All over the world, God's spirit is moving...
“Go make disciples of all peoples.”
Between Jesus’ command 2,000 years ago and His Spirit’s local and global activity comes our opportunity to engage in the Kingdom of God's expansion. Community Church Planting (or CCP) has done just that, originating out of a church planting movement that saw three million baptisms and 30,000 churches planted over a 10-year period.
CCP uses basic principles that come out of the context of the rural village life that Jesus knew, and has effectively translated those principles into the African context. In fact, CCP was once known as Village Church Planting in Africa. Because CCP methods are reduced to simple components, they can be adapted for more complex urban settings and in regions dominated by other major religions.
“Church” has accumulated various misunderstandings through the centuries, so CCP seeks to reduce the concept of “church” to its simplest forms. It also underscores the fact that God is at work all over the world preparing doors of opportunity for the Gospel. He is preparing a person or family of peace to be a bridge for the Gospel in a community.
The resources for the community church are in the community. The leadership for new community churches should come out of the community. From this vision and faith comes our effort to use every skill, strategy and passion God has given to fulfill the Great Commission.
Rapid church planting is actually part of a larger group of similar movements that are quietly and fervently changing the world in which we live. These have often emerged on the margins of the church and, as they fold into the Body of Christ, they enrich the church's ongoing witness.
CCP grew out of a partnership with One Mission Society (OMS). Many denominations benefitted, including the Free Methodist church in Central Africa which saw close to 200,000 baptisms. Since 2013, CCP has introduced initiatives with the Free Methodist church in South and Southeast Asia and Latin America. The most recent challenge is how to get traction in Europe and other new regions.
Embedded into the DNA of a CCP church is that it should immediately and continually be reproducing leaders, and churches and their new believers. It ultimately comes back to prayerfully believing that God is doing a new thing as “All over the world God’s Spirit is moving.”
David Yardy
Free Methodist World Missions