A Testimony --
Value of CCP for the Asia Pacific Free Methodist Missions Association
Hello,
I am the Executive Director of the Asia Pacific Free Methodist Missions Association (APFMMA).
APFMMA was formed by the leaders of Free Methodist Church across Asia to partner in the initiation, coordination, and nurturing of missions efforts in the Asia-Pacific region. The vision includes sending out missionaries and initiating church planting movements.
We recently discovered Community Church Planting (CCP), and have put it into practice among APFMMA member countries. CCP has been an excellent church planting tool.
I believe that CCP training is bringing momentum to pastors, church planters, and leaders of the Free Methodist Church in Asia.
One of our key leaders from Philippines writes…
"After CCP training of 70 key leaders, the results are amazing. Everyone was challenged to help plant a church."
Another leader who is a church planting director wrote the following after after we trained about 100 leaders in CCP…
"We were challenged, encouraged, and awakened to keep on working, and now have more focus on church planting. I am looking forward to the multiplication of churches in our region. And I am excited for the next CCP gathering to hear what the Lord has been doing in the ministry He entrusted to us using CCP methodology."
A conference superintendent of ours from India writes...
"After having trained 30 key leaders in CCP, each and every pastor and leader was greatly encouraged and blessed by the CCP training. The teaching helped us extend our vision. We now look forward to having a full course on CCP training."
Another key leader from South India writes…
"After the CCP training, the pastors worked hard according to the training, the Holy Spirit worked and God gave good results. Forty-one people accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and took baptism. All glory to the Almighty God! My goal is to have a new church plant in all 32 districts of our state."
After training and using this methodology in a number of Asian countries, I would summarize CCP as follows:
- It is a great and effective tool for church planting.
- The training program is adaptable and can be used to what suits a particular field.
- Many pastors and church planters who want to do church planting have now discovered how to.
- The concept of looking for a person of peace has been very effective in many fields.
- This is not like any other training program, but includes its implementation workshop with definite goals.
- After conducting the CCP training and implementation workshop in several places, I have discovered that many participants were encouraged, and envisioned having a daughter church for the first time.
- Multiplication is God’s strategy, and CCP would help us to experience exponential church planting.
- CCP has an excellent reporting and accountability system that helps keep an up to date record of a church planting movement.
- The CCP material is available in several languages in the world, and if it does not exist for a particular language permission is granted to translate.
- Numerous Asian countries continue to be the hot spot for growth, and CCP can provide an incredible opportunity for our denomination at large.
Jesus said, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
I believe this is a doable task and if you come along to work diligently, wait patiently, and watch joyfully what God is able to do in these days, He is going to bless you and favor you.
Executive Director
Asia Pacific Free Methodist Missions Association (APFMMA)