How Does a Church-Planting Movement Start?

By Don and Viv Bond

A Church Planting Movement occurs when the vision of churches planting churches spreads into the churches themselves." -- David Garrison

Meet Juan Flores, a 25-year-old member of The Light of the World Baptist Church in Ica, Peru. He was saved as a teenager and became concerned about the spiritual needs of the children in his barrio, Comatrana. At age 15, Juan started a children's Bible class in the street in front of his house. Some received the Lord as Savior. He taught them Bible truths and led them in worship and prayer. As the children grew to teenagers, Juan's mother received the Lord, and the services moved into the living room of his home. Juan is now the pastor of those now grown-children and some of their parents in the Iglesia Evangelical Bautista.

In 1997, we moved to Ica and started a Theological Education by Extension (TEE) program. Juan enrolled in the Friday evening classes and has studied all the courses offered.

Two years ago, Juan started sharing God's Word in an unreached area of the city called Pachacutec. He received permission to use the Sports Club hall and started preaching and teaching. The area's teenage gang leader was saved, along with others in the gang. Some of the new believers spent a week at camp and came home wanting to be baptized. One of them now leads and preaches in the services. Juan began open-air meetings in another part of Pachacutec and has started a weekly Bible study.

Juan is now teaching one of the TEE courses he studied with me to leaders in the new church plants. Juan says, "My purpose in life is to use my teaching profession for God's glory. I hope to serve the Lord in the mountain or river villages of Peru. I believe the time has come for me to teach others what I learned from you."