How do we church planters honor our past while simultaneously blessing our future? This inquiry isn’t just a qualifying exercise. It’s a deeply personal one that shapes the way we approach the church’s mission in a rapidly changing world. The culture that unfolds before us is as ripe as the reformation that preceded us.
This question also carries personal weight for me. Twelve years after planting Axiom Church, I still feel the fruit of our father and mother, Cooper Hills Community Church, and my Mennonite Brethren family. This tension is one for the optimist and the brave.
Recently, I had an experience that underscored the weight of this question. On a flight back to Phoenix from a church planting conference, of all things, I was seated next to five priests in the exit aisle—perhaps a curious twist of divine humor.
These were not ordinary priests but a dedicated group committed to the Latin Vulgate. They dress in traditional robes and conduct masses strictly in Latin, adhering to the “Quo Primum.” This papal bull, decreed by Pope St. Pius V on July 14, 1570, states, “It shall be unlawful henceforth and forever throughout the Christian world to sing or to read Masses according to any formula other than that of this Missal.”
As we conversed, the young priest to my right shared a thought that struck me profoundly: “The Devil sits on the throne at the heart of man’s innovation.” This statement caused me pause, especially after attending a conference that celebrated the “new” and “brightest” ways of church planting amidst the chaos of modern society. It made me ponder the inherent tension and weight we face as we consider how to engage with the future of the church. What role does innovation play in a time that requires such agility?
Past and future
As a church planter, I wrestle deeply with my loyalty to the Mennonite Brethren tradition, which wraps its arms so wonderfully around me. Yet, I also notice a shift in my perspective, moving from having a heart for “a” church to embracing “the” church.
This transformation leads me back to my initial question: How do we honor the past while blessing the future? The answer, I believe, lies in taking with us the best of our heritage. A future that abandons the past is no future; it is but driftwood lost at sea or a boat without a harbor.
As I venture into planting churches beyond the boundaries of my district and denomination, I’ve discovered that the soil is ready for the confident humility and gentle strength that characterize the Mennonite Brethren spirit. Pastors must become guides whose listening is as good as their speaking and their posture as holy as their preaching. We must carry forward the best gifts our spiritual forebears have given us.
I’m not talking about our biggest or even most charismatic leaders but the gentle and lowly, the everyday Mennonite Brethren. The power must shift from the center to the margins. The future church cannot be entrusted to tight-fisted hands that prioritize models over the genuine scattering of the good news. For that, I believe the Mennonite Brethren are positioned well.
Time to reimagine
As we embrace a generosity that surpasses what our fiscal resources can provide and a confidence that transcends our current capabilities, we will be forced to reframe our understanding of church planting and enter into the not yet but will be. The can, can no longer be kicked down the field. It’s time to make a play. To reimagine.
For instance, what if I told you that serving in kids’ ministry is a form of church planting? Does that help us see things differently? What if planting a church next door instead of across town became our new vision? That sounds odd, but we live in a world where what’s next door is unknown to us.
Or what if we invited every MB church in our family to send out pairs tomorrow? Can you imagine, tapping two individuals and telling them to gather some friends next week and commissioning them on the spot. I know it sounds wild, but the world is ready. We need more shelters for the storm, more medics for the battlefield, more conscientious objectors for the culture wars to create spiritual community where they already are.
Moreover, I propose that the future of church planting will likely be more convergent than divergent. Instead of battle-ready game plans and crystal-clear vision, what if blurry is better? Church planters can have a destination in mind without knowing precisely how to get there. Movement killers are not leaders without vision, its leaders with tunnel vision.
People often connect best when they discover alongside you rather than merely learning from you. True confidence can let go of outcomes and embrace the present. This idea may not conform to traditional expectations, but what if the conventional pattern of plug-and-play models have handicapped us or worse, stifled the Spirit?
Party and prayer
We often find ourselves on autopilot, forgetting that our very own church history offers us better guidance than merely reacting to past models. Planting has felt too much like a response to our predecessors’ generation, including my own beloved Axiom. Tomorrow’s church plant will need to prioritize getting people out of the church rather than getting them in.
This attitude embodies Jesus’ sentiment, “Just as the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” The church today is only the body of Christ if it is engaged in the mission of Christ. The mission demands that we say yes to what God is doing in others, rather than only trying to get others to affirm what God is doing in us. If we are to find a voice again, we must first find an audience.
For the Mennonite Brethren tradition to endure much longer, we must embrace a spirit of generosity, openness and freedom—because that reflects Christ, and those who appreciate the aroma of Christ will also be drawn to the King.
In this evolving landscape, corporate prayer will emerge as a silent catalyst for the future church, while communal gatherings around banquet tables will serve as a foretaste of a kingdom movement within our communities. I sincerely believe the churches that prioritize party and prayer are the way forward.
For prayer breeds in us the imagination and guts to say yes to whatever Jesus asks of us, while party opens the door for non-believers and people not like us to have a seat at the table. It literally connects us around the table. The banquet that Jesus is creating breaks the spell of consumerism by empowering sharing, listening, contribution and kindness while making room for more than us.
Sidebar
What roles can existing churches play in planting new churches?
Being involved in church planting profoundly affects existing congregations. Mother churches, in particular, must learn to let go and partner churches can be more collaborative.
While I have a fence around my pool until my children learn to swim, I long for the day when that fence is no longer necessary because they have mastered the skill of swimming. I don’t want to have to forever hold their hands or watch over my children’s every move. Because I love them, I love what’s best for them. Their liberty, the ability to wisely decide for themselves and their freedom to go and do is what I long for. I long to let them go.
Mother churches should aspire to be birthing centers, not places of hospice care. Their role should be to host family gatherings, inviting planters and smaller communities to celebrate together. The metaphor of a mother church as a nurturing entity is crucial; it suggests that we exist to send, not hold on.
Partner churches, on the other hand, should not only provide financial support, if they can, for planting efforts but also actively send potential church planters to be mentored alongside these planting communities. I think partnering churches should prioritize sending people over having a seat at the table. NextGen and other internship opportunities are ready for this.
We too often tie ourselves to plants through oversight when we would do well to place people under the care of planters for apprenticeship. This not only provides the planters with much needed muscle but fosters sending in the sending itself. This collaborative approach will not only strengthen new church plants but also enrich the existing community.
Sidebar
How do we measure success in church planting?
How do we measure success in church planting? Traditional metrics like attendance and financial contributions often fall short of capturing the full picture. Instead, we should gauge success by the willingness of existing communities to say yes, regardless of the outcome or cost.
We measure success when the number of people going out to plant new churches matches or exceeds those coming in. We measure it by the reduction of passive participants—those who merely observe—and replace them with eager, active participants. While this feels like loss, it produces greater intimacy and reach at both ends, while empowering latent potential that exist within our walls but has been overshadowed by other leaders.
Moreover, success is defined when our vision aligns with our relational capacity. If our aspirations for growth exceed our ability to nurture relationships, we risk overextending ourselves. Training up leaders from within rather than relying solely on external talent is another critical indicator of success. Too often we look outward for solutions our problems that can only be solved from within.
Ultimately, success lies in embracing the command of Jesus to go. This command is more than enough to guide us as we venture into uncharted territory. The deconstructionist movement and the moral failures of various church leaders have shown us that even amid closure, new communities and leaders can emerge.
While many may seem to have “left our churches,” what if that is also a sending. What if God is placing his people in every nook and cranny of the city, casting us like light through the trees and water through the crevasses.
The light of Christ continues to shine wherever his disciples are, and perhaps those places represent opportunities where we have yet to reach. In this context, church planting becomes not just a task but a transformative movement—a way to bring the kingdom of God into every door and to turn a light on in every room.
Gavin Linderman serves as the lead pastor of Axiom Church of the Mennonite Brethren. He is owner/shepherd of Banquet, a marketplace developer for Kingdom Ecosystems, and serves as the executive director of discernment and movement for Surge Network, a cross-city movement for churches in the greater Phoenix Valley.
