CRM - Empowering Leaders

We envision a group of kindred-hearted men and women driven by a passionate love for Jesus and his kingdom, joined together for the purpose of giving themselves to a kingdom rising through the reproduction of disciples, churches, church planters and church planting teams.

Risings in our world (carried out justly or unjustly) are an echo of a song composed deep upon our souls by the hand of God.  This is a song that fiercely rejects the oppression of the tyrant and longs for the freedom to be at peace.  A kingdom rising speaks of freedom, the overthrow of sin and the tyranny of Satan, the raising up of the poor and oppressed, the transformation of our own character into the image of the one who bought our freedom, the hope of the resurrection and the ushering in of a new order.  This kingdom rising is a downward rising, one which is accomplished through following Jesus’ example of laying down one’s life in radical love, never through hatred or violence. Armed with the weapons of the good news of Jesus and lives willing to be laid down in Calvary love, we are sent out to further his rising among the nations.
 
The rising of the kingdom of Jesus is most clearly manifested through the birthing of humble communities of disciples brought into being through the proclamation of the good news of Jesus and transformed by his Spirit to lay down their lives in love for one another and for those yet without Christ.  This is the Church.  As she spreads and grows, permeating the world around her like yeast in a loaf, a rising ensues and a new kingdom order is established in the name of Jesus. 

This MOU is written to help clarify the expectations, vision, priorities, values and life together of those who desire to be a part of Rising: A Church Planting Fellowship.  This document is not exhaustive in the possible issues that could arise among a church planting team, but is written to help cover the main subjects that give direction and substance to what God has called us to do.

An apostolic fellowship of kindred-hearted men and women committed to the cause of a rising of the kingdom of God through the planting and reproduction of simple, organic churches and church planting teams.

“Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand; forget not the afflicted.. . . O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.”  “Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will now arise, says the Lord; I will place him in the safety for which he longs.”  (Ps. 10:12, 17-18; 12:5)

• With a deep desire to look on the “manifold wisdom of God (Eph. 3:10)”and to see it displayed for others;

• relying on the life and power of the indwelling Spirit of Jesus;

• endeavoring to align our lifestyle and methods to the upside-down nature of Christ’s kingdom;

• and through the reproduction of church planters and church planting teams

Our mission is to make joyful, obedient followers of Jesus Christ, gathered in simple, reproducing churches, committed to the wholistic transformation of their lives and communities through the living out of radical love.

The priority of our focus is “to proclaim good news to the poor (Lk. 4:18)” beginning in Minneapolis and from there to gain entrance into as many people groups and cities as God enables

1. God’s purpose from the beginning of creation when he commanded Adam and Eve to multiply and fill the earth was to fill the earth with the knowledge of his glory.  Having been created in the image of God, mankind was to fill the earth with that image.  This was the prelude, the foreshadowing of the fulfillment of His purpose.  The final revelation of this purpose is found in Revelation when there will be people from every nation, tongue, tribe and family worshipping before the throne of God.  His purpose is fulfilled when his glory “fills the earth as the waters cover the sea” with redeemed men and women from among all peoples.  Even more specifically, it is the gathered community of God’s people (the church), which he bought with his own blood from among all the peoples, through which he will shine forth his glory as they live out lives of radical love with each other. It is through the church that the manifold wisdom of God is made known (Eph. 3:10).

2. When Jesus told his disciples to “go make disciples of all peoples,” their implementation of the command was by establishing communities of believers where the transformation of life could take place through loving God and one another, and encouraging each other in the faith.

3. The best place for becoming a disciple and making disciples is in the context of the church.

4. If we delight in beholding the glory of God and are obedient to the command to make disciples, then the church must have priority in our affections and in our living out the great commission.


Some clarification as to what is meant by “house church” or “simple church” and why this is the “wineskin” of the church we are seeking to establish and reproduce:

1. These are churches (or communities of believers) that seek to adhere to the foundational understanding of what it meant to be the church as described in the New Testament.  Our understanding of this descriptions is:  “ a local group of people loving God by following Jesus Christ, united by the Holy Spirit, committed to helping one another be transformed into the image of Christ through the obedience of faith.”  As a church matures we believe it will be characterized further by 1) diversity of gifts that are functioning to help build the body up in love, 2) the presence of local elders who father and shepherd this body, 3) the regular practice of the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, 4) the presence of other churches it has reproduced 5) the presence of apostles (sent out church planters), prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers who travel between the churches and equip the saints (Eph. 4:11)

2. They seek as much as possible to remove certain cultural and traditional paradigms of what has come to be understood as the church, particularly in the west, that may hinder reproduction such as: complex programs and administrative systems; the need for highly trained, professional, paid staff; the need for a building to identify the church; reliance on expensive technologies, etc.

3. These churches are structured to get into the lives and community of those who are unreached and unchurched, in order to make the gospel accessible to them, to disciple these new believers towards transformation and empower them to reach and disciple others.

4. These churches are structured to be highly relational.  The church is a living organism, the Body of Christ and is based entirely on relationship – our fellowship with the Father and his Son, which is then the basis of our fellowship with one another.  The goal of the instruction and discipleship of the church is love – a passionate love of Jesus and of radical love for one another – and love is entirely about right relationships.  The presence of Jesus in his church is characterized by their love for one another (1 Jn. 4:12).  The transformation of life and character is based on relationship and our learning how to lay down our lives for one another in love, therefore the church is structured to maximize deeper, intimate relationships in order to facilitate this transformation.

5. These churches are structured to be highly participatory.  According to 1 Cor. 14:26 there is an expectation that all the members of the body gathered are to participate and build up the body (cf. Eph. 4:15).  A small, relational group helps make this more possible.

6. These churches are structured for leadership development.  Because of its simplicity and size, more people are able to begin to exercise giftings and leadership functions and therefore grow in their confidence to take greater initiative in leading others.  We are dependant on shepherding one another and therefore leadership is being fostered at nearly every level.

7. These churches are structured to provide family for many in our society whose family structure has been shattered. Meeting in homes provides an opportunity for intimacy most likened to a family.  Its informality and relational quality enables people to experience family relationships.  The church is meant to function like an extended family.

8. These churches are structured to be more readily reproducible, particularly among the poor and those in restricted areas.  They are not dependant on large amounts of financial outlay, expensive or difficult technology, highly trained and professional leadership, buildings.  What happens in a house church can be readily reproduced in other settings with great flexibility.

9. These churches may be the most adaptable and the only alternative among most of the remaining unreached peoples.

1. Transformation of character into the image of Christ.  This is God’s goal for us (1 Thess. 4:3; 2 Thess. 2:13; Rom. 8:29) personally and as the body of believers which is his church (Eph. 5:25-27).  Becoming mature marks a life that is being transformed.  This maturity is characterized by an eagerness to maintain a unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace through love, and by love attaining to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God (Eph. 4:1-16).

2. The body of Christ, the church, is the primary context in which this transformation occurs.  Therefore seeing the church birthed wherever the gospel is proclaimed and believers gathered is a necessary work.  This is church planting.

3. The Word and Spirit are the power and infallible guide for how this transformation takes place and what it looks like. (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Cor. 3:15-18)

4. Church planting in teams.  The church planting team should model a plurality of leadership for the emerging team of elders that they are raising up.  They are to model a harmonizing of gifts, mutual submission, servanthood and biblical peacemaking at a leadership level.

5. Incarnational and Wholistic.  Living among and sharing life with those we are proclaiming Christ to, is essential in making known the love and accessibility of Jesus.  When Jesus reigns in our lives he aims to transform every area (e.g. economic, social, health, spiritual, areas of injustice, etc.) Therefore our discipleship needs to cover all of life. Sharing life together also makes us far more alert to the injustice under which the poor and marginalized often live.  Justice matters to Jesus.  If we seek to bring his reign we must also seek to bring his justice.

6. Loving servant leadership developed through a relational mentoring approach.  This means forming character, acquiring practical skills and growing in theological insight in the context of real life situations and hands on shepherding of others.

7. Developing Indigenous Leadership: As Paul developed leaders from those he reached in each city who gave both local leadership and extra-local leadership by joining him to plant other churches, so we will pray and labor towards fostering this same kind of leadership which reflects the makeup of our neighborhoods.

8. Reproducibility.  We desire reproducibility at every level – disciples, leaders, churches, church planters and church planting teams.  The church is a living organism (the bride of Christ, the body of Christ) and if it is healthy it will reproduce itself.

9. Simply structured, relational, reproducing “house” churches and house church networks.  We are convinced that this model is scriptural, at this time is the most appropriate for our context, will develop the kind of leadership mentioned in # 5, and most effectively facilitates the kind of life on life transformational ministry that is envisioned.

10. Perseverance:  Engaging in the process of transformation and growing to maturity, both for ourselves and in helping others, is a labor of love that requires a patient perseverance that does not quit nor leave easily.  This is especially key among those who have been marginalized for a variety of reasons and suffer from deep brokenness and mistrust.  Bearing fruit that lasts requires a longevity that establishes trust and credibility.
 

To give ourselves to making joyful, obedient followers of Jesus Christ through establishing simple churches who are committed to the wholistic transformation of their lives and communities through the living out of radical love.

To promote the reproduction and networking of these churches beginning among the poor and marginalized in Minneapolis and then in as many cities as God enables.

To co-labor together on small teams under the overall vision and strategy set by the overseeing team.

To promote the training and reproduction of church planters and church planting teams.

To orient our lifestyle and resources around the fulfilling of our mission.

To pursue the godly transformation and maturity of our own lives, while helping to keep watch over the lives of our teammates in an attitude of humility, gentleness and love.

To pursue peace with all people, particularly those on this team, not allowing a root of bitterness to spring up or to harbor unforgiveness, but to seek reconciliation for the sake of Jesus and those we introduce to him.

To season our speech with grace and to speak with kindness of one another so as to build up our teammates and not tear them down.

To pray regularly for each other’s intimacy with Jesus and fruitfulness in carrying out our mission.

To foster cooperative relationships with other individuals, church planters and church planting teams.

For further information on Rising: A Church Planting Fellowship contact Jim Bloom (jim.bloom@innerchange.org)