The Creative Challenge of Cross-Cultural Church Planting

Planting churches in cross-cultural contexts is a complex challenge, and it requires the use of multiple different skills, methods, and strategies.

 These five (5) real-world realities require us to approach our global ministry in varied and creative ways: 

1. Some of the countries we work in are open to gospel workers, and others are limited access.  Some cultures have traditions that make them more open to a direct sharing of the gospel message while others require a deeper explanation of biblical history before the gospel message makes sense. 
2. One generation ago, our missionary teams were made up almost exclusively of North Americans. Today, Avant ministry teams have members from 35+ nationalities, and we are actively recruiting new missionaries from the Global South.
3. Each missionary comes to a ministry site with unique gifts, experiences, and skills. We want our missionaries to creatively utilize all that they “bring to the table” to serve the people God is calling them to reach.
4. It takes an array of players to empower a missionary team to accomplish their task in a specific location. Collaboration is essential between local churches, agency leadership and specialized staff, member care, prayer warriors, and financial supporters.  
5. Avant also works in five “fueling ministries.”  Apart from church planters, we see kingdom business opportunities, media, education, camps, and global mobilization as important contributions that catalyze the effective planting and development of new churches.

Providing a united purpose amidst the significant diversity it faces, Avant leads collaborative efforts of the many parts that contribute to the complex task of church planting.  This is similar to New Testament times:

What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow… The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose…For we are co-workers in God’s service…(1Cor. 3:5-6, 8-9)

Avant’s unifying mission is clear: to glorify God by helping others enjoy His presence through planting and developing new churches in the unreached areas of the world.

Pray that each cross-cultural worker fulfills their diverse part to see Avant’s unifying vision accomplished around the world…all for God’s glory!