An evaluation of Training for Trainers (T4T) as an aid for developing sustained church planting movements (CPMs)

Abstract

This paper attempts to evaluate Training for Trainers (T4T) as an aid for developing healthy and sustained church planting movements (CPMs). The thesis is that Training for Trainers (T4T) can enable and sustain (by the Spirit’s power) healthy church planting movements because a discipleship process is built into the methodology that develops believers in their personal and communal growth and equips them to repeat the process with other individuals they reach. The very format of the T4T process provides a context for developing disciples inwardly and training disciples to minister outwardly. The T4T process continues over the course of months and years to systematically move believers through the essential stages of sustained church planting movements: Bridges in conversations with the lost from non-spiritual topics to the gospel in order to find those God is preparing (knowing whom to talk to and how to start) • Reproducible evangelism methods that are effective in the local context and can be learned by any new believer • Reproducible discipleship that addresses both short-term and long-term spiritual growth in a manner appropriate to the local worldview and able to be passed on by a new believer • Reproducible church models appropriate to the local context and able to be led and passed on by new believers • Leadership development and multiplication patterns that develop leaders rapidly in the context of ministry and enable the number of leaders to keep pace with the number of new churches.

T4T moves each new generation of disciples (trainers) and churches through this process because it casts vision for and gives loving accountability for disciples to truly become trainers of others. It does this primarily through a three-thirds training process. T4T is training for trainers who will train trainers who will train trainers. T4T attempts to initiate movements of God in which at least four generations of new disciples and churches emerge. This paper evaluates T4T is based on case studies, survey instruments and biblical principles and then offers recommendations for CPM practitioners.