Planting Churches Among the City's Poor - Volume 2

P ART I: C OACHING U RBAN C HURCH P LANTERS • 95

The Power and Struggle of Team Fred Stoesz

I. The Humiliation of Jesus Christ

Phil. 2.5-7 – Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. Who, being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness, And found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross! Therefore God has exalted him and given him a name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father.

II. The Dependence and Interdependence of Jesus

Mark 3.13-14 – And Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him, those he wanted , and they came to him. He also appointed twelve, designating them apostles, that they might be with him , and that he might send them out to preach.

III. The Church Plant Team as a Model of Godly Interdependence

John 13.35 – By this will all men know that you are my disciples, that you have love for one another.

“If you have the opportunity to do ministry with a team, you should absolutely refuse to run into the battle alone.”

“The church plant team must believe that God knew what he was doing when he established team as a primary ministry principle. Being together as teams is more than just a good idea, it’s God’s ideal. As such, when hard times come, team leaders will fight for the unity of their team, affirm, and love their team. For in their hearts they believe that God has ordained it.”

Four Reasons Why We Create Church Planting Teams!

1. Because it is biblical. Creating missionary teams for the planting of urban churches is theologically sound for it imitates the model of Jesus and the early apostles.