CHURCH PLANTING AND ITS ADHERENTS (SANTAMARIA)

[This is the outline for a new eBook from Welsh Tract Publications.  The links do not work - ed]
FOREWORD

THE DEFINITION OF “CHURCH PLANTING” 1

VIEWS OF IT. 1

1. Primitive Baptists (Old School Baptists) 1

General Objection: 1

Key Quotes: 1

Elder Gilbert Beebe (editor of Signs of the Times): 1

Elder Samuel Trott: 1

Elder John Clark: 1

Doctrinal Reason: 1

2. Strict and Particular Baptists (UK) 1

3. Reformed Separatists & Anti-Mission Movement (1800s) 1

4. Critics in Contemporary House Church and Organic Church Movements 1

Frank Viola (author of Pagan Christianity?): "We don't 'plant' churches. Jesus builds His church. Our role is to follow His leading and facilitate what the Spirit is already doing." 1

Summary of Objections to the Term “Church Planting” 1

HISTORY OF CHURCH PLANTING. 1

ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE TERM “CHURCH PLANTING” 1

1. Biblical Allusions (Metaphorical, Not Terminological) 1

2. Post-Reformation and Missionary Era Usage (1700s–1800s) 1

Early Protestant Missionaries: 1

Baptist Missionary Society & Others: 1

3. 20th Century Formalization. 1

Donald McGavran and the Church Growth Movement (1950s–1970s) 1

Donald Anderson McGavran (1897–1990) 1

was a seminal figure in the development of the Church Growth Movement and one of the most influential modern supporters of church planting as a strategic, measurable effort. 1

Biography and Background. 1

Major Contributions 1

1. Founder of the Church Growth Movement 1

2. "Homogeneous Unit Principle" 1

Key Works 1

Institutional Legacy. 1

Criticism and Controversy. 1

Comparison to Old School Baptist Views 1

Ralph Winter 1

Ralph D. Winter (1924–2009) 1

Biography and Background. 1

Major Contributions 1

1. People Group Missiology. 1

2. Theological Justification for Strategic Church Planting. 1

Strong advocate for deliberate, cross-cultural church planting, especially in areas with no gospel witness. 1

Promoted the idea of frontier missions—missions to places where Christ has not been named (cf. Romans 15:20). 1

3. Founder of the U.S. Center for World Mission (now Frontier Ventures) 1

Key Writings 1

The Twenty-Five Unbelievable Years: 1945–1969. 1

Perspectives on the World Christian Movement (edited with Steven Hawthorne) 1

A foundational textbook for mission training and church planting philosophy. 1

Numerous essays on mission strategy, history, and theology

Institutional Influence. 1

Fuller Theological Seminary – School of World Mission. 1

Worked alongside Donald McGavran to shape a curriculum that taught church planting as essential to global missions. 1

Emphasized the role of data, strategy, and people group analysis. 1

Frontier Ventures / Global Network. 1

Created global networks and think tanks to encourage indigenous-led church planting movements. 1

Emphasized rapid multiplication, minimal structure, and contextualized leadership.


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Critiques of Winter’s Approach. 1

Concern. 1

Critique. 1

Over-contextualization. 1

Risked diluting doctrinal clarity for cultural accommodation. 1

Focus on numbers 1

Prioritized reach and growth over theological depth. 1

De-emphasis of the local church. 1

Sometimes subordinated ecclesiology to mission strategy. 1

Tactical over theological 1

Critics say he emphasized how more than why or what 1

Especially from the standpoint of Old School Baptists, his approach would be viewed as: 1

Man-centered rather than Spirit-led. 1

Human engineering of the church rather than waiting on God’s providential gathering. 1

A departure from apostolic simplicity into missionary-industrial complex structures


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Legacy and Summary. 1

Ralph Winter 1

Main Focus 1

Church planting among unreached people groups 1

Missiological Framework. 1

Frontier Missions, People Group Theory. 1

Strategy. 1

Data-driven, strategic mobilization. 1

Influence. 1

Perspectives course, thousands trained in missions 1

Church Planting. 1

Central method for global evangelization. 1

Peter Wagner 1

C. Peter Wagner (1930–2016) 1

Biography. 1

Career Highlights and Theological Focus 1

1. Church Growth Movement 1

2. Spiritual Warfare and Strategic-Level Intercession. 1

Introduced terms like: 1

3. New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) 1

Organizations Founded. 1

Key Works 1

Criticisms 1

Legacy. 1

John Wimber 1

Biography. 1

Key Contributions 1

1. Founder of the Vineyard Movement 1

2. Power Evangelism.. 1

3. Church Planting Focus 1

Institutional Influence. 1

Key Works 1

Criticisms 1

Contrast with Old School Baptists 1

Acts 29, Vineyard, Southern Baptist NAMB, 1

Acts 29, Tim Keller, NAMB: 1

NAMB. 1

Overview of NAMB. 1

Mission and Objectives 1

1. Church Planting. 1

2. Evangelism.. 1

3. Compassion Ministry. 1

4. Chaplaincy & Support Services 1

Major Programs and Initiatives 1

Controversies & Criticisms 1

Summary Table. 1

4. Criticism from Historic and Reformed Traditions 1

Summary Table. 1

I CORINTHIANS 3: THE BATTLEGROUND. 1

SUPPORTERS OF CHURCH PLANTING IN I CORINTHIANS 3. 1`

1 Corinthians 3:5-11 (ESV) – The Key Text 1

Exegetical Argument by Church Planting Advocates 1

1. “I Planted” = Foundational Church Work. 1

2. Human Means + Divine Growth. 1

3. “Master Builder” (Architekton) as Church Planter 1

4. Foundation = Christ, Not Structure. 1

Typical Structure of the Defense. 1

Typical Supporters and Applications 1

Peter Wagner 1

Ralph Winter 1

REBUTTAL OF THIS INTERPRETATION. 1

Old School Baptist Exegetical Rebuttal to “Church Planting” 1

1. “I planted” refers to gospel preaching, not organizational formation. 1

2. The focus of the passage is the futility of human effort without God. 1

3. “Ye are God’s building” — the church is God's creation, not man's 1

4. The “foundation” is Christ alone — not methodology or movements 1

Summary of Anti-Church Planting Exegesis 1

Old School Baptist Supporting Quotes 1

Conclusion. 1

USE OF THE WORD PLANTING IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. 1

Summary of Biblical Usage: 1

Literally: for agriculture (e.g., fig trees, vineyards) 1

Metaphorically: 1

What it does not mean: 1

Old School Baptist View: 1

Scholarly Support: 1

Conclusion: 1

IT IS GOD THAT GIVES THE INCREASE! 1

Text (1 Corinthians 3:6–7, KJV) 1

Greek Word Study. 1

What It Means Theologically. 1

1. Only God causes spiritual life and maturity. 1

2. It undermines human boasting or strategizing. 1

3. It applies corporately, not institutionally. 1

Misuse by Church Planting Advocates 1

Summary Table. 1

WHO IS THE MASTER BUILDER?. 1

Who is the "master builder"?. 1

1. Paul himself 1

Greek Word Study. 1

ἀρχιτέκτων (architektōn) = chief builder, architect, foundation-layer 1

σοφός (sophos) = wise, skillful, indicating his work was done by divine instruction, not man’s ingenuity. 1

What kind of building?. 1

Misinterpretations to Avoid. 1

1. "Master builder" does not mean: 1

2. Paul does not claim exclusive power 1

Summary Table. 1

THE CHURCH, THE PILLAR AND GROUND OF ALL TRUTH. 1

Breakdown: “Pillar and Ground of the Truth” (1 Tim. 3:15) 1

Logical Contradiction with "Church Planting by Man" 1

Thus: If man can "plant" a church, then: 1

Old School Baptist Understanding. 1

Biblical Counterpoint: Who Really Builds the Church?. 1

Conclusion