Walmart “Store Planting Movement”

Our goal is not just “church planting,” but a “Church Planting Movement.”
As we look at this video of Walmart’s
- Establishment and DNA formation
- Slow initial extension into other areas; then
- Rapid multiplication throughout all of America,

What Kingdom thoughts are stimulated by this?

1. As Christ promised, the Church of Jesus Christ has spread like this throughout the whole world.
2. Yet, we long for more, more healthy, more rapid reproduction of healthy churches.
3. Yes, Walmart will fail at some point too, like the Roman and British Empires, like mighty Bank of America, Bear Stearns, and Circuit City, along with tottering Toyota, Citi Bank, McDonalds, and Apple.
4. But, though local churches may rise and fall, The Church of Jesus Christ will be built, growing and reproducing and spreading to and through every tongue and tribe, until all the elect are gathered. And then the end shall come. It cannot not happen. Matt. 16:18; Ezek 47:1-10; Gen 22:16-18.

Dan Iverson, Jan 17, 2009

TO BE READ AND PRAYED OVER WEEKLY; TO BE CHANGED OVER THE YEARS AS GOD LEADS THROUGH HIS WORD, SPIRIT, PROVIDENCE, AND PEOPLE.

Summary: As one greatly loved by God beyond full understanding, to deeply and increasingly know that love as the fountain head for all I am and do. Knowing that love, to love God and others; to be ambitions to please Christ; to zealously seek the full coming of His Kingdom with my whole life, with my family, with my work and other associations, by the Holy Spirit’s strength, that Christ’s Kingdom would come on earth, particularly in Japan.

Purpose: II Cor 5:9- “I make it my ambition to be pleasing to Him.”
Specific Goal: Matt 6:33a- “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.”
Encouraging Promise: Matt 6:33b- “And all these things shall be added unto you.”
My Power Source: II Cor 12:9- “I will rather boast about my weakness, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”

Explanation:

1. To know Christ deeply: To know the love of Christ which passes all understanding in a deeper and deeper way throughout my life by studying the Bible devotionally daily at sufficient length, prayer, reading good books, regular worship, intimate fellowship with committed believers, and telling this good news to others zealously.

2. To please Christ: To ambitiously seek to please Christ in all I do (II Cor 5:9), in His strength (Jn 15:5). That my character would increasingly be like Christ’s (His example, the commandments, loving God with all my heart and others as myself, having the fruit of the Spirit [Gal 5:22]). My life, body, time, abilities, energy, wife, children, work, other associations, money, and anything else are gifts from God. As the steward of these, I must take care of them, and use them for Christ’s greater glory, for the coming of His Kingdom on earth, with particular focus on Japan.

3. Specific Implications:
a. My life- Not mine, but Christ’s, bought with a high price.
b. My body- His temple (I Cor 6:19) , to be taken care of for many years of effective use; means sabbath rests weekly (Gen2:2-3; Ex 20:8-11), and other times yearly; regular exercise, healthy temperate diet.
c. Wife Carol- A great gift from God bringing me much joy and strength. After love for God, Carol must be my 1st love and focus of my life (Eph 5:25). I must attend diligently to her spiritual growth. That Christ’s Kingdom would come more fully as a result of Carol and me by:
1) The increased strength generated by our joyful life together.
2) The world seeing Christ’s love in our relationship.
3) Having many children who will experience God’s love deeply through us, and grow up to deeply love and serve Christ and the world.
d. Children- That God would bless us with many (Ps 127:3-5; Ex 1:20), and that each one will grow up to know, love and follow Christ as devoted disciples. My greatest Kingdom contribution will probably not be through my work, but through the children God gives us to disciple. I must not be so busy in other ministry that I don’t fulfill God’s high call to me to disciple my children deeply, impacting the next generations greatly through these my closest disciples. I must be a godly example, and make God’s word an important part of our daily life (Deut 6:1-9; Ps 78:1-8).
e. Prayer/Plan Retreats- I must get away from the daily busy-ness to pray and gain perspective often, as Jesus did (Lk 4:42; 5:16; 6:12). Daily time, weekly special extended prayer/reflection, other extended times quarterly for a day or two. With Carol as well periodically to pray and reflect on our life, family, ministry, and to set new goals, directions.
f. My possessions- All for Christ’s use and glory. To work hard to provide for my family (I Tim 5:8), but to seek to live simply, not seeking excess, wealth, or great future security (trust that to God). Rather, living on less, to store treasures in heaven, to seek to give ever more generously to His Kingdom work (Mt 6:19ff). He went to the cross for me… how could I not give my all for Him and His Kingdom.
g.Work/ministry- To work hard (in Christ’s strength) as a minister of the gospel, leading many to love God and other people, and to participate zealously in the coming of Christ’s Kingdom, particulary in Japan. Focus on gifts of leading, evangelizing, church planting, church growth, new frontiers, raising up harvest workers, and helping the Japanese church flourish.

1991 through about 2003- Seeking only God’s glory, to pray and work that Christ’s Kingdom would come to Chiba, Japan.

Specifically,
1) As Pastor of Oyumino Church, that a strong, growing church would be raised up in South Chiba City impacting significantly the Oyumino area, and positively influencing Chiba, Japan, and the world for Christ by its example of godliness, sound doctrine, zeal, prayer, evangelism, discipleship, strong families, cell groups, lay ministry, and world missions vision.
2) As Tokyo/Chiba Team Leader, that a thriving presbytery would be raised up in Chiba Prefecture, impacting all of the PCJ and Japan through its zeal, ethos, way of doing “presbytery”, missionary/pastor working relationships, church planting/ church growth strategy & methods, and college ministry.

Major Weaknesses, Areas for Growth: As I write this in 1994, I see my major weaknesses and areas that need growth as:
1. Pride and self-dependecncy: I do much in my own strength, substituting effort and human ability for prayer and relaxed Holy Spirit dependency.
2. Insufficient self-discipline/self control regarding “1st things 1st”, use of time, and in some personal areas.
3. Tendency to overwork and live an unbalanced life, reflecting wrong priorities and a lack of dependencey on Christ.
4. Poor organization & administration: Increased efficiency, and more admin time must be a higher priority. Administrative time must be included in my schedule as a necessary part of life, along with the more important priorities, in order to be more effective for Christ overall.

This Life Mission Statement is beyong me, of course. I will need forgiveness daily, and strength beyond myself. I look in faith to God who promises to graciously give both to those who
ask (I Jn 1:19; II Cor 12:9).

In Dependency on the grace of the Holy Spirit,

Daniel Iverson III

Mar 8, 1994, Chiharadai House, Day of Prayer

During one part Dan talks about the “4 Fs” which are quoted in the following brief summary:

#1 F: Fun- God made us to enjoy Him forever. Talked about “TRUE fun and joy” which included real relationships, crying together as well as laughingtogether, etc. Lots of the film is our family having fun together. Also shows our church gospel music group (gospel music is a craze in Japan right now), our church kids dance group, kids “after school program” for neighborhood kids, etc. When it shows Carol in the kitchen with daughters and daughters/wives of sons, her cute expression is saying how much fun it is to have them in Japan cooking together.

#2 F: Family- The importance of Family, and that church is like a family too. Good stuff about couples loving and forgiving each other for the sake of their kids (our adult kids sharing about that), about confessing and owning up to our sin and failure in our families, and how church needs to be the same kind of family. I share that my dad taught me: “you love your kids? Then LOVE CAROL!”

#3 F: Fujuubun (inadequate)- That we are all weak, needy, fail, in every relationship, and before the true and living God. That in Japan the pursuit of perfection and perfectionism may be great for building cars, but it is terrible for husband wife relationships, raising kids, etc, for we are all “fujuubun”. More than that, we are all sinners. Before God… very needy, really. Then, Danny and Joel singing Danny’s version of “Spirit of the Living God, Fall fresh on me.” They used this in the program to say in the Japanese writing that we who are inadequate need outside help, from God.

#4 F: Fukuin (gospel, good news)- Sharing that the gospel is for inadequate people, us, sinners. In Christ’s gospel, our sins are forgiven, AND God helps us to grow.

One of our visions is that FAMILY emphasis would be “Missional Family”, not “Reformed Evangelical Amish” which doesn’t work anyway in discipling kids well. I actually preached on it recently, from Gen 22:18…. “thru your offspring all the nations of the earth will be blessed.” And, v 17, that these little ones God gives us will possess the gates of our enemies. (Militant terminology; yet, as in Acts, with GOSPEL weapons). We see much “missional” (outward focus) emphasis in some churches, but weakness in family. We see some “family focus” churches that are not Biblically missional, but ingrown; or, militant outward-focused that does not love the lost, doesn’t win the heart of the lost.

This is one of our themes, as we work with fledgeling home school/Christian school movement here in Japan. Learning from our experience watching the USA church/ home school/ Xn school movement for 30 years.

Pray for “Missional Family” in Japan. For that matter, in the USA. And the world. Our families are for the sake of the whole world. Genesis 22:16-17.

Dan Iverson

After a bit of self-pity mixed with pride, I was reminded of how little we sacrifice to be missionaries in Japan in the late 20th century. Missionaries in other countries make much greater lifestyle sacrifices. That helped me gain some perspective on our “sacrifice”. Missionaries in other times and centuries made even greater sacrifices. Many died aboard ship just trying to get to the field. Many buried all or most of their children in a foreign land. Yet when we had discovered a life-threatening problem to Mark (in the womb) on a Friday, Carol was in a specialist’s waiting room in Philadelphia Monday morning. That’s incredible! I remembered the Moravians who gave up their freedom and became slaves in another country in order to take the good news to slaves in that country. Our perceived sacrifice came into even sharper perspective.

But there is nothing that puts any perceived sacrifice into clear perspective like the Incarnation. Think of it! God the Son left heaven’s glory for the humble, dirty, smelly stable in Bethlehem. He did not sacrifice two or more flush toilets for one, but had none. He did not sacrifice central heat for kerosene heaters, but had a fire. He did not sacrifice two cars for one, but had a donkey or sandal leather. I would have picked a comfortable western country in the late twentieth century, not primitive Judea. We thought a 15-year commitment to modern, comfortable Japan was a pretty big sacrifice. But the Eternal Son of God joyfully endured 33 years of filth, smell, cold, and heat. I would have sought a much faster solution to the problem of man’s sin.

The physical discomforts of primitive Judea seem like nothing compared to the other things He endured for us. Think of the temptations, the moment-by-moment pressure of being fully tempted to sin just like us, and yet never giving in to it so that He could be the perfect sacrifice for our sin (Heb. 4:15; WSC #27).

And then, finally, consider the agony of the cross. Not so much the physical pain. Lots of men have endured that, and never sweated drops of blood in fear of it. But the agony of bearing the full poured-out wrath of the Father, even though innocent! And doing all this not for deserving people, but for sinners.

If we think we have sacrificed anything for Christ in the way of our vocation, lifestyle, tithes and offerings, time, etc., we need only reflect a little on the indescribably great sacrifice of Christ. “The Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us” makes any “sacrifice” we make for Christ pale with insignificance. It calls us to give our all, not out of guilt, but in gratitude, for Him who gave His all for us.

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! (II Cor. 9:15).

Daniel Iverson III Christmas 1989 (edited by Judith Newland)

Written by J. O. Fraser, turn of the century church planting missionary to Southwest China.

Along the same lines, our church ladies threw a lunch party for Carol’s parents when they were here last month. As honored guests they were seated at a head table, given gifts, a concert, and many kind emotional sentiments reflecting thanks for sending our family to share the riches of Christ with our Japanese believers. Then, after worship on Sunday, Carol’s dad gave a greeting to the whole congregation. He stood up front with me below the podium with the wireless mike, all eyes fixed on him. (He is a very impressive guy, dignified, strong, 79-year old former Marine Colonel.) Usually, many folks leave quickly after the benediction to rush home to non-Christian spouses/ family who are not so happy with them attending worship; but this day, no one moved.

Dad Chase told how they had received a very serious telephone call from us when we were in seminary. He knew it was serious when we requested that all four of us be on the phone. When we told them that we were prayerfully considering going to Japan as career missionaries, he recalled, with clarity and emotion, their initial reaction. They had lost Carol’s younger sister, Martha, after a long, difficult illness, and felt as though they were getting ready to lose their only other daughter. No one moved. As I interpreted for him, passing the mike back and forth, everyone’s eyes going back and forth between him and me, I thought about how they were hanging on his every word, listening more intently than they had to my sermon a little earlier.

Dad went on to say that, yes, it was difficult to send us to Japan, and still is difficult on them for us to be here. “But being here today worshiping God with you, seeing what God is doing among you makes it all worth it, and gives us great joy to be a part of this by sending our family here.” When he finished, he and Carol’s mom were practically mobbed by people wanting to meet them and express their thanks. We do love these people.

Last night our church staff of 3 Japanese guys and their families gathered with us for our church/staff fellowship time. We had the best time laughing, eating, sharing, laughing, singing, praying, eating more, and laughing some more. We love these people. It’s been 21 years and six months. We still cannot imagine being anywhere else, doing anything else, with anyone else.

We are especially thankful to many of you who keep us here by your prayers and financial support. None of us can support every worthy cause, nor pray for every good Kingdom endeavor. But to those of you who are led to stand behind us, many of you for 22 years now, we are deeply grateful. Thank you!

There is a growing emphasis in missions to “facilitate” evangelism and church planting by indigenous workers in their people groups, and to do less direct ministry and church planting by missionaries. The logic seems reasonable. The indigenous workers already know their language and culture better than missionaries. It costs less Kingdom money per worker. More church planting can be done. There is not the struggle that sometimes takes place when missionaries leave and the work transitions to fully indigenous leadership and self-support. Also, we can sometimes support indigenous church planting in “closed countries” where we cannot send missionaries.

Send Money, not Missionaries

Some churches are supporting and sending fewer missionaries as they increasingly focus on facilitating indigenous church planters by supporting them directly. This support is often via their missionaries who support, coach, mentor, train, and generally facilitate indigenous evangelists and church planters. Those with this philosophy in the extreme sometimes stop sending missionaries completely and only support indigenous workers directly.

Those with this philosophy in the extreme sometimes stop sending missionaries completely and only support indigenous workers directly.

Is this growing facilitation trend good, and Biblical? Are there concerns? Does it fit everywhere?

For the record, I am for facilitation. In a sense, Scripture is calling us to facilitate when it says “equip the saints” to minister (Eph 4:11ff). Jethro, in effect, told Moses to facilitate (Ex. 18:17ff). D. L. Moody wisely said, “Don’t do the work of a thousand men. Put a thousand men to work!” We must be equipping increasing numbers of workers to multiply churches and reach the world.

I daily experience the strengths and weaknesses of both direct and facilitative church planting. I “facilitate” some indigenous Japanese workers by serving, supporting, and coaching from a distance while concurrently doing so-called “old paradigm” direct church planting as a missionary-pastor working toward a Church Planting Movement (CPM) together with three younger Japanese co-pastors.

Being both a missionary “facilitator” in Japan and an observer of this growing missions emphasis worldwide, I have concerns as do experienced mission leaders like Ralph Winter, Robertson McQuilkin, Bruce Young, and others (see for articles written by these men). Concerns include dependency and depth issues, as well as concern for the health of a church that does not send its own sons and daughters to the nations in obedience to Christ’s command. I will address some other concerns here.

Facilitation possible today because of foundations laid yesterday

Praise God that facilitation in missions is increasingly possible. God promised to raise up indigenous “Gentile Levite” church planters (Isa. 66:21), and is doing so worldwide. Christ is building His Church. There are increasing numbers of healthy churches with whom we can partner, serve and facilitate as we pursue Biblical, indigenous CPMs.

Facilitation is possible today from Brazil to Bangladesh because of foundations laid by missionaries through more direct evangelism and church planting in previous generations. In many places, however, those foundations are lacking. The national church is weak or nearly non-existent. There are not scores of indigenous church planters waiting to be facilitated. The Philippines, with over 12% professing evangelical, will be very different from Japan with only 0.4% evangelical, and a statistical scarcity of qualified indigenous partners. Evangelism and church planting by cross-cultural missionaries is still needed so that someday, by God’s grace, there will be indigenous movements with whom we can partner.

Paul’s heart: Laying NEW foundations

Missionary Paul’s heart was not building on already-laid foundations, but rather initiating new work, preaching Christ where “His Name was not yet named” (Rom 15:20). This reflects the heart of the Good Shepherd, who leaves the ninety-nine to find the one lost sheep (Luke 15:4ff). Jesus says that angels rejoice over just one who repents. Reflecting God’s heart, we must seek the lost sheep in the more unreached places, where there may be none or few indigenous partners. Jesus’ clear command was to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19), not only manage and facilitate the making of disciples where things are already moving forward. A missionary leading one person to Christ where there is no one else to tell the gospel is precious to God. A missionary is doing Biblical missions to start a church in a city where there is no church, especially if there is no one else to start it.

Jesus’ clear command was to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19), not only manage and facilitate the making of disciples where things are already moving forward.

The Joshua Project lists people groups under 2% evangelical as “unreached” because they do not yet have the strength to reach their own people. Missionaries are needed to directly evangelize and church plant.

We need both facilitation and direct mission work around the world. The emphasis will depend on the indigenous church’s strength and the missionary’s call, gifts, and experience.

Distant mentoring, or life-on-life discipleship

Mentoring from a distance is good. Periodic training and short-term “experts” from abroad are helpful. The best way, however, to raise up godly, well-trained leaders is daily, life-on-life discipleship. What kind of churches and movements will we leave in 10 or 20 years with a “distant mentoring” approach as opposed to a daily discipleship model? I can have influence in many places as a disburser of mission funds. They will let me speak through the interpreter on my periodic visits. But Jesus’ model of mission is the Deuteronomy 6:6ff model, walking together daily, hearing each other preach, modeling a fellow-struggler seeking to love his wife and disciple his children in the midst of busy ministry and one’s own sinful tendencies. Incarnationally walking with those indigenous leaders we seek to raise up, having family worship in each other’s homes, solving church problems together, and modeling leadership as chief repenter will generally bring about better leadership development. This was how Jesus modeled ministry with lasting impact. Men were His method, and He was “with” them (Mark 3:14).

We especially desire to impart a grace-based Christian life and ministry model. Veteran missionary Bruce Young has observed how difficult it is to teach gospel-centeredness in a culture or established national denomination where non-grace-based thinking is prevalent. I know my ongoing struggles as a recovering Pharisee, 16 years after taking Sonship from Jack Miller himself! Gospel-centeredness in life, family, and preaching rarely comes easily. The Spirit generally brings deep, lasting gospel transformation as we are discipled in relationships.

Nissan’s CEO is French

Cultures are different. Foreigners will have a more difficult time doing direct ministry in some, but will have advantages in others. The two biggest, fastest growing churches in Tokyo are led by foreigners, an Australian and a Hawaiian. The Aussie-led church has about 500 Japanese worshipers in just six years. They are raising up many Japanese workers in the best way, in daily relationship in a dynamic engine church which is now starting daughter churches. Though it seems counter-intuitive, the Australian pastor has a growing church of 500, while Tokyo churches planted by experienced Japanese pastors average fewer than 50 worshipers even after 20 years.

But this fits our world of globalization. Nissan’s CEO is French. Sony’s is also European. Japan’s national soccer team is coached by a Brazilian. In recent years, some top, championship baseball coaches in Japan have been Americans. The man is more important than his passport. A foreigner may generate interest that a national cannot. Fuji Television, one of Japan’s major networks, aired a program nationwide about our family, not a Japanese pastor’s family.

There are still legions of cross-cultural evangelists and church planters around the world contributing to Kingdom advancement by the churches they start, and by the indigenous leaders they mentor. The best place to grow up indigenous leaders is in a vital local church.

Direct church planting by missionaries is often messy, and transitions are difficult. But facilitation is messy, too. Ministry is messy! Christ has used cross-cultural evangelism and missionary church planting to build His Church for 2000 years. We expect Him to continue, delighting to use weak vessels who follow His incarnational model as they lay down their lives for a people group.

While being American may be an asset to ministry in some places, it may be a detriment in others. To get the task done in the latter locations, we must primarily facilitate, keeping ex-pats at a distance. In some countries, Christian leaders are eager to be facilitated, taught, and helped by outsiders. Socioeconomic level may influence how open national leaders are to being helped, taught, and facilitated by foreigners. I observed a new missionary in a poorer country who was able to facilitate and even supervise church planters more experienced than himself. That would be impossible in rich, educated Japan.

We cannot be locked into one church planting ideology and use it exclusively in every culture. We must be flexible, and open to use all Biblical means as we labor for our goal of Biblical, indigenous CPMs around the world. Context matters.

The missionary’s call

One’s call, gifts, passion, experience, and age affect a missionary seeking to serve by facilitating. Not every missionary is like my friend Paul Taylor who, because of experience, age and gifting, can find, mobilize and facilitate indigenous church planters and movement leaders concurrently on multiple continents, while also mentoring and supporting more direct church planters like me and others around Asia. Most newer missionaries are unable to do this kind of facilitation like a gifted, experienced missionary can. They need to learn their new language and culture as they serve, evangelize, disciple and/or church plant. Many will eventually grow into competent facilitators of nationals. Some may never be effective mentors of nationals, but will be good servant facilitators, effective evangelists, or effective in other ways to support pursuit of indigenous CPM.

“Woe is me if I do not… facilitate”?

Missionary evangelists across the ages declare passionately with Paul, “Woe is me if I do not preach the gospel” (I Cor. 9:16). Some folks are hard-wired by God to be missionary evangelists and church planters. Many will die on the vine or be part of missionary attrition statistics if they only manage developing CPMs by email and periodic visits while raising and disbursing funds to nationals. Which method tends to raise missionaries willing to give their lives for the people group they serve? How is our recruiting affected by the facilitation emphasis? I am convinced that for most missionaries, a call to preach Jesus to those who have no one else to tell them, and to be directly involved daily in starting a church where none exists, grabs the heart.

If we only emphasize facilitation, I fear we will not attract and keep in our missionary force the needed evangelists, disciplers, church planters, preachers, and pioneer leader types.

Redeemer NYC: Would facilitation have been better?

We are thankful Tim Keller did not only facilitate church planting in New York City. There were many ministries he could have partnered with, using his gifts to teach and facilitate. Though relatively unreached for the USA, New York City had some gospel foundations on which to build and do facilitative church planting. Thankfully, God led him to initiate, to start a church, to preach Christ-centered messages weekly, and to model gospel-centered, outward-focused leadership.

Facilitation or direct evangelism/church planting? We should continue to do BOTH, as God leads, to varying degrees, depending on the context and the missionary.

**Note: A more abbreviated version of this article and others about missions facilitation can be found in the May 2008 issue of MTW’s “InVision” on-line magazine at www.mtw.org. Articles on this subject by Ralph Winter, Robertson McQuilkin, and Bruce Young may be found at www.iversonjapan.com.

Facilitation: The trend in missions is for missionaries to facilitate evangelism and church planting, but not do it directly. Our MTW InVision internet magazine (www.mtw.org/InVision) for May 2008 looks at both sides of this issue.

I definitely have an opinion. In I Cor. 9:17, Paul did not say “Woe is me if I do not… facilitate” We do need to facilitate, but that is not all we need to do. We also need to make disciples directly, MODEL evangelism, church planting, and gospel-centered life and ministry. And, much in this tension depends on the person and the place, the missionary and his people group.

Below are some good articles on this subject.

Robertson McQuilkin: “Should we stop sending missionaries?”
http://www.missionfrontiers.org/1999/08/mcquilk.html
This thorough and balanced article by the this former missionary and President of Columbia Bible College and Columbia International University addresses some of the concerns with the “send money, not your sons” trend. Ralph Winter’s side-bar comment is very good too.

Ralph Winter and others: This whole issue of “Mission Frontiers” magazine deals with issues related to facilitation and supporting national workers, and the need to send missionaries. Very good issue.
http://www.missionfrontiers.org/1994/0910/mmwdcow.htm

Bruce Young: “A Response to the Facilitation Focus in Church Planting Cross Culturally”
http://danieliverson.blogspot.com/2008/05/response-to-facilitation-focus-in.html
This article by 30-year MTW missionary to Japan is Biblical, deep, and addresses important things I have not heard discussed any where else.