Church Planting & Development
1/02/2014
Church Planting & Development
I. Course Description
A study of primary theories for church growth and development, including biblical principles, church growth theories, and house church movement, church planting movement and natural church development movement. Some case studies of prominent church growth phenomena will be researched.
II. Course Objective
1. To aid the students to understand the nature and purpose of the church; to lay the foundations of church planting, growth, and development biblically, theologically, historically, culturally, and missionally.
2. To help the students learn the principles of church planting, growth, and development; to implement those principles to make a culturally relevant church in diverse cultural settings without losing the core of being the church.
3. To familiarize the students with the major theories of church planting, growth, and development; to appraise their relative strengths and weaknesses; to expose the students to the actual/virtual sites and some case studies in contemporary trends.
4. To encourage the students to work on their own church proposals as potential church planters; not to clone others but to create their authentic ministry; to incorporate what they learned into their current ministries and future plans.
- Required Books
Malphurs, Aubrey. Planting Growing Churches for the 21st Century. Second Edition. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1992, 1998.
McIntosh, Gary L., ed. Evaluating the Church Growth Movement: 5 Views. [contributors: Elmer Towns et al.] Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004.
Platt, David. Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream. Colorado Spring, CO: Multnomah, 2010.
Preparation for Church Planting
1. Introduction
Foundations of Church Planting
2. Biblical-Theological Foundations
3. Traditional-Historical Foundations
4. Cultural-Missional Foundations
Reading Discussion / Radical (Interaction Paper)
Theories, Trends, and Models of Church Planting
5. Church Growth Movement
6. Natural Church Development
7. House Church/Cell Church Movement
8. Seeker-Sensitive/Purpose-Driven Church Movement
9. Missional Church Movement
10. The Conception Stage
11. The Development Stage
12. The Birth Stage
13. The Growth Stage
14. The Maturity Stage
15. The Reproduction Stage
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Recommended Lists (provisional)
Van Engen, Charles. God’s Missionary People: Rethinking the Purpose of the Local Church. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1991.
Guder, Darrell L. The Continuing Conversion of the Church. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000.
McGavran, Donald A. Understanding Church Growth. Third Edition. Revised and Edited by C. Peter Wagner. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990.
Wagner, C. Peter. Church Planting for a Greater Harvest. Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1990.
Schwarz, Christian A. Paradigm Shift in the Church: How Natural Church Development Can Transform Theological Thinking. Carol Stream, IL: ChurchSmart Resources, 1999.
Schwarz, Christian A. Natural Church Development: A Guide to Eight Essential Qualities of Healthy Churches. St. Charles, IL: ChurchSmart Resources, 2000.
Conn, Harvie M., ed. Planting and Growing Urban Churches: from Dream to Reality. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1997.
Pritchard, G. A. Willow Creek Seeker Services: Evaluating a New Way of Doing Church. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1996.
Warren, Rick. The Purpose Driven Church: Growth without Compromising Your Message & Mission. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995.
Gibbs, Eddie. Churchnext: Quantum changes in how we do ministry. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000.
Yancey, George A. One Body, One Spirit: Principles of Successful Multiracial Churches: InterVarsity Press, 2003.
Kimball, Dan. The Emerging Church: Vintage Christianity for new generations. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2003.
Logan, Robert E., and Steven L. Ogne. The Church Planter’s Toolkit: A Self-Study Resource Kit. ChurchSmart Resources, 1991.
I. Course Description
A study of primary theories for church growth and development, including biblical principles, church growth theories, and house church movement, church planting movement and natural church development movement. Some case studies of prominent church growth phenomena will be researched.
II. Course Objective
1. To aid the students to understand the nature and purpose of the church; to lay the foundations of church planting, growth, and development biblically, theologically, historically, culturally, and missionally.
2. To help the students learn the principles of church planting, growth, and development; to implement those principles to make a culturally relevant church in diverse cultural settings without losing the core of being the church.
3. To familiarize the students with the major theories of church planting, growth, and development; to appraise their relative strengths and weaknesses; to expose the students to the actual/virtual sites and some case studies in contemporary trends.
4. To encourage the students to work on their own church proposals as potential church planters; not to clone others but to create their authentic ministry; to incorporate what they learned into their current ministries and future plans.
- Required Books
Malphurs, Aubrey. Planting Growing Churches for the 21st Century. Second Edition. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1992, 1998.
McIntosh, Gary L., ed. Evaluating the Church Growth Movement: 5 Views. [contributors: Elmer Towns et al.] Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004.
Platt, David. Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream. Colorado Spring, CO: Multnomah, 2010.
Preparation for Church Planting
1. Introduction
Foundations of Church Planting
2. Biblical-Theological Foundations
3. Traditional-Historical Foundations
4. Cultural-Missional Foundations
Reading Discussion / Radical (Interaction Paper)
Theories, Trends, and Models of Church Planting
5. Church Growth Movement
6. Natural Church Development
7. House Church/Cell Church Movement
8. Seeker-Sensitive/Purpose-Driven Church Movement
9. Missional Church Movement
10. The Conception Stage
11. The Development Stage
12. The Birth Stage
13. The Growth Stage
14. The Maturity Stage
15. The Reproduction Stage
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Recommended Lists (provisional)
Van Engen, Charles. God’s Missionary People: Rethinking the Purpose of the Local Church. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1991.
Guder, Darrell L. The Continuing Conversion of the Church. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000.
McGavran, Donald A. Understanding Church Growth. Third Edition. Revised and Edited by C. Peter Wagner. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990.
Wagner, C. Peter. Church Planting for a Greater Harvest. Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1990.
Schwarz, Christian A. Paradigm Shift in the Church: How Natural Church Development Can Transform Theological Thinking. Carol Stream, IL: ChurchSmart Resources, 1999.
Schwarz, Christian A. Natural Church Development: A Guide to Eight Essential Qualities of Healthy Churches. St. Charles, IL: ChurchSmart Resources, 2000.
Conn, Harvie M., ed. Planting and Growing Urban Churches: from Dream to Reality. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1997.
Pritchard, G. A. Willow Creek Seeker Services: Evaluating a New Way of Doing Church. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1996.
Warren, Rick. The Purpose Driven Church: Growth without Compromising Your Message & Mission. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995.
Gibbs, Eddie. Churchnext: Quantum changes in how we do ministry. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000.
Yancey, George A. One Body, One Spirit: Principles of Successful Multiracial Churches: InterVarsity Press, 2003.
Kimball, Dan. The Emerging Church: Vintage Christianity for new generations. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2003.
Logan, Robert E., and Steven L. Ogne. The Church Planter’s Toolkit: A Self-Study Resource Kit. ChurchSmart Resources, 1991.
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