Sending-Base Movements

This Month's Articles

Are Movements the Seeds of a Second Reformation? Editorial

Are Movements the Seeds of a Second Reformation?

A revolution is unfolding in the Church—perhaps even a second Reformation. Nearly 500 years ago (1517) Martin Luther ignited the Protestant Reformation with his 95 theses. This issue of MF documents a change of similar significance spreading among sending-base churches, coming this time through the application of mission field insights regarding the biblical principles Jesus and His disciples modeled...

Tags: movement, second reformation

From Church to Movement Feature

From Church to Movement

Traditional churches can become catalysts for movements, but there is nothing automatic about this journey. Our best efforts in managing change and training are not enough; God has to initiate and sustain the work, and involve the right people at the right time. The following stories from sending-base churches on three continents illustrate a variety of ways churches can equip members to bring Christ into their households and relational networks.

Tags: case study, discovery bible study

Caring Better For Members Feature

Caring Better For Members

By Training Them to Multiply

I have always cared for our members, but I have learned that I care for them more effectively by equipping them to bring Jesus into their contexts than by asking them to bring others to receive my ministry...

Tags: case study, member care

From Great Church To Equipping Church Feature

From Great Church To Equipping Church

Where believers are already present, effective missionaries:

  • model effective witness among the lost to find Persons of Peace (POPs)
  • train existing believers to share in the harvest...
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Tags: case study, person of peace, seven commands of christ, seven stories of hope

Train New Disciples to Obey Jesus Feature
Web Only

Train New Disciples to Obey Jesus

(Adapted from a mastery process developed by Family Bible Church and Troy Cooper.)

  • Break into smaller groups as necessary for full participation within available time.
  • Share highs and lows...
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Tags: seve commands of jesus, storyboarding

Telling Stories of Hope Feature
Web Only

Telling Stories of Hope

Leading a Bible Conversation with a “Yellow-Light” Person

Adapted from materials by Jeff Sundell

With anyone who isn’t ready to follow Jesus, but is open to further spiritual conversation,...

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Tags: evangelism, tools

Training “Movement Catalysts” Feature

Training “Movement Catalysts”

ETHNĚ Pursues A Revolution in Missionary Training

While the global ETHNĚ network celebrates 100+ CPMs globally, there are still 6700+ UPGs and more overlapping unreached cities, nations, and language groups. The next generation of missionaries must be equipped to be members of CPM catalyst teams...

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Disciple-Making Movements  at Work Feature

Disciple-Making Movements at Work

Imagine the “spiritual capital” created when companies see their greatest bottom line as better husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, families, and communities! Imagine the global impact when companies see adding new divisions, markets, locations, and franchises as part of their discipleship multiplication strategy...

Tags: business as mission, disciple-making movements

Starting From Scratch Feature

Starting From Scratch

Wondering how to get started if your church isn’t yet pursuing movements? Stubborn Perseverance may help. Here’s an excerpt from James Nyman’s new book (2016: Mission Network).

Tags: church, movements

Household Churches Feature

Household Churches

The movement understanding of “household” (or oikos) church is fundamentally different. The following two book excerpts detail key differences between “household” churches—birthed as the gospel enriches pre-existing relationships, and “conglomerate” churches—patched together from people without prior relationships.

Tags: church, community evangelism, extraction evangelism, movement, oikos

5 Levels of Movement Leadership Feature

5 Levels of Movement Leadership

Movements rise and fall on leadership reproduction. On the edge of movements in Asia, we have clung to simple application of the Word as the standard for success or failure in our church planting. Over the years, we have repeatedly seen the need for leadership at several levels across movements...

Tags: leadership, movements

Movements Multiplying Movements Feature

Movements Multiplying Movements

God’s plans will be fulfilled. The question is not if they will happen, but when? His purpose is to fill the earth with the knowledge of His glory, and to do so through multiplying His people until there is no place left among the nations without local witness...

Tags: church, movements, multiplying

First Tool: Feature

First Tool:

Oikos Map & My Story/His Story

When Jesus found people open to his message he often stayed and shared with others in their relational network (family, friends, co-workers and acquaintances). Sometimes “households” (Greek oikos) or even whole villages received the good news in this way...

Tags: gospel, oikos

Gospel Tool: Feature

Gospel Tool:

3 Circles

As adapted by No Place Left Practitioners

Family Church set out to equip members to turn everyday interactions into gospel conversations. The 3 Circles tool they developed contributed to tripling...

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Tags: 3 circles, gospel

Hastening “No Place Left” Locally Feature

Hastening “No Place Left” Locally

A few years ago MF featured David Platt’s Radical, a strategic book for mobilizing the church. We are delighted now to feature Steve Smith’s thriller No Place Left saga, designed to carry the...

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Tags: hastening, noplaceleft

Strategic Pursuit of CPMs Through International Students Feature

Strategic Pursuit of CPMs Through International Students

“The university is a clear-cut fulcrum with which to move the world. More potently than by any other means, change the university and you change the world.” — Dr. Charles Malik, president of the UN...

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Tags: church-planting movements, international students

The Freewill Offerings Generation Kingdom Kernels

The Freewill Offerings Generation

My eyes have longed for this day, and I believe I am seeing the first fruits of it. A generation is rising up that may fulfill the great Messianic Psalm 110:

1The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at My...

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Can Poor Christians Obey The Great Commission? Raising Local Resources

Can Poor Christians Obey The Great Commission?

God’s way of reaching the nations is through his people. We can begin with Abraham, a man called and sent by God. Isaiah reports to us in his 66th chapter, verse 18, that God would raise some of...

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Making Sure We Are Making Sense Further Reflections

Making Sure We Are Making Sense

Those of us in mission circles think a lot about how to communicate the gospel. Along the way we try out those ideas. Let me let you peek into part of a recent discussion between global workers...

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