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Developing a Strategy for Planting Southern Baptist Churches in Northeast North Carolina

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LIBERTY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY DEVELOPING A STRATEGY FOR PLANTING SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCHES IN NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA A THESIS PROJECT SUBMITTED TO LIBERTY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE DOCTOR OF MINISTRY BY JEFFERY CLARK RUSSELL LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA MARCH, 2011 LIBERTY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY i THESIS PROJECT APPROVAL SHEET GRADE___________________ MENTOR Dr. Charles N. Davidson READER Dr. David W. Hirschman ii ABSTRACT DEVELOPING A STRATEGY FOR PLANTING SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCHES IN NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA Jeffery Clark Russell Liberty Theological Seminary, 2011. Mentor: Dr. Hirschman The purpose of this thesis is to determine a strategy for planting new churches in the northeast North Carolina region. This thesis will also consider if there is a certain type of person who might demonstrate a contextual propensity toward a new church by exploring the cultural distinctives found among the people of this region as well as the history of church planting in geographic and cultural context. The thesis will engage in demographic research, and explore resources adequate for the planting of new churches helpful to other Southern Baptist associations and other denominations. Abstract length: 95 words. iii DEDICATION I wish to express my deepest gratitude to following people who have helped greatly in the accomplishment of this project. --To my beloved wife, Robin, for all of the years of loving support, sacrifices and encouragement she gave me without one word of complaint in spite of the time I was unable to give her so that I could complete this project. --To my beloved children, John, Jared, and Jinger, for their encouragement and sacrifices they endured in being without their father so that this project could be completed. --To my loving parents, Mrs. Alice F. Russell and the late Mr. Edwin M. Russell for instilling in me the determination and incentive to complete tasks assigned to me no matter how difficult, and for showing me their love and encouragement throughout my life and ministry. --To the Salem Baptist Church, Weeksville, North Carolina, for their encouragement and sacrifices given; especially in their help to finance this project and course of study to help me to the point of where I am now. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………………..iii. Dedication………………………………………………………………………………………...iv. Chapter One: Review of Literature …………………………………………………..…………...1 Chapter Two………………………..……………………………………………………………..30 Statement of Thesis………………..……………………………………………………..30 Introduction..……………………………………………………………………………..30 Methodology...…………………...……………………………………………………....31 Theoretical Basis for the Project…………………………………………………............32 Statement of Limitations …………………………….………………………………......34 Definition of Terms…………………………………………….……………….………..35 Chapter Three: The Seed: The Biblical Basis for Church Planting ….………………………....38 The Meshing of Biblical Framework into the Methodology …………………………...49 Chapter Four: Cultivating the Soil in the Albemarle Region ...……………………..……….….51 The History of Church Planting in Cultural Context in Northeastern North Carolina...…………………………………………………………………………52 The Impact of the Great Awakenings upon the Region.………………………….……...55 The Present: Social Awareness and Challenge of Planting New Churches in This Region...……………………………………….............………...59 The Spirit of the Age and the Generation of the Millennials. ..………………..…….…..64 Other Aspects of Soil Conservation and Cultivation. …………………………………...70 The Beginnings of Cultivation: Building the New Work Ministry Team. ...…….…......72 The Challenge of Existing Churches…...……………………………………...…….…..76 v Population and Demographics………….………………………………………………..79 The Spirit: Factors Mitigating Against Church Life and Spread of Faith in the Region………………………………………………………………………....................81 What Constitutes a New Work?.…………………………………………………….......84 The Need to Contextualize. ………………………………………………………...........85 The Spirit: A Point for Educating the Clergy to Embrace a Right Attitude Toward Church Planting.……....………………………….…………………………………............…....86 Why Plant New Churches? ………………..…………………………..………………...89 The Objectives of the New Work Team….……………………....…….……………..…92 Prayer Essential in the Strategy. .……………………….…………………..……….......93 Areas of Responsibility (AOR). ..……………………………………………..……........94 What Type of Churches Should be Planted? ...…………………………….………........96 Language and Ethnic Congregations. ..…………………………………….………........97 Resourcing. ..…………………………………………………………….…….....……...99 Paying for the Seed and the Sower: Financing the Church Plants. ……………. ....….104 The Sower in Context: Finding the Right Church Planter to Sow the Seed in the Soil...108 The New Work Team as Sowers .………………………………………………….......109 The Discovery of a Person of Peace. .……………………………...………………….110 Recruiting Church Planters as Sowers. .………………………………………...…..….112 Enlisting the Prospective Sower. …………………………………………..….…….....117 Financing and Sponsorship of New Works.………..…….....…………………..……...120 Mileposts for the Sowers- a Systematic Process to Develop an Associational Strategy………………………………….…………………........………............……...122 Empirical Research.…………………………………….……………………………....123 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………….......124 Chapter Five. Examination of the Soil: Research and Analysis. ….……………....……….…127 Methodology ………………….…………………….........…………………….........…128 Survey 1. Survey Questions. ..…………………………………….......…………….…131 vi Survey 2: Cultural Awareness. …...……………………………….......……….…........142 Chapter Six. Recommendations.. ………………………………………….......…………….....155 Bibliography ..…………………………………..……………………………………................162 Appendix I. Sample of Permission Letter Sent to Research Venues …………….............……..166 Appendix II. Market Survey Material.………………………………………….......…………..167 Appendix III. Research Tables……………………………………………………....................171 Appendix IV. Percentage of Population at Evangelical Churches. ……………....……….…....190 Appendix V. North Carolina Counties: 1990-2000 Growth or Decline of Percentage of Population at Christian Worship on any Given Sunday. ………………………..………............……….....191 Appendix VI. The Church Planting Timeline.……………………………………......………....192 Vita: Jeffery C. Russell ………………………………………………………..........…………..193 vii CHAPTER ONE Review of Literature There are several major books and works which are referenced- some extensively- in this thesis which lend understanding to and development of the author‘s methodology and understanding of his topic. Jack Redford, Planting New Churches (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1978). Jack Redford‘s Planting New Churches 1 was foundational to the author‘s training and early understanding of church planting methodology; especially for Southern Baptists. Redford was a pioneer in church planting methods and his book was used extensively at most Southern Baptist seminaries in the 1980s and 1990s. At the time of Redford‘s writing, there were few models beyond the traditional church model. One quote that was especially valuable was his statement ―Church planting is a normal and natural function for a church. If it does not take on this task, it has become root bound.‖2 Charles Chaney, Church Planting at the End of the Twentieth Century (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1994). Chaney‘s Church Planting at the End of the Twenty-first Century (1994)3 is also foundational and one of the first books written on the subject. What was particularly 1 Jack Redford, Planting New Churches (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1978). 2 Ibid., p. 78. 3 Charles Chaney, Church Planting at the End of the Twentieth Century (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1994). 1 helpful was his development of a regional strategy for planting churches which the writer discusses in his second chapter; giving the author of this thesis something to model as he developed his own strategy for northeast North Carolina. In addition to this, Chaney discusses his biblical methodology, as well as developing a congregational strategy of planting churches. In chapter four, he discusses how to produce a climate for planting churches. The most convincing argument for planting new churches, he says, is based on the research that ―Great unchurched populations in America, especially in the metropolitan population centers, demand new churches.‖4 J.D. Payne, Discovering Church Planting (London: Paternoster Press, 2009). J.D. Payne, Discovering Church Planting, was cited throughout this thesis and extremely helpful to its development. This author explores the principles of church planting biblically, theologically, missiologically, historically, and practically. Payne models the missional approach to church planting, as opposed to the plant-and-pastor model.5 Surprisingly, he emphasizes that church planting is really not the goal, but making disciples which is the focus of the Great Commission.6 He begins with a section exploring the biblical and theological foundations of church planting in the formation of ecclesiology and the work of the Holy Spirit with emphasis on prayer and spiritual warfare. He also discusses evangelism, discipleship, and how Christian leaders are developed in the context of church planting. In section II, Payne discusses strategy 4 Chaney, p. 147. 5 Payne, at:‖111-15,‖ Kindle edition. 6 Ibid.,at: ―115-19,‖ Kindle edition. 2 and contextualization and the role of the mother church, as well as the importance of church planting teams. In section III, the author discusses historical paradigms
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