Each year when BILD’s Global Summit ends, we reflect on what it means to gather as a global family, what was learned, and where we go from here. This year’s Summit, held in February in Ames, was both a reunion with long-time church partners and a welcome to the new faces who were visiting for the first time. Bookended by doctoral residency programs and coaching with the BILD team, the heart of the Summit was diving into the New Testament to understand Christ’s Grand Strategy and the role we play within it.
The first few days of the Summit, Jeff Reed presented Teaching Mastering the Scriptures: New Covenant Apostolic Collections, a book that accompanies the entire Mastering the Scriptures: New Testament Series. Jeff has spent the last decade writing Mastering the Scriptures (MTS), a series of booklets that delves into the letters of Paul, Peter, and John that were written to their networks of churches. The entire MTS collection is a tool for church leaders to use to establish churches, solve issues, and develop leaders of all levels.
An important concept that Jeff wanted those present to understand was the canonical structure of each collection of letters and the overall intent of what the Apostles were addressing in their letters. It was eye-opening for many leaders to see the New Testament laid out in this way: that there is a framework for each letter and topics within that address specific issues. Being able to use MTS also gave many leaders confidence that they can hold a biblical framework in mind to assess themselves, their networks, and their churches.
Toward the end of the week, Michael Vos presented his paper called “The Grand Strategy”, which addresses the whys and hows to building complex church networks that are patterned in the book of Acts. Focusing on Christ’s Grand Strategy and the central role of the Church in the progression of the gospel, Michael laid out what steps need to be taken so our partner networks and churches align with Christ’s plan.
Michael looked back at the previous five decades and the collection of resources that were created by Jeff Reed to illustrate the importance of returning to the biblical model of planting and establishing churches and how to do it. Michael said rooting this biblical model needs to be shaped by those who can lead others with an apostolic attitude. These leaders need to be disciplined, dedicated and hard working.
He showed a map of the world and where the strategic Spirit is moving to progress the Church around the globe. It gave leaders a visual to see their own spheres and the progress already being made to root the paradigm. Within those spheres, Michael also explained that there are priorities that need to shift for them to participate fully in The Grand Strategy.
BILD is seeking a 10-year commitment from partner church leaders who desire to follow Christ’s strategy for establishing and expanding the church and build a global apostolic network as seen in Acts. Michael said they want to see situations all over the world where leaders and their church networks are dedicating their whole lives to following the New Testament model.
To implement this, partners will use BILD’s entire resource system. The first years will be learning the system and then implementing it by building solid apostolic teams, establishing well-trained elders in strategic hubs and clusters, teaching The First Principles, utilizing marketplace benefactors, and implementing the gathering – the way in which churches meet as families of families around the meal, breaking bread and drinking the cup together, discussion, and strengthening each other and meeting each other’s needs.
BILD’s Grand Strategy is guided by the principles and decisions from the Apostle Paul’s traditioning process of establishing churches. This is an iterative process, Michael said, which means it should be repeated over and over again, not necessarily in a linear fashion, but by circling back to the principles and leadership decisions that continue to fortify churches.
Michael listed priorities that are needed to follow The Grand Strategy, including using MTS as a tool to give leaders the ability to truly master their craft and the biblical text. Michael said it will serve us for generations to come, through the maturity of our leaders and churches. He believes cities will feel the impact and depth of the gospel.
During breakout sessions, international partners were encouraged to create a framework of a master strategy for their own networks of leaders and churches that are aligned with The Grand Strategy and implement the 10-year commitment plan. It was encouraging to see leaders thinking through the next steps for what it will take to build strong, lasting church networks. One Indian leader said Michael’s presentation and paper on The Grand Strategy was helpful to see what is happening from a global perspective and that it was time for him to start shaping his church leaders and networks with what he is learning so they can bear fruit.
“This presentation helped show me what changes are happening at the global scale and how everything is aligned to Christ’s Grand Strategy,” George Cherian said. “I come to this point, that we’ve been studying, we’ve been learning, we’ve been thinking through and writing papers and getting certificates, but now we need to put it to the ground. We’ve all done work in the old paradigm and there is sweat and blood already there. We’ve worked hard, over 20 plus years in my case, but I can’t continue any further (in the old paradigm) while continuing to study this (new paradigm).”
The end of the Summit was capped with a banquet to celebrate the week and our time together with our U.S. and international partners. Fifteen leaders were recognized with certificates or degrees, and we heard several brief ministry updates from our partners and even from emerging leaders in the Ames-Des Moines CityChurch network. While we celebrated the achievements and growth in understanding from the Summit, it was also a sendoff to our partners as they return to their homes around the world to continue laboring for Christ and their stewardship within His plan.
There is still much to accomplish, and Michael, Jeff, and the BILD team are ready to work strategically with those who are committed to aligning their ministries with Christ’s plan.
Click on the story below to read more about the 10-year commitment from last year’s Summit.
Looking ahead to the next 10 years of global network establishment
Photos by Hannah Mae Photography