Encounter Quarterly: Summer 2006
Encounter Elements
Part III: Concentrate Resources
In the third part of an ongoing
series highlighting the basics of CMI’s Encounter
with God Strategy, EQ focuses on the second of four
key concepts that undergird the Encounter
philosophy.
In military strategy, one of the
biggest concerns is spreading forces too thin. Doing
so increases the territory covered, but also reduces
effectiveness. History is replete with examples of
powerful militaries rendered weak because they tried
to hold too much territory too fast.
The same can be true for people.
Everyone knows someone that is so busy doing so many
things that they are incapable of accomplishing much
of anything. We likewise say that such a person is
“spread too thin.”
Shotgun Missions
The same danger exists in missions.
Frequently, churches use a “shotgun” approach in
missions strategy–trying to cover as much territory
as they possibly can. The logic is that reaching new
territories means touching more lives. However, the
same limitations that govern militaries and
individuals apply also to missions work. Financial
resources and adequate personnel are always in short
supply. This challenge is compounded further when
these limited resources are scattered too widely.
Stretching too far can debilitate the entire
missions effort.
Stronger, Faster
In contrast, one of the key concepts
of the Encounter with God approach is a firm
commitment to concentrating human and financial
resources in a limited arena. This means beginning
with one church in one city. Once firmly
established, this initial church has a capacity to
develop more ministries, reach more people and
achieve greater impact than it would otherwise be
able to dream. Concentration speeds advancement,
more rapidly enabling the church to become partners
in future expansion efforts.
The result is reproduction by
multiplication rather than simple addition.
Over time this concentrated focus
produces a network capable of generating the
resources and leadership required for sustaining
reproduction without dependence on outside
resources. Strong churches of this nature will reach
new territories and hold greater promise of
discipling entire nations for Jesus Christ.
EQ Summer 2006
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