This study attempts to be an exhaustive analysis of the dynamics of developing sustained church planting movements in Asian nations, based on lessons learned in the 2004-2005 NEXT conferences in East Asia. Principles are being discovered and methodologies developed in East Asia on how to build sustained church planting movements around the world. To understand these, consolidate learning, and apply that learning in a variety of crosscultural ministry contexts, a series of conferences were hosted by my wife and myself. Eight week-long ”NEXT conferences” were held, consisting of sixty experienced strategy coordinators plus eleven regional supervisors, to wrestle with these issues. This paper is based on the findings of these conferences; specifically, that there are divine principles and particular methodologies which enable missionaries to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in developing sustained church planting movements that saturate ethno-linguistic people groups and cities of Asia, and ultimately, the rest of the world. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology) / M.Th. (Missiology)

This study attempts to be an exhaustive analysis of the dynamics of developing sustained church planting movements in Asian nations, based on lessons learned in the 2004-2005 NEXT conferences in East Asia. Principles are being discovered and methodologies developed in East Asia on how to build sustained church planting movements around the world. To understand these, consolidate learning, and apply that learning in a variety of crosscultural ministry contexts, a series of conferences were hosted by my wife and myself. Eight week-long ”NEXT conferences” were held, consisting of sixty experienced strategy coordinators plus eleven regional supervisors, to wrestle with these issues. This paper is based on the findings of these conferences; specifically, that there are divine principles and particular methodologies which enable missionaries to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in developing sustained church planting movements that saturate ethno-linguistic people groups and cities of Asia, and ultimately, the rest of the world. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology) / M.Th. (Missiology)

In 1976, the Southern Baptist Convention adopted its Bold New Thrusts in Foreign Missions with the overarching goal of sharing the gospel with every person in the world by the year 2000. The formation of Cooperative Services International (CSI) in 1985 and the assigning of the first nonresidential missionary (NRM) in 1987 demonstrated the Foreign Mission Board's commitment to take the gospel message to countries that restricted traditional missionary presence and to people groups identified as having little or no access to the gospel. This thesis traces the historical development of the NRM paradigm along with an analysis of the key components of the paradigm and its impact on the Board's missiology. Chapter 1 presents on overview of the thesis, outlining the primary research question addressed by this thesis and the rationale for this research. Chapter 2 focuses on the key events, persons and concepts that directly and indirectly influenced the leadership of the FMB in the development of this new missiological paradigm. Chapter 3 outlines the events leading up to the launching of CSI and the NRM program, the unique contributions of key Board leaders, and the initial growth of the NRM paradigm. Chapter 4 examines the years of growth and maturity of the NRM paradigm under the leadership of Mike Stroope. During this time, the nomenclature changed from NRM to Strategy Coordinator (SC). Chapter 5 seeks to demonstrate the impact of the NRM/SC paradigm on the Board's reorganization in 1997 called New Directions. Chapter 6 explores the CPM phenomenon and its impact on the SC paradigm, giving special attention to the reductionism that occurred as the Board sought to define and describe these movements. Chapter 7 revisits the major objective of this research as expressed in the introductory chapter and offers suggestions for further research. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D.Th.

In 1976, the Southern Baptist Convention adopted its Bold New Thrusts in Foreign Missions with the overarching goal of sharing the gospel with every person in the world by the year 2000. The formation of Cooperative Services International (CSI) in 1985 and the assigning of the first nonresidential missionary (NRM) in 1987 demonstrated the Foreign Mission Board's commitment to take the gospel message to countries that restricted traditional missionary presence and to people groups identified as having little or no access to the gospel. This thesis traces the historical development of the NRM paradigm along with an analysis of the key components of the paradigm and its impact on the Board's missiology. Chapter 1 presents on overview of the thesis, outlining the primary research question addressed by this thesis and the rationale for this research. Chapter 2 focuses on the key events, persons and concepts that directly and indirectly influenced the leadership of the FMB in the development of this new missiological paradigm. Chapter 3 outlines the events leading up to the launching of CSI and the NRM program, the unique contributions of key Board leaders, and the initial growth of the NRM paradigm. Chapter 4 examines the years of growth and maturity of the NRM paradigm under the leadership of Mike Stroope. During this time, the nomenclature changed from NRM to Strategy Coordinator (SC). Chapter 5 seeks to demonstrate the impact of the NRM/SC paradigm on the Board's reorganization in 1997 called New Directions. Chapter 6 explores the CPM phenomenon and its impact on the SC paradigm, giving special attention to the reductionism that occurred as the Board sought to define and describe these movements. Chapter 7 revisits the major objective of this research as expressed in the introductory chapter and offers suggestions for further research. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D.Th.