Week 5

Luke 10 Principles

Several years ago, the leadership of the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention became aware of something new. From different locations around the world they were receiving reports of a rapid and spontaneous multiplication of indigenously led (i.e. led by local, non-professional people) churches with tens of thousands of new believers and thousands of new churches. They gave the name “church planting movement” to this phenomenon.

We have had the privilege of spending time with several of those involved in the leadership of church planting movements and seeing what is going on first hand. Whenever we have asked them, “Where do you find the principles for what you are seeing?” their answer is always “Luke 10.”

All over the world, the Lord is using Luke 10 to teach the principles that Jesus Himself taught His disciples when He wanted to reach out into the communities around them. From these verses we learn about the importance of making disciples and starting a church within a people group or subculture we are trying to reach, rather than inviting the people from that group to come to our church. We see how to make church relevant to their culture. We look at the importance of creating relationships, and of seeing God move supernaturally.

One of the major things to learn from Luke 10 is this: the resources are in the harvest. We start churches within the harvest, within their culture and with their people leading. So if someone becomes a follower of Jesus or shows an interest in spirituality, we don’t invite them to come to our church. Instead, we try to start church in their home and within their circle of influence and culture. The leaders, as well as all the other resources, will come from the harvest.



Study Luke 10:3-9 using the question mark, lightbulb and arrow pattern. Briefly review verses 1 and 2 that we covered in week 1. Spend about 30 minutes looking at the rest of the passage. Then discuss these questions:

• What is the importance of us going out to others rather than inviting them to come to our church?
• What can we learn from Jesus sending us out as lambs among wolves? Look at Luke 11:21-22 and Luke 10:17-20.
• Why do you think Jesus told His disciples not to take anything with them? What relevance does this have for us?
• Why should we not talk to anyone on the way?
• Who is the worker for the harvest field?
• How will you recognize a person of peace?
• What New Testament examples of a person of peace can you think of?
• In whose home is a new community of believers most likely to be started?
• Why should we not move from house to house?
• What is the importance of eating and drinking?
• What happens that gives us the right to talk about the Kingdom of God?
• What are the advantages of church planting in the harvest rather than growing our own church?

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