Crucial Issues in a New Era of Church Planting

Abstract

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.