Kellen Criswell is a pastor, ministry leader, and former missionary who holds and MA in Global Leadership from Western Seminary and is currently working on his doctorate. He is the Executive Director of Calvary Global Network and has a heart for the mission of God and the global church.

In this episode we discuss Missional Ecclesiology, which is a way of understanding the identity, purpose, and function of the church within the Missio Dei (mission of God). Ecclesiology is the discussion of what the Church is called to be and to do – including its nature, purpose, hopes, structures, and practices.

We discuss how this concept works out practically, including a discussion of “foreign missions” and how they fit into this understanding. Furthermore, we discuss what the past nearly two years of pandemic has revealed about ecclesiology, and why there is hope as we move forward.

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Theology for the People Podcast – Addressing the intersection of theology and culture with Nick Cady, pastor of White Fields Community Church in Longmont, Colorado.

CGN Giving Tuesday Testimonials

Ministry leaders and believers alike have faithfully donated to the network to help support churches in their calling to share the gospel around the world!

One story is from Esteban Valenzuela!

Esteban leads Raíces Madrid Evangelical Christian Church in Madrid, Spain. Through YOUR giving, Raíces Madrid has been able to secure their own building to facilitate their church gatherings that also meets city requirements. Esteban was able to complete a few necessary installments that approved their congregation number to grow by city standards. Praise the Lord!

Read About Our Story in India and More!

Together we can do much more than we can separately!

Thank you for your support, prayers, and encouragement in 2020. It has been an interesting year, however, we have been amazed by the work the Lord has done. We ended 2019 with a bang, with our first CGN vision and planning meeting. One of the main themes from that meeting was “Together we can do much more than we can separately.”

Scripture uses imagery to describe the spirit of togetherness characterized by the early church. There is such a profound sense of togetherness in the book of Acts; the Christians pooled their possessions and distributed them to brothers and sisters in need (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-35) and the church grew exponentially. We have provided the financial and annual report below for you to see what God has done in this unprecedented year and for you to pray about partnering with us financially. Imagine what could be accomplished if hundreds of churches were working together, informing, training, connecting, and church planting. That is our goal for 2021.

May the Lord bless the new year in 2021 with His grace and guidance for us all.

Blessings,

Brian Brodersen and The Calvary Global Network Team

read full report

CalvaryChapel.com has two extension sites that are led by two awesome ladies! We are excited to introduce Denisa Stanciu who manages Calvary.ro! She is a part of the CGN and CalvaryChapel.com Team, based in Romania! Below is a note from Denisa, an excerpt of an article from CalvaryChapel.com that is available in Romanian and an interview with Denisa and Pastor Nicu Hagiu from Brasov, Romania!

“I’m Denisa from Romania! I’ve been a translator for CGN since 2017, and I’m happy to be giving people good, uplifting Christian resources in their language!”

Resources:

Romanian Extension Site: Calvary.ro

Calvary Chapel Brasov: calvarychapelbrasov.com

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Cum să te bucuri mereu în lucrare

8. BUCURĂ-TE DE CRUCEA LUI CRISTOS

Pavel spunea: “Căci mie nu îmi e rușine de Evanghelie, fiindcă ea este puterea lui Dumnezeu pentru mântuirea fiecăruia care crede (Romani 1:16).” “Dacă toate sursele de bucurie secătuiesc, crucea lui Cristos rămâne un râu dezlănțuit de bucurie. În orice circumstanțe, putem sărbători ceea ce a făcut Cristos pentru noi – aceasta este o fântână adâncă cu implicații veșnice și trebuie să ne bucurăm de ea întreaga viață.”

Lista noastră “de bucurie” poate fi infinit de lungă, însă punctele de mai sus sunt câteva motive de pe lista mea, care m-au ajutat în lucrare de-a lungul anilor. Dacă te străduiești să ai înaintea lui Dumnezeu o inimă care sărbătorește, gândește-te la câteva dintre acestea sau întocmește-ți propria listă; însă petrece câteva momente în fiecare zi să I le spui lui Dumnezeu.
Pe măsură ce îi mulțumești Lui, bucurându-te de harul Lui pentru tine, cred că vei vedea că povara ta va fi mai ușoară. La fel ca Pavel în temnița din Filipi, vei începe să cânți despre El și harul Lui.

Citește Articolul

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How to Rejoice Always in Ministry

8. REJOICE IN THE CROSS OF CHRIST

Paul said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). And if all other sources of joy dry up, the cross of Christ is a raging river of joy. In any and every circumstance, we can celebrate what Jesus has done for us. It is a deep well with eternal implications, and we must rejoice over it for the duration of our lives.

Our “rejoicing” list could be infinite in length, but the above are a few of the items on my list, which have helped me in ministry over the years. If you struggle to have a celebratory heart before God, consider some of them, or make your own list, but take some time each day to say them to God. As you thank Him, rejoicing over His grace toward you, I think you’ll find your burden lighten a little. And, like Paul in the Philippian dungeon, you’ll find yourself singing of God and His grace.

Continue Reading

_{Also Meet Cinthya Rios: Spanish Translator for esp.calvarychapel.flywheelsites.com!}

In this video, Jimmy Schauerte of Roots NYC shares a praise report of the Calvary Global Network churches who came together and sent funds to help them as they continue through this season of healing!

Through this COVID-19 pandemic, Roots NYC (and NYC overall) has been greatly impacted by the virus. Jimmy shares the church’s experience through this season.

To stay up to date with Roots NYC, visit rootsnyc.church. To learn more about the CGN Church Relief Fund, visit calvaryglobalnetwork.com.

Having pastored a church without small groups, and now having pastored a church where always at least half of the congregation is in a small group, I can tell you the latter is preferable. People need to know each other. People need to interact with healthy Christians. People need community.

But many churches have a hard time establishing a thriving small group ministry. I know this through observation, but also through many conversations I’ve had with pastors and leaders who ask me for advice about small groups in their setting. And it has been a joy, over the years, to help a handful of churches lead and launch fruitful small group ministries.

What follows is some of the advice, along with some observations, I give to churches.

1. My Bible teachings aren’t the only things needed for transformation to occur.

I love the Bible. I dedicate roughly half my work week to studying, writing and teaching the Bible. When I was 18, I heard the voice of the Lord say, “I’ve called you to teach my Word.” I haven’t looked back. This task has consumed my life. I love the Bible.

But I know people need to live out the Bible with other Christians. Someone can hear about purity from the pulpit for 20 years, yet remain in secret sin. However, when they get into a small group, the impurity manifests itself. Someone can hear about wise financial management, but never do anything with the word they’ve heard. But in a small group, they’ll interact with Christians who have handled their finances well. Their lives will back up the message. From the pulpit, they will hear about the cross of Christ. I try to teach everyone about the importance of their newfound identity in Him. I urge them on toward sanctification. And I apply the great doctrines of Christ to their personal holiness, relationships, workplaces and family life. But I’ve seen how someone can hear those messages for years, yet never evidence any real change, and then, through interaction with other believers, watch it all come together.

You see, I can talk about confession, but where will they confess to others? I can talk about loving others, but where will they have an outlet to do so? I can talk about the importance of Christian fellowship, but where will it occur? I can talk about parenting your children in Christ, but where will they see it exemplified? So often, it’s been in the context of the smaller group.

If my pulpit work alone is responsible for transformation in people’s lives, I’ve put too much weight on the pulpit.

2. I shouldn’t overemphasize the personal aspects of the Christian life while neglecting the communal life of the church.

The early church expected to go through life together. They were instinctively tuned toward a “together” life. But our modern age and western thought often highlight the individual rather than the community. We think a lot about ourselves, focus on ourselves and prefer ourselves.

But the Christian life cannot be lived alone. Yes, our faith is personal. Each individual must submit to Christ and follow His lead personally. A Christian’s devotional life, consecration and service to God are personal in nature.

Still, we shouldn’t only emphasize the personal aspects of the faith. We are a community, one which reinforces the doctrines and practices we want to employ as individuals. In other words, the group helps each person become what they should. The “one-another” of the New Testament helps the church live life together, and this leads to greater spiritual health in each individual.

3. I don’t need to develop small replicas of a church service.

As I said, I love the Bible and have received a strong tradition in the Scripture from those who came before me. I love Bible study. I like teaching it. I like listening to others teach. It’s one of my favorite things to do, just not in a living room.

In a small group, I want to know people, not hear another sermon. I want to hear how the Word of Christ has affected the people I’m in regular interaction with. I want to know what the Lord is saying to them.

Honestly, hearing people talk about how the previous Sunday’s text and teaching ministered to their hearts is so encouraging. Then, over the years, watching people grow and develop as the Word messes with them is one of my greatest joys.

But, often, because we love the Word so much, churches will let small groups be a little replica of a Sunday or midweek church service. First, the small group sings. Then, announcements. Finally, a teaching.

All this can be fine, but we need places to apply the Word, pray for others and be known. We need a place to talk about the apostles’ doctrine, fellowship, break bread and pray together (Acts 2:42).

4. I have to get out of my comfort zone.

Many pastors are more comfortable behind a pulpit than in a living room. They like communicating to, but not with, others. Get them sitting on a couch in someone else’s living room, without any other assignment, to listen to and love the people they’re with, and their palms get sweaty. Can’t we just have a church service? They might think.

But the Lord wants us to spend time with people. Many people claim to be introverted, but I assure you, I am. I try to let God use it for His glory. It’s part of what makes me comfortable with extended hours in private study, writing or prayer. But I also know it would be unhealthy for me only to be alone with God; I must also be with God’s people. And though I can’t spend personal time with every member of the church, I certainly can with my small group.

If a pastor doesn’t like being in a small group, he won’t emphasize them. If he doesn’t value Christian community, he won’t prioritize it for the church.

5. I must recognize the need for a holistic approach to spiritual development.

Since the Word of God is perfect and pure, our teaching of His Scriptures helps shape the mind, heart and soul of the people we serve. But people need other venues to become balanced and whole believers. While the development of the mind and intellect are important, so is the maturation of the emotions or the body. Feelings and habits are often shaped in the context of a Christian community.

I’ve found many pastors have been so powerfully shaped over the years by the teaching ministry of others, that they forget this isn’t the normal experience. I spent my first decade in Christ, consuming massive amounts of teaching and preaching from others. I am still an avid listener and reader of Bible teaching. And I feel all of it has shaped me into a more Christlike version of Nate Holdridge. But, if I’m not careful, I will think my experience normative. Many folks, though, will need more of their breakthroughs to take place in the context of community.

Let me give an example. When I was younger, I went through a phase where I wasn’t taking care of my physical health at all. It was a what-really-matters-is-the-kingdom-not-my-weight kind of attitude. Now, obviously, people obsess and worship their health quite often in our modern world. But I kind of let myself go. All the while, I received teaching about stewardship, even stewardship of the body. But I did nothing about the message.

One day, some friends and I got to talking. We determined we weren’t taking care of the bodies God gave us, so we challenged each other to start taking our physical health seriously. And that short season changed my life, setting me on a trajectory of physical fitness. Now, I try to steward my body well so I can, with strength and stamina, serve Jesus for many years. But it took Christian community for the lesson to sink in. The Word had shaped my mind, but I needed a community to live it out in.

And in small groups, the Scriptures are discussed, but we also talk about our feelings. When we vocalize our feelings, doubts and insecurities, the Spirit receives some room to operate. When we commit to various habits and disciplines, the community helps us recognize whether we are staying the course.

6. Our small groups don’t have to threaten the unity of the church.

I don’t think you can be a church with small groups if the secondary and tertiary doctrines of Scripture are treated like primary ones in your church. For example, if a pastor can’t talk about eschatology without humility, and instead insults Christians with views other than his, then the small group experience will suffer. People won’t know how to handle Christians who, though being solid on the primary doctrines of Scripture, aren’t exactly like them in the others.

But if a church is able to give treatment to the secondary and tertiary doctrines with conviction and charity, then they will become a place that can more easily handle small groups. A pastor’s tone in the pulpit will help set the atmosphere of the small group.

And, yes, small groups can unearth all kinds of things: not just doctrinal differences, but interpersonal conflict. The thing is, these often already exist. Why pretend they don’t? Instead, face them head-on. And, though life gets real inside small groups, I have found our church much more unified than before. Every awkward moment, disappointment, or conflict, in my estimation, has served as an opportunity for sanctification to take hold.

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Our fellowship has enjoyed a prioritized and vibrant small group ministry for the past eight years. We were a collection of people before, but now, after years of meeting together in smaller settings, thousands of quality relationships have formed. We know and love one another.

It has been a joy for me, as a pastor, to watch this development. It has been messy. People have gotten hurt. Complaints have come. But sin is going to be part of the church until Christ returns, so it’s inevitable, especially when you put people in the same room with each other, that offense and misunderstanding and anger will occur. But, through it all, we have encouraged, loved and walked with one another through life. We have so far to go to become like the earliest church, but we are growing more into Christlikeness every day, and I believe these smaller settings are working so well with our larger gatherings toward that goal. If I had to do it all over again, I would lead us toward small groups because people need community.

The roles and extent to which women engage in ministry leadership and Bible teaching is a point of long-standing discussion and disagreement among professing followers of Jesus. In response to requests from leaders of churches that are part of Calvary Global Network (CGN), this brief statement is intended to offer some clarity on views and practices that fall within the parameters of CGN’s official theological positions and ministerial philosophy on this subject, and those that do not.

Complementarian Relationships

As a network of churches, CGN is officially Complementarian. Our understanding of the complementarian view of men, women, and their roles in the family and church is articulated in our CGN Theological Affirmations:

“We believe that God created human beings, male and female, in His own image. He created them sinless, equal in value, dignity and worth. According to His purpose and design, God created them to fulfill distinct but complementary roles in the contexts of marriage, family and the local church (Genesis 1:26-28; Ephesians 5:22-6:4; 1 Timothy 3:1-7).”¹

“Soft” Or “Hard” Complementarianism?

In current theological discourse, the terms “soft” and “hard” complementarianism are often used. We believe that most soft and hard complementarians would generally affirm the basic definition of complementarianism offered above. The differences between those who would describe themselves as soft or hard complementarians typically come down to our understanding of the ways complementarian theology should or should not be applied.

Unity in Application

In terms of unity, complementarians generally agree that God has called husbands to serve as the sacrificial leaders in their marriages and families, and that the senior office(s) of leadership (often referred to as Elder/Pastor, Senior Pastor, Lead Pastor, Co-pastor, etc.) in the local church is reserved for men. For the purposes of this statement, by “senior offices of leadership” we have in mind the leader or leaders viewed as the official doctrine-setting, governing, overseeing, church-disciplining authority, in the local church context.

Diversity in Application

Outside of agreeing that the office(s) of senior leadership in the local church is reserved for men and that husbands are called to be the sacrificial leaders in their marriages and family, there is great diversity among professing complementarians in how their shared basic theology is to be applied. This is particularly true in considering the ways women may or may not serve in positions of ministry leadership. Many soft complementarians would not install/ordain a woman as a church elder, for instance, but have no problem with women serving as deacons, directing ministry programs, leading worship, teaching Bible and theology to women and children, or teaching Bible and theology to mixed audiences where both adult men and women are present.

Key texts for the soft complementarian perspective are noted in the definition of complementarianism provided above.

With some variation, many hard complementarians may feel uncomfortable with a woman leading in prayer, worship, scripture-reading, or related activities, in a congregational gathering. Of specific importance to many hard complementarians is the issue of teaching the Bible to mixed audiences of male and female adults. Hard complementarians often contend that women should not be permitted to teach the Bible in a setting where adult men are present, because this, in their view, violates precepts and principles of important biblical texts that address God’s design for men and women’s roles.

A key text for the hard complementarian perspective is 1 Timothy 2:11-15:

“Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.” (ESV et al)

Egalitarianism

Egalitarianism is the view that God created human beings, male and female in His own image. He created them sinless, equal in value, dignity, and worth. Regarding roles for men and women in the church, Egalitarians contend that gender is an irrelevant point of distinction among prospective leaders, because of the unity of believers in the body of Christ.

A key verse for the Egalitarian perspective is Galatians 3:28:

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

What Perspectives/Positions Do CGN Leaders/Churches Hold?

As a network, CGN is officially NOT Egalitarian.

Leaders and churches that believe in or practice installing/ordaining women in the senior leadership offices of the local church (again, Elder/Senior Pastor, etc.) will not be permitted to formally join CGN. This parameter is not defined in a sectarian or self-righteous spirit. As leaders and fellow-heirs of the grace of Christ, we desire God’s blessing upon, leadership, and fruitful kingdom use of our brothers and sisters who have studied the Bible and come to Egalitarian convictions on subjects related to the roles of men and women in the family and church. However, we do believe the scriptures are in discord with the tenets of Egalitarianism, specifically the notion that gender is an irrelevant distinction when determining who may serve in the senior leadership office(s) of the local church, and that upholding God’s design for men and women is of high theological, missional, familial, and societal importance. For these reasons, though CGN is open to partnering for the gospel in strategic ways with certain individual Christians, leaders, churches, networks, and denominations, who may hold the Egalitarian position, formal inclusion in CGN will be limited to those leaders and churches who ascribe to and model a complementarian perspective.

As a network, CGN consists of BOTH Soft and Hard Complementarian leaders and churches.

The point of theological and practical unity required of CGN leaders and churches regarding the application of complementarianism is that they reserve the office(s) of senior leadership (as defined at the local church level) for biblically qualified male leaders. Outside of that, there is freedom and respect in how leaders and churches will apply the basic theological tenets of complementarianism in the life and leadership structure of the local church, in accordance with whether the local leaders lean toward a hard or soft form of complementarianism. How women are or are not engaged in leading worship, teaching women and children, teaching mixed audiences with both adult men and women present, etc., is left to the discretion of local church leadership. On a network leadership level, CGN will not require or restrict local church leadership from following their biblical and practical convictions in such areas. We expect and celebrate the reality that there is a spectrum within CGN on the application of complementarian theology, that is an outworking of local church leaders praying, studying, and leading well under the guidance of the Holy Spirit together, in their local context.

The Dangerous Duty of Unity

It is important when formulating and expressing one’s convictions and practice on these kinds of issues to maintain Christ-like character and gospel-centered unity. One’s orthodoxy or evangelical pedigree is not determined by their understanding of men and women’s roles in the church. This discussion is a family discussion. Whatever opinion we individually hold on the matter, we must also hold high the Bible’s standard and call to Christian unity in the gospel, and make sure we disagree agreeably, always displaying love in our attitudes and actions. There is a direct correlation between the quality of the unity we embrace and model in the Person and mission of Christ, and our missional and evangelistic effectiveness (John 17:20-21). The Person and work of Christ is to be the primary point of unity in our interpersonal relationships in the local church. (1 Corinthians 1:10; Philippians 4:2). Self-righteous attitudes (James 4:6), and disunity fueled by a disproportionate emphasis on secondary doctrinal matters (1 Timothy 6:4), threaten to unravel our unity in the gospel, into which we have been enfolded through the bloody death of the Son of God on the cross (Ephesians 2:11-18), and the regenerating, unifying agency of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19; Ephesians 4:30-32).

In all of our passion and efforts spent contending for our interpretations and applications of biblical truth on issues such as gender roles in ministry leadership, let us not forget to adhere with equal or greater fervor to the biblical commands to receive, model, and extend Christ-centered love and unity.

“I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:1-5).

Notes:

¹ What We Believe: We are Complementarian.

As a community of churches committed to Great Commission engagement, we are excited to share how we carry out the Great Commission through our Training Initiative.

Training Initiative: Equipping current and next generation preachers, disciple makers and church planters for Great Commission engagement

One way we break this initiative down practically is through:

. Institutional Training

. Church-Based Training

. REACH Project (International)

. Global Conferences

This week, we are highlighting Institutional Training:

Formal training is conducted at various CGN connected institutions of higher education and specialized training around the world, including Bible colleges with programs designed to help students know Jesus and live a life that glorifies Him.

This week, we will be focusing on Calvary Chapel Bible College Europe, uniquely located to emphasize missions, church planting and ministry in Eastern and Western Europe. By attending the campus, not only will students gain a heart for missions, but they will also be given the opportunity to live out that heart. Learn more at CCBCE.com.

If you are interested in attending Calvary Chapel Bible College Europe, visit ccbce.com to view all info and application FAQ’s.

. Q&A Interview with Pam Markey of CCBC Europe

. “My Experience at CCBC Europe” by Jeremy Foster

It was early September of 1996, and the fall semester at Calvary Chapel Bible College Europe was just about start. I was on a flight from Los Angeles, California, to Munich, Germany, flipping through a phrase book trying to learn how to say, “yes,” “no,” “please,” and “thank you” in German (my two years of high school Spanish were of zero help at this point.) I had no idea that I was just starting the ride of my life. I would stay at CCBCE (then at Schloss Heroldeck in Millstatt, Austria) for my final three semesters of Bible college and be in CCBCE’s first graduating class.

As a student of CCBCE, one of my favorite aspects of the program was the opportunity to get to know so many missionaries and church leaders in Europe.

—Servant leaders who have been out on the front lines doing hard work for years upon years upon years. I was also able to visit many different countries and see God working across Europe, to see Him move in various cultural contexts. I visited cities which had never seen a single protestant church—let alone a Bible-teaching one—in their history. This was true in hundreds if not thousands of cities across the continent.

After graduating, the staff asked me to stay on board and teach an elective class. (In retrospect, I’ve always felt bad for the students who took that class, but those who survived were hopefully no worse for the year.) After returning to the states, my wife and I spent some years ministering at Calvary Chapel Vineland, New Jersey, before heading back to CCBCE in 2004.

Upon returning to the college (now as an ordained pastor), I was given the great privilege of working with some of the most amazing men and women of God in the world.

The teaching staff of CCBCE has shared God’s Word with students who come from all across the States. We’ve had students from Nigeria, Ethiopia, Australia, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Japan and China; students from Brazil, Russia, Cuba, a great many European countries, and even from Canada, to name a few places. While living in Europe from 2004 to 2013, I was able to share God’s Word in 12 different countries. Needless to say, I’m spoiled.

Fast forward to today. I’m sitting at my desk in Rogers, Arkansas, where I pastor a fantastic little church. I’ve just returned from another trip to CCBCE, and I was—not surprisingly—thoroughly blessed by my time with the students and staff at the college’s current location in Budapest, Hungary. I’ve had the pleasure of being either a student, teacher, pastor or guest lecturer for more than 20 different semesters of Calvary Chapel Bible College Europe. I’ve been given a unique perspective to see so much of God’s work through CCBCE from the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s.

Over the years, literally hundreds of CCBCE’s students have taken their own missionary adventures to serve our great Savior across the planet.

Others have returned to their native countries—that much more prepared and equipped to do the work of the ministry—where they’re now teaching others about the love of God. It’s amazing to see how our college has impacted and is impacting so many lives and eternities in so many different places. Former “CCBCEer’s” have spent time ministering on every continent (except—to my knowledge—Antarctica). CCBCE’s reach includes the fact that we have former students dealing with Russian immigration and the polar vortex as they declare Jesus in—no kidding—Siberia.

It was Dr. Robert Moffat, who, in the early 1800s shared with Dr. David Livingstone what he often saw in Africa: “the smoke of a thousand villages,” where no message of the gospel, no missionary or no mention of Jesus had ever reached. What’s staggering is that there are seemingly thousands of cities across the continent of Europe where the same can be said still today.

There is much need, and CCBCE has continued to be a constant bridge for the gospel over the years.

Every semester of CCBCE’s history has included a variety of outreaches where students serve at various Calvary Chapels, meet some wonderful saints and share the good news of Jesus with the world. These students are given what I was given all those years ago: an opportunity to see God at work in ways that they’d never be able to see without first taking a step of faith, getting on an airplane and frantically flipping through a foreign language phrase book. I hope these students have stories of their own, and that they become just like me: super spoiled as they are given opportunities to be part of God’s great work through His people across the planet.

Legendary actress Sophia Loren was quoted as saying, “Everything you see I owe to spaghetti.” I’m not going to say that I owe everything to my time with CCBCE; that would be silly. I will say that God used all those semesters in so many ways to help shape me into who I am today. For that, I’m spoiled, and because of that, I’m grateful.

Vision

Calvary Chapel University desires to be a premier, Christian higher education community loving God, loving others and making disciples of Jesus Christ.

“Go ye therefore and MAKE DISCIPLES of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Mission Statement

Calvary Chapel University exists to serve lifelong learners and the ministries of churches worldwide by offering undergraduate and graduate programs in a Christ-centered community.

We foster an environment characterized by:

. Simply Jesus

. Superior Academics

. Servant Leadership

We would love to hear from you! To learn more and contact us, visit calvarychapeluniversity.com.

In my last article, I discussed two key components for successful church planting: prioritizing and preparing. By prioritizing, I meant establishing “church planting” in the DNA of your church’s mission. By preparing, I meant sending out church planters and team members that are fully equipped. In this article, I want to address the third component of pastoring a church that plants churches. That third component is partnerships.

PARTNERSHIPS

We can do more together than we can on our own. I doubt anyone would argue against that idea, but sometimes it’s easier said than done. It feels easier and less complicated to do it on our own, preferring our way as the best way, unencumbered by the potential milieu of challenges partnerships present. But my pushback on that is: What about learning from each other? What about considering better ways of doing ministry? What about the strength of ministering together instead of solo? What about your wisdom and gifts being used to bless other ministries? Effective church planting means strategic partnerships.

This is one reason why I appreciate Calvary Global Network’s emphasis on collaborating for the kingdom. It’s clear that the vision of CGN is: big picture partnerships that facilitate healthy ministry relationships, leverage expertise and experience, and unite likeminded people in order to grow God’s kingdom for His glory. Strong partnerships make flourishing ministries. In this article, I want to suggest three key ingredients to having healthy partnerships.

1) Servant Attitude:

The purpose of partnerships isn’t to be served, but to serve. Of course, there is the strategic piece to partnerships that enables you to execute the mission of your church more effectively. But the disposition of each partner must be to serve the other. Certainly, this was the mindset of Jesus (Philippians 2:5-11; Matthew 20:28). Servant-oriented partnerships provide the soil to grow humility, transparency, love and unity. This will assist in eliminating conflict that’s generated by pride, ego, self-centered ambitions and ungodly agendas. Of course, that would never happen in ministry (smile). This also causes the partnership to be of greater mutual benefit.

For example, we have an “Awaken Crusade” in Mexico City happening in 2019. We partner with well over 100 churches and organizations with the goal of, equipping churches to evangelize, reaching the impoverished with food, medical care and clothing, through an event called Blessfest, hosting a major evangelistic crusade and conducting church planting training conferences. The local church leaders have been overwhelmingly gracious to us, catching the vision, engaging their congregations and providing people to serve. As a result, people will be saved, the saved will be equipped and more churches will be planted!

2) Relational:

Having a servant’s heart creates partnerships that are relational. Partnerships do not exist to just execute an initiative. While that may be true for institutions, it’s not true for the church, which is a living organism composed of people. Honestly, sometimes I can become more focused on the system that is executing the goal, than I am on the people who are doing the work. That leads me to be impatient, uncaring and unrealistic expectations I place on others.

Collaborating for God’s kingdom means investing time in people and developing relationships founded in love, being unified in the Spirit, and having like-minded theology and ministry philosophy. Taking the time to develop these relationships makes partnerships a joy instead of a burden and maximizes their effectiveness. But not only that, these types of partnerships have the greatest capacity for alignment in theology and ministry philosophy. What’s the point of partnering if you are not going in the same direction? As the Scriptures say, “Can two walk together unless they are agreed?” (cf. Amos 3:3). Relational partnerships not only begin with alignment, but deepen the alignment over the course of time, making them stronger.

3) Strategic:

Finally, healthy partnerships are complimentary. There’s no reason to partner if it means unnecessary redundancy. Be honest about the areas that are weak in your ministry and prayerfully consider partnering with an organization that can fill those areas in a way that is excellent. A few years back, we decided that we needed to engage an organization that excels in equipping Christians in apologetics. By God’s grace, a strategic partnership with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries was birthed and has become an integral part of our church.

Areas of partnership include: a regular rotation of world class speakers equipping the congregation, utilizing their home group curriculum called Everyday Questions, developing apologetics curriculum for our Christian School, hosting a ReBoot event to address relevant issues facing our youth, sending evangelists to RZIM’s Emerging Apologists Program and working together to reach the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. It would be impossible for us to replicate what RZIM brings to the table. Working strategically together enables us to fulfill our mission more effectively.

Years ago, a handful of us in New England had the desire to reach Canada with the gospel. Most of our churches were really small, and we felt by ourselves there was little that we could do. But we banded together, created Calvary Chapel French Outreach Initiative, and partnered with a Calvary in Montreal. God blessed the fruit of those labors! We discovered that what we were unable to do on our own, we were able to do together. Two truly are better than one (cf. Ecclesiastes 4:9).

Nothing excites me more than to see new churches planted. New churches mean souls being saved, lives being changed, God being worshiped, more churches being planted and the kingdom of God growing. Who isn’t excited about that? I’ll be at two conferences in Mexico this month where church planting will be a focus. Pastor Jonathan Domingo in Ensenada and Pastor Mike Vincent in Rosarito are passionate about church planting, and their respective churches are amazing at it.

It’s my firm belief that every church should be multiplying. Regardless of size, resources and staffing. According to recent studies, there are 148 million unchurched people in the U.S. alone. Las Vegas comes in at number five in the top 10 most unchurched cities in the U.S. So, I would say now is a good time to plant a church! There are three simple steps that any senior pastor and leadership team can take to help them move in the direction of church planting multiplication.

1. PRIORITIZE

The first and most obvious step is to make church planting a priority. My life is no different than any other senior pastor. There are a thousand things every day that can consume my attention, with another thousand tomorrow. One of the most challenging tasks as a leader is to wade through the milieu and crystalize priorities. I try to achieve this by focusing on four things: prayer, preaching, people and purpose. Those four responsibilities are non-negotiable and one day before God, I will be held accountable for how I’ve handled each one.

With respect to purpose, I believe it’s the responsibility of the senior pastor to know and carry out the mission of the local church he leads and to keep the congregation and the leadership team focused on that mission. You may call it vision or mission, but ultimately, it’s the same thing. What is it that God has absolutely called you to? Our strong conviction is that multiplying the local church in a national and international context should be a priority for every senior pastor. You don’t have to go any further than the Great Commission to see this mandate. Going into all the world and making disciples means that those disciples will gather together. And when they gather together, they are the local church ultimately reaching their community.

Therefore, all efforts to reach the lost in any context comes back to establishing churches.

There’s no legitimate reason for any senior pastor to discount this as a priority. Resist the temptation to fall into the “I can’t” category. I can’t plant churches because I don’t have the resources. I can’t plant churches because I don’t have enough leaders. I can’t plant churches because I don’t know how to train people. You get the point; there will always be an “I can’t.” You’re only in the “I can’t” category if you choose to be. I have seen some of the most unlikely pastors and churches used by God to multiply the local church in ways that can only be understood as supernatural.

Commit to church planting as one of your top priorities and communicate that. Communicate it in your mission statement, on your website, in the studies you teach, the events you lead, and when you equip the people for the work of the ministry. If you are passionate about church planting, your people will be too.

2. PREPARE

Second, prepare yourself, prepare your church planters and prepare your church. I see myself as a perpetual learner in the church planting process. Because it’s a priority, I want to be as educated and experienced as possible. That means learning not only from personal steps of faith but also from others who have experience.

Maybe more than ever there are excellent resources to develop a pastor to become an effective church planter. I believe the adage, “Leaders are readers,” is especially true for pastors. It works like this, “Prepare yourself so that you are able to prepare others.” And the importance of preparing others cannot be overstated. I have heard Calvary pastors say, “If a church plant succeeds, you know it was from God; if it fails, you know it wasn’t from God.” Well, what if the failure of the church plant was a failure in adequately preparing the planter? This might not be a comfortable question to ask, but I think it has to be asked.

We have two church planting programs. The first, is our national program called Pipeline and the second, is our international church planting arm called Calvary Church Planting International. Both programs utilize a classroom, internship, launch coaching approach to prepare and support church planters and their teams for successful plants. Our national program based out of Las Vegas is being consolidated into three Pipeline workbooks – Learning, Coaching, Launching.

As you make church planting a priority and prepare yourself, take the preparation of your church planters seriously. Find solid resources and customize them for your mission and context. No need to reinvent the wheel, but also no need to send out unprepared people. If you’re serious enough to take these steps, then it proves you are passionate about planting churches; and at this point, it will be evident to the people you are leading. Your passion for planting will come through in team meetings, in home group settings, when you’re praying and as you’re teaching the Bible. In other words, the people are going to get it. Frame the mission clearly. Pray that the people in your church become as excited about planting churches as you are. They may not be the planter or part of the planting team, but they are the prayer backbone and support arm for the churches that will be planted.

Next month’s article will be part two of Successful Church Planting focusing on the importance of establishing solid partnerships with some closing thoughts.