Crucial Issues in a New Era of Church Planting
Issue Introduction by George G. Robinson

The last decade of missions history has been one of shifting paradigms around the need for establishing reproducing indigenous churches. The term “church planting” is not found within the Bible, but the concept is certainly pervasive in the New Testament. Though church planting may now seem obvious as a strategic goal for missions, how to do it best is still a potentially contentious matter. The advent of what has become known as “church planting movements” has forced the hand of mission strategists who are now taking sides in the growth versus health debate. What should be agreed upon is that if the nations are to be reached (and they will – see Revelation 5:6-10), missionaries from all over the world will need to be committed to working together toward establishing healthy, reproducing indigenous churches. And to that end we have directed the focus of this quarter’s edition of Global Missiology.

In this edition you will find a host of crucial issues addressed that will prayerfully help the global missionary force to advance in this new era of church planting. Among our contributors are both theologians and practitioners from a wide array of settings. Because we need healthy churches, I have asked Dr. Benjamin Merkle to write on the subject of biblical leadership within the context of church planting. Because we need rapidly reproducing churches I have asked Dr. Curtis Sergeant to give some much needed insight into how to equip indigenous leaders to reproduce. Because of the influence of globalization in our generation, I have asked Dr. George Patterson and Edward Aw to speak to the role of non-residential missionaries in the days ahead. And because the mission force is to be multi-ethnic, I have asked Steve Nolen to speak to the role of partnering with Latinos and Dr. Joy Tira to write on the influence of the Filipino diaspora on global church planting efforts. And finally, because we in the west often face challenges in how to even begin, I have asked Don Dent to give some insights from a lifetime of ministry in Asia on how to break free from western models and to begin establishing healthy, reproducible indigenous churches that glorify Christ. And for those of you who are working in the North American context, I have asked Nathan Akin to provide a critical book review on an influential new work called Exiles.

I hope you enjoy this edition. If you have any questions or feedback, let us know!

Blessed to be a blessing,

George G. Robinson, D.Miss.
Assistant Editor, Global Missiology
Assistant Professor of Missions & Evangelism, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary