Communicating the Vision

Dong had a burden to plant a church. His local church didn't share this vision, so he just went ahead on his own. No one helped him. No one paid much attention to what he was doing. Then, after a few months, Dong experienced some problems in his church plant. He became overwhelmed and gave up. No one noticed.

Veron also had a burden to plant a church. She knew her local church didn't yet understand the importance of church planting. Because of this, she carefully took practical steps to impart this vision. After a while, leaders and members caught the vision. Several volunteered to help in various ways as this became a church-wide project. In less than a year a solid daughter church was established.

To motivate your church to plant a daughter church, we have seen that you need to prepare yourself to explain why church planting is so important. In Chapter 1, we looked at some reasons that you can use to impart this vision. Now, like Veron, prepare some creative ways to communicate this vision for church planting. Imparting vision and keeping the vision fresh is crucial to mobilizing continuous manpower, prayer and financial support.

In our Church Multiplication Seminars, we have asked the delegates what practical things they have done to motivate their churches. In this chapter you will find some of the ideas they have given. While recalling these ideas, the Lord has also given these seminar delegates new ideas to try. I've included some of these. You can use these creative methods in your church to impart vision for church planting.

Dr. Eli Javier preached on church planting for one month! The Sunday School classes also discussed church planting. The results were tremendous! They were able to raise money and mobilize team members to plant several daughter churches.

When trying to motivate the church through preaching and teaching, it's important to be positive and impart vision. People respond much more to vision than to guilt techniques.

Pastor Willie Basilio of Simbahang Ebangheliko ng Pateros has members of their church planting teams report regularly from the pulpit. This keeps the vision continually before the congregation.

We've already seen the very fruitful church plant of Pastor Winnie Saniel in San Jose, Mindoro. This became a case study, which leaders presented to other Corpus Christi (now Take the Nations for Jesus) churches. It motivated many other churches to also plant daughter churches.

If you don't yet have church planters in your church, invite some to come. Lay people who are part of a church planting team can probably make even more of an impact than a fulltime professional church planter.

"With the Lord's help, I'm going to plant a church in Bgy. Dayap, Calauan, Laguna," Nanay Pitang enthusiastically shared with Ate Esther. "I've never done this before. I really need your prayers," she requested of Kuya Ben. Nanay Pitang spoke to individuals to arouse her church's interest in church planting. Others have suggested that we tsismis about church planting. Dean Wiebracht calls this tsismisyon.

It's especially important to talk personally with influential people in the church. This could be crucial to mobilize the church's involvement.

Pastor Judah Jim Cantoria loves to take his members on evangelistic trips. Through this, he has mobilized several new church planters. He had one member who was always contra sa misyon. "Minsan, pinilit ko siyang sumama," recalls Pastor Judah. "This caused a complete turnaround. Now, he strongly encourages church planting and missions."

You could even take some of your members to observe a church plant—even for just one afternoon. If your church is now planting a daughter church, take them there. If not, you could observe another church. You could include your leaders or potential members of a future church planting team. Seeing the real thing can communicate powerfully.

Members of church planting teams are usually very appreciative when church leaders visit their work.

A church near us has a huge banner displaying their goal of planting five new daughter churches. Banners can display church planting goals, themes or slogans.

Taytay Methodist Community Church frequently uses drama in the morning service to increase compassion for the lost.

This is different from an evangelistic film showing. There are other missionary films available that we can use to challenge our members to take part in planting a daughter church.

Video your church planting team in action. Everyone should enjoy watching this.

Tribes in Asia for Christ has put together an effective presentation: contact them at www.tribesinasia.org

If no one in your church has a video camera, ordinary pictures also work well. Post pictures of the church planting team in action. This always attracts attention.

Prepare a special concert with songs that focus on reaching the lost. We are blessed today with many dynamic songs that combine worship and motivation to reach the lost. God often speaks very powerfully through songs.

• Posters

These visual aids in strategic locations can be a big help in spreading the vision.

Love of Christ has successfully used brochures to mobilize those who will

• Go

• Give, and

• Get on their knees (pray)

Many church planting teams prepare a regular list of prayer items for their intercessors. Others write regular newsletters, especially if they have financial supporters. You could also give these types of newsletters to church members, to keep the vision for church planting alive.

Even just three or four good books about church planting, evangelism or missions could produce big results in the lives of readers. Sharing books through a mini church library can multiply the results.

Taytay Methodist Community Church used this logo to communicate the need for everyone's participation in their church planting projects.

At our church we post pictures and newsletters on our Church Planting Bulletin Board.

A Church Planting Corner could be a place to gather some of the things mentioned above.

1. Who in your church could give a testimony about church planting? Whom could you invite from outside?

2. Who are some influential people in your church you could talk to personally about church planting?

3. What are some other things your church could do to provide motivation to plant a daughter church?

Imparting vision is something that needs to be done continually to keep the project going strong. After you complete activities, add new ones to your list.