Many would look to Ralph Moore as a church planting genius. With at least 700 congregations that report they came out of a church originally planted by Ralph and his wife, Ruby, Ralph is clearly a pro.
But as someone who has been church planting since 1971, Ralph didn’t speak to the Foursquare Connection 2012 delegates about how to multiply churches as far as the eye can see—he spoke about discipling one or two people at a time.
Although it may seem counterintuitive for such a prolific church planter—who has even authored books on the matter—to pull back to focus on one or two people, Ralph says that discipling is key to growing healthy churches.
“The issue always comes down to, ‘We got wrapped up in being big, and we forgot about making disciples,’ ” he cautioned the Connection 2012 audience.
He noted that regularly and consistently discipling is key so that:
- the pastor always has a successor on deck
- the church always has a church planter on deck
- a culture of discipling is being imitated by those closest to the pastor, so that the church becomes a disciple-making machine
Ralph, who recently transitioned his Hope Chapel Kaneohe Bay (Windward Oahu Foursquare Church) congregation to his son, Carl Moore, is now traveling and speaking to encourage churches both inside and outside Foursquare.
Watch a 13-minute interview with Ralph Moore to be inspired about how your church can simultaneously build disciples and plant churches.
This video was recorded at Connection 2012, which took place in Phoenix from May 28–31. Bring home recordings from the main speakers as well as the Learning and Connection Tracks through the Connection 2012 Experience Kit, available for $149.
Check out Leadership Tools online for a variety of helpful resources by Ralph Moore on issues affecting pastoral leaders.
