The following segments are excerpted from A Church In Every People: Plain Talk About a Difficult Subject by the famed missiologist Donald McGavran.
Of this work Ralph Winter wrote,
This particular brief document is almost like a cautioning letter to the younger people who are coming after him, warning them against over simplification. In this brief epistle, then, almost off the cuff, he (McGavran) throws out seven principles which embody more solid understanding of the essential factors in Christian mission than most missionaries could accumulate in a lifetime."
Here are McGavran's 7 Principles of a People Movement Approach:
Not A Single Church, But A Cluster
The goal is not one single conglomerate church in a city or a region (or among a people group). They may get only that, but that must never be the goal. The goal must be a cluster of growing indigenous congregations every member of which remains in close contact with his kindred. The cluster works best if it is in one people, one caste, one tribe, or one segment of society.
Concentrate On One People
If you have three missionaries, don't have one evangelizing this group, another that, and a third 200 miles away evangelizing still another. That is a sure way to guarantee that any church started will be small, non-growing, one-by-one churches. The social dynamics will work solidly against the eruption of any great growing people movement to Christ.
Remaining One With Their People
Encourage converts to remain throughly one with their own people in most matters. They should continue to eat what their people eat. In manner of clothing, they should continue to look precisely like their kinfolk. Encourage converts to remain throughly one with their people in most matters. Please note "most." They cannot remain one with their people in idolatry, or drunkenness, or obvious sin. But in most matters (how they talk, how they dress, how they eat, where they go, what kind of houses they live in), they can look very much like their people, and ought to make every effort to do so.
Working For Group Decisions
Ostracism is very effective against one lone person. But ostracism is weak indeed when exercised against a group of a dozen. And when exercised against two hundred it practically has no force at all.
Aim for Scores of New Converts
This principle requires that, from the very beginning, the missionary keeps on reaching out to new groups. We must lean heavily upon the New Testament, remembering the brief weeks or months of instruction Paul gave to his new churches. We must trust the Holy Spirit, and believe that God has called those people out of darkness and into His wonderful light. As between two evils, giving them too little teaching and allowing them to become a sealed off community that cannot reach its own people, the latter is the much greater danger.
Pioneers Entering a Promised Land
Believers ought to say, "we are better sons, brothers and wives, better tribesmen and caste fellows, better members of our labor union, than we ever were before. We are showing ways in which, while remaining throughly of our own segment of society, we all can have a better life. Please look at us as pioneers of our own people entering a wonderful Promised Land."
Constantly Emphasize Brotherhood
In christ there is no Jew, no Greek, no bond, no free, no Barbarian, no Scythian. We are all one in Jesus Christ. but at the same time, let us remember that Paul did not attack all imperfect social institutions. As we continue to stress brotherhood, let us be sure that the most effective way to achieve brotherhood is to lead ever increasing numbers of men and women from every ethos, every tribe, every segment of society into an obedient relationship to Christ. Indeed the best way to get justice, possibly the only way to get justice, is to have very large numbers in every segment of society become committed Christians.
What do you think about the principles McGavran lays out in this writing? What are strengths and potential weaknesses to his thinking? Sound off in the comments below.