An interaction with students last fall at Life Pacific University (LPU) proved both eye-opening and instructive about the future of church planting in The Foursquare Church. During a question-and-answer session with those in the Bible and ministry tracks, I asked if anyone was interested in planting a church.
No one raised their hand.
But then I followed up with: “What if a group of you and your buddies came together, and Foursquare trained, equipped, resourced and empowered you to bring the gospel to your city and your group of friends, and to start a community of faith? Would that be of interest to you?”
Now, nearly every hand in the room went up.
This showed me a couple of realities: (1) Our current language may not be connecting with young people, but their heart for gospel multiplication is alive and well; and (2) Young adults want to do ministry as a team, not by themselves.
While we are in the seminal stages of bringing this concept to life, that conversation touched off the beginnings of a new track to guide more young leaders into church planting. We want to create a pathway for LPU students who are interested in launching new churches after graduation.
Then, while they’re still on campus, we can work with them to help create a team and give them practical skills, such as how to lead a small group, pray for people and start a healthy church. We will also identify the city or area where they feel called. We have professors ready to help direct this fledging initiative.
In addition to helping students glean practical skills while on campus, the program will be designed to send LPU graduates to a church-plant location for a year-long internship so they can acquire ministry skills. Students will also be prepared for Multiply, a two-year-long process for those who want to start a church.
Young people have a lot of energy and a revivalist spirit that is central to their identity. We need older leaders to come alongside them with wisdom and experience to fan those flames, help them remain committed, and keep the flames burning.
-RusseLl joyce
This is an attempt to tap into our roots and follow founder Aimee Semple McPherson’s example: to train young people, equip them, partner them with leaders and mentors, and prepare them to start a community of faith. After all, Sister Aimee didn’t just start a church in 1923, she also founded a Bible institute to teach others how to spread the gospel.
One reason this is so exciting is I see our movement at an inflection point, with the Great Commission again becoming our driving force. The Holy Spirit is restoring a dedication to Christ’s call, reflected in the spiritual conversations I hear that are more centered on gospel growth than church growth.
A key for this to come together is commitment from the entire Foursquare family. It can’t be restricted to planters. For example, if someone is starting a church in Boise, Idaho, Foursquare pastors in that district should adopt, resource, champion and pray for that pastor. This will take all of us.
We have to do so recognizing that the church of the future won’t necessarily look like the past. What we’re seeing today with young adults is much more flexibility with the expressions of what they are planting. They are revivalistic. Revival moments don’t set out to start institutional expressions of church. They just let the gospel go, and what comes, comes.
Young people have a lot of energy and a revivalist spirit that is central to their identity. We need older leaders to come alongside them with wisdom and experience to fan those flames, help them remain committed, and keep the flames burning.
I deeply believe the Lord is preparing a new wave of kingdom expansion, and all of us have an important part to play in this work. I hear it in conversations, and I see it in leaders stepping out in faith: The Great Commission is being restored among us as our central driving motivator.
Gone are the days where our primary concern was preserving our own thing. Now we are seeing a shared vision to join together and see the gospel go forth into all the nations, into every city, culture and neighborhood, so that Christ may be known in all in the world.
These are our historical roots, and it feels like they are being stretched and centered once again. May we offer everything Jesus has put into our hands for whatever it is He has in His heart.
Russell Joyce is the director of Foursquare Multiply, which is in the process of planting approximately 175 churches. He prepared this article with Ken Walker, a longtime contributor to Foursquare.
