appears to be a cloud the size of a man’s fist that promises a deluge of a new discipleship and church-planting thrust in our troubled land.

What is simple church?

We at Dawn Ministries believe the evidence is there that God is raising up a movement that will bring a whole new vitality, empowerment and expansion to the Church in North America. Though referred to by such terms as organic church, New Testament church, house church, redemptive community, oikos, lighthouse or other terms, an umbrella name we use is “simple church.”

A simple definition of simple church could be, “Simple church is a small group of people seeking intimate relationship with God and each other through hearing from God and living the Kingdom lifestyle.”

From such a kernel definition, we see God developing many different models and expressions of the Body. We are aware of a number of different models that are all built on this core expression of simple church. Others seem to pop up quite regularly.

Since this new paradigm for doing church in America is spontaneously springing up in many forms, in many places and developed by many different leaders, there is naturally a plethora of names by which it is identified.

We have searched for a common phrase for all such gatherings and have come up with “simple church.” Simple in the sense that any believer, emphasizing the priesthood of all believers, could say, “I could do that.”

As Neil Cole writes, "Simplicity is the key to fulfilling the Great Commission in this generation. If the process is complex it will break down early in the transference to the next generation of disciples. The more complex the process the greater the giftedness needed to keep it going. The simpler the process the more available it is to the Christian population. . . . We must keep the message simple and unencumbered by complex methodologies or structures.”

Definitions from Webster's Dictionary
• Simplicity - That which is simple.
• Simple - consisting of few parts, without any or much ornamentation, sophistication or complexity.
• Essential - Necessary, something that one cannot do without it. Of the utmost importance. Relating to or arising from the real nature of a thing or person. Containing all that is best or most important in a thing. As perfect as the mind can conceive. The basic or fundamental part of a thing.

Bindu Choudrie, an Indian church planter says, "If you believe in and love Jesus and can read, you can lead a house (simple) church." We could view the progression as follows: Every believer a church planter, every house (family) a church, every church building a training center.

This is church in its most natural and simplest state of being.

Every family a church

God wants every one of His people, I believe, to be vehicles, channels of His blessing. We have to understand what is essential for church so that every one of us can do it and be an integral part of it.

For years, the Body of Christ in Western Culture has assumed that Church is a major event requiring great expertise to lead. We have missed the essential truth that God fully intended Adam and Eve to be the foundational model for the Church. Church was meant to begin, and to be lived out, in the family. The simplest and most primary expression of the Church is the family. The essential building blocks for the Body of Christ are healthy spiritual parents giving birth to healthy spiritual sons and daughters who give birth to healthy spiritual families. Healthy families will naturally reproduce and multiply.

It's a paradigm shift. It's a whole new way of thinking about what church is, and who we are, and what God's purposes are for us.

The key concept is really not a matter of planting a church in your home, rather it is realizing that your family already is a church, and then begin to function accordingly. Jesus said where two or three are gathered in My name there I am in the midst. This includes everyone in His family, (Redeemed by His blood). It does not exclude anyone, (Singles, fatherless, etc.). The issue is realizing that your family already is the church.


Along with this new way of thinking is an old way of looking at “family”. In earlier times, people were linked together in community. Extended family was always present. It included aunts and uncles, cousins and next of kin. It ALSO included, neighbors, friends, co-workers and employees. Singles who hear the word family often feel excluded because our current model of family is nuclear in definition. Simple church uses the broadest sense of the term to join people together from every walk of life.

What about Structures?

Simple church is infinitely flexible. You can do it any place, any time, any where with anybody. It begins with two people and Jesus. You don't necessarily need a "church" building. In England they meet in pubs. In Africa, under the trees.

One significant question most people ask has to do with family structure. The idea of the church as an extended family often gets tangled in our culture’s expression of a nuclear family model. In Bible times, an extended family was, simply put, all those in your sphere of influence. Therefore, simple churches can flow out of relationships in any grouping of people. Simple church can be started with a group of singles committed to follow the Father and care for each other. It can start with as small a “group” as husband and wife and move up from there to gatherings of nuclear families, households, extended families, people within a sphere of influence, groups of families, oikos, ethne, clan, tribe affinity group. It is people loving God and each other.

Another structural question has to do with our current forms of church. Most people think of the church as a place and event at a certain time. Since simple church is about people, where they meet is secondary. The important idea does not revolve around a building or a meeting place but a lifestyle. When they do gather they could be in cells, house churches, neighborhood churches, mega churches and so on. Simple church is at the core of life in Christ, no matter the structure used for the gathering of the saints together. Simple church is about being “church” not going to “church”.

What’s Ahead

A relational network of simple church gatherings is exploding all around the country. Though it takes many forms, shapes and sizes, at a heart level, simple church is a way to experience Kingdom life lived out in relational intimacy with God and with fellow believers. In its purest form, simple church is mom and dad living the life of Christ in the home. It can be experienced in one family, a neighborhood gathering, the cell of a larger congregation, an affinity group or other small gathering. It is characterized by outreach to the unsaved, by reproducing every time the group reaches about 15, by participation by all in the gathering, and by the absence of need for ordained professional clergy or separate buildings. Imagine what a mega church would look like with all their families living out a simple church lifestyle? You would see hundreds of families incarnating the love and presence of Christ in their neighborhoods daily. The Kingdom alive and incarnating the presence of Christ in the midst of the people in a community would be a tremendous example of the love of Christ touching every part of life.

The essentials of Simple Church affect real life! It's going to be a source of life for you, for your family, for your neighbors and for your whole neighborhood! Church happens 24/7, all week long! If you set out to start a church, it is common to put the church in front of family. But, if you start out to be God's people as a family, and bless each other, (and you can do that), then other people will just naturally be drawn in, and it won't take a toll on your family.

At the start of this chapter I shared that God has been moving through His Body around the world for at least the last 15-20 years in a new and pervasive way. It may just be the season for the Church in the United States to join this work of the Holy Spirit around the world and enjoy the life of the Kingdom in this country. Preliminary informal research shows there are now over 75 networks in 18 states that have simple church gatherings. All this has been birthed in the last three years. We hope and pray that 2004 will be a year that diverse groups within the Body of Christ see this new expression as a forerunner of the changes the Holy Spirit would like to bring in this land. It is our sincere belief that we are on the verge of a significant movement of God in North America that will spawn healthy, multiplying “extended families” all across our nation.

For more information on this fledgling church planting movement, visit our website at www.dawnministries.org/regions/nam/index.html.