Planting Churches among the City's Poor - Volume 1

306 • P LANTING C HURCHES AMONG THE C ITY ’ S P OOR : V OLUME 1

dovetail into efforts of identifying and empowering leaders to continue the work, 2 Tim. 2.2.

E. The supportive church association network: denomination, regional, or shared vision/values

1. Denominational association: “churches of a distinct historical sense of identity and belonging”

2. Regional or locale church: e.g., “the churches of God in Christ in Judea,” 1 Thess. 2.14 (ESV) – For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea . For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews.

3. The churches of shared vision/values: “churches allied in the Spirit”

4. Regional church networks are the key to ensuring long-term viability for urban church starts and plants.

F. Implications and conclusions

1. Church planting movements in urban America will demand those who are churchmen and churchwomen to lead the way in every respect. 2. The role of the cross cultural missionary is essential in igniting church planting movements, but, ultimately, all inroads into culture (and their oikia ) will necessarily be done by indigenous workers and laborers.

3. Without indigenous workers, no people group will be able to be won.

IV. HOW Can Such Vital Church Planting Movements Be Wisely and Successfully Ignited in American Inner-City Contexts?

Our research has shown that churches are multiplied and grow when they are planted and mobilized within a particular linguistic, ethnic, and cultural identity (i.e., homogenous unit) which embrace together their own shared spirituality and vision (identity), and structure themselves in a connected and integrated manner (connectivity).