Definition of Terms

The following is a growing list of terms used throughout the ReachGlobal church planting Web pages. The terms appear in alphabetical order. 

Apostolic church planter

Apostolic church planters serve as evangelists and developers rather than pastors. They seek to multiply churches and move on before communities or congregations become dependent on them. From the beginning, they train local leaders and delegate ministry to them. They move on after leaving the ministry in the hands of local leaders.   

Catalytic church planter

These church planters establish a large, strong church and then remain as pastor or leader to facilitate the planting of multiple daughter churches. After planting the initial church, they do not directly plant the other churches but serve as catalysts working through church planting teams using their leadership, coaching and deployment of resources. Catalytic church planters may start a ministry training center instead of a mother church as a base for their training and church planting efforts.

Catalytic church planting thrusts

Catalytic church planting thrusts are led by church planting teams. Their primary ministry focus is to develop, empower and release teams of local workers to build kingdom communities. Expatriate workers use mentoring, coaching and training to develop and empower local disciples and workers.  One model for this is the Ephesus ministry of the apostle Paul and his team in Acts 18:24-20:38.

Kingdom communities

Kingdom communities are congregations of Christians who embody and live out the kingdom values as Jesus taught them.  The essence of kingdom communities is found:

• in their relation to Jesus Christ.
• in their obedience to the will of the King, explicitly stated in Scripture. 

Kingdom communities are Christ-centered and Bible-based. They are formed by people who are born of the Spirit and obedient disciples of Jesus Christ. They know that they may experience suffering and tribulation in this world, but still live in the hope of the fullness of the kingdom when Christ returns. Because of these commitments, kingdom communities become a transforming, counter-cultural witness and movement that impact persons, families, villages, cities, and nations. The power of the gospel becomes active in them and they become the salt and light of the earth through their words and deeds.

Pastoral church planter

Pastoral church planters are pastor-teachers who start a new church and pastor it until it is large enough to call and pay its own pastor. Sometimes pastoral church planters change roles and stay on as the first pastor of the church after it is planted.