Mission FPC
At the heart of our mission and our reason for existence is to make Christ known to the people in Northern and Eastern France. In order to accomplish this we have set up an original procedure supporting a biblical vision for planting churches. How do we operate and plant churches? How can you personally get involved in this kind of project?
It’s surely a good thing to frankly admit: we can’t be everywhere.
We concentrate on Northern and Eastern France and we need to combine our advantages. Our aim is to develop a network of interrelated churches represented by the APC union. In this way we can share common resources and assist one another. We operate from centres (American: centers) grouping churches and projects in one geographical area, so sharing means and ministries.
We should first explain it is not a matter of erecting a church building but enabling a group of believers to meet together. A church-planting project aims to present Jesus Christ to our contemporaries and encourage them to follow Him freely.
Our mission is involved in various projects at different stages of their development. In Metz for instance we are still elaborating the project. In Reims a team has begun the work of planting a church. Other teams are involved in revitalizing existing churches.
We send project leaders, church-planters, accompanied by team members with differing roles and functions to plant a church.
The team members do not all have the same status. Some are full-time or part-time workers, others are associate workers. They assist the church-planting team while continuing their professional employment. Yet others are in an apprenticeship such as Pass (Training Course in the Lord’s Service – several months of intensive missionary involvement) or are trainee graduates from Bible Colleges.
The staff at the seat of the FPC mission back up the church-planting teams by ensuring cohesion between our five centres (American: centers), taking care of finances and book-keeping as well as other administrative responsibilities, liasing with our partners and many other tasks. Their goal is to meet the needs of the projects and teams to the greater glory of God.
We now come to the marrow of the subject: eight essential steps in planting a church, from the original conception through to the growth of a church.
What need do we want to meet? Does it fit with the FPC mission’s vision? Are we, and especially the church-planter, fully convinced of its relevance?
Before acting we desire to answer these questions and commit our first reflections to the Lord. This phase is sustained by deep concern for a future project and a time of reflection like this helps us to avoid rushing headlong in the wrong direction.
As already mentioned, the aim of planting a church is to lead people to Christ. We therefore want to target a well-defined audience and offer them an adequate and helpful service. It’s essential to know people’s needs to discover the best way of engaging with them and to define a project that will be locally effective.
When the process of reflection is complete and the project envisaged, there remains an important ingredient: the team! The church-planter’s task is to gather his team around the project, a team in which each can contribute according to their capacities.
Once in place, the team has to settle in. They must study the town and its context carefully and compassionately in order better to grasp what their place and contribution is to be for the good of others. This stage also enables the team to be united, to get to know one another and to sharpen the project’s focus.
In the early stages of a church-plant the team aim to be involved in a maximum of local networks in order to present the Gospel in a relevant way. There are many possibilities and creativity is of the essence.
The nucleus of the future community consists of the team and seekers. Everyone is involved in getting alongside others in their progress in or toward faith. All gatherings are aimed at both believers and non-believers.
A Sunday service does not constitute a church. Church life begins when a little group finds its own identity, gets organised for mutual love and united service, and learns to fulfil its calling.
Finally there is a long process of development. People come and people go. The team evolves, the newcomers are trained and take responsibility for the project. Ministry skills develop and the activities aim at testimony and growth.
The missionary church-planting team does not plan to remain permanently in the church but to accompany its members towards autonomy. The church is encouraged to become a member of the APC union to continue to benefit from support and solidarity. When the church comes of age, the church-planter heads for a new project.
You may be asking: “How can I know whether I am fitted for auch a project? How could I get involved?”
All Christians are involved in Matthew 28.18-20! To make disciples, gather them and accompany them.
So you have a part to play.
To help answer your question, we offer you three resources:
You can read the article about gifts, talents and ministry capabilities to help you discern yours and better consider missionary work.
If you have already thought about your involvement you can make an appointment to speak personally to a representative of the mission.
For more information about church-planting, see the CNEF website 1 for 10 000.
See you soon!
Mission FPC
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