← Church Planters
ETS ACADEMY · LESSON 3
The Church Planting Cycle
Teaching points
- The cycle: Foundations → Winning → Establishing → Training → Multiplying → Movement.
- Phase I (Foundations): Prepare yourself, your vision, and direction.
- Phase II (Winning): Focus almost exclusively on evangelism — contact key leaders, start Bible studies, disciple new converts.
- Phase III (Establishing): Gather for celebration, disciple converts, multiply cell groups, begin regular worship.
- Phase IV-VI (Training → Multiplying → Movement): Train leaders, establish teams, watch churches multiply to saturate the region.
Read in Scripture
- 1 Corinthians 3:10-11
- 2 Timothy 2:2
- Acts 1:8
- Isaiah 11:9
- Matthew 28:18-20
Reflect
- What phase of the cycle are you in or preparing for?
- Which phase feels most natural to you? Which feels most challenging?
- How does the planter's role change as the church moves through the phases?
- What would it take to get to the Movement phase in your context?
Put it into practice
- Map your current position on the church planting cycle.
- Identify the one phase you need to prepare for next.
- Study one church planting movement and identify which phases they followed.
Jesus Generation Movement Academy teaching. Sources and credits →