CRM's History

1980

Church Resource Ministries (CRM) was founded July 1, 1980, by a small group of men and women highly committed to world evangelization. They were convinced of the central role of the local church in God’s plan to reach the world for Christ. All had broad experience in personal discipleship – primarily gained through involvement with the Navigators – and all had a deep love for the local church.

Motivation

CRM’s initial staff were driven by the need they observed in the American Church for a quality of growth and discipleship often taken for granted in organizations such as the Navigators, Campus Crusade for Christ, and other mission entities.

Although there were notable exceptions, most American churches were struggling in the late 1970s and early 80s to incorporate basic discipleship training and Church Growth principles. Although the equipping, training, and mobilizing of the laity was often given vocal support, the churches successfully producing healthy, multiplying disciples were the exception rather than the rule.

Consequently, all of CRM’s early staff believed that the local church was the “sleeping giant of world evangelization,” with vast untapped human resources waiting to be awakened and directed toward the fulfilling of Christ’s Great Commission.

Confirmation

Before CRM was formed, counsel was diligently sought from a broad range of Christian leaders and well-informed Christian laymen and women as to the need for such an organization. There was widespread enthusiasm for a mission organization willing to focus its energies on the Church, the training and equipping of her people, and the development of leadership.

One of the more perceptive and encouraging pieces of initial advice was from Dr. C. Peter Wagner, professor of Church Growth at Fuller School of World Mission and widely accepted as one of the leading church growth authorities in the U.S. today. Wagner commented that he felt there were at least 5,000 churches (of the nearly 300,000 or so American churches at that time) that would be responsive to the kind of ministry envisioned by CRM. He went on to say that he believed CRM staff would eventually be involved in helping initiate churches as well as helping renew and strengthen existing churches.

His foresight has proven true as this “second track” of church planting began to receive increasingly more time and attention from CRM staff during the 1980s.

Support

Two local churches significant in CRM’s early days were Briarwood Presbyterian Church (Birmingham, Alabama) and the First Evangelical Free Church of Fullerton (California). Both willingly provided environments where aspects of CRM’s ministry could be put to the test and tried.

The School of World Mission and Institute of Church Growth (Fuller Theological Seminary, California) were also highly influential in CRM’s formation. CRM is greatly indebted to the Church Growth Movement – of which the Fuller School of World Mission is the leading proponent – for providing much of the theoretical and theological understanding of the context toward which CRM’s ministry was to be focused, namely the local church.

Growth

CRM’s commitment in the beginning years was to “start small, go deep, and then think big”: carefully build solid foundations based on proven experience and expertise, selectively recruit staff, and build a base in the U.S. to provide the manpower and resources for cross-cultural and worldwide expansion.

CRM’s leadership realized at the organization’s inception, and is increasingly aware today, that the Spirit of God is moving in unprecedented fashion in numerous areas around the world. Deeply committed to the “ta ethne” of which the Great Commission speaks, CRM believes that the task to which God has called this ministry will not be fulfilled until there is a viable evangelical church, serious about and committed to the biblical mandate of world evangelization, in every people group in the world.

Today, staff serve in major metropolitan areas throughout North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. Sixty percent of CRM staff are involved in direct cross-cultural ministry among a broad variety of people groups.

Embedded in CRM is a deep-seated spirituality and biblical passion for the supernatural hand of God to sovereignly work to bless and multiply His Church around the globe. No expertise of training for ministry replaces the Lordship of Christ exercised by the power of the Holy Spirit.