“St. Paul’s churches were indigenous churches in the proper sense of the word; and I believe that the secret of their foundation lay in his recognition of the church as a local church. . . and in his profound belief and trust in the Holy Spirit indwelling his converts and the churches of which they were members, which enabled him to establish them at once with full authority.“
– Roland Allen
The concept of indigenous church planting is not new to this century, it has been around since the beginning of the first Church. In Acts when the first believers scattered because of persecution, they proclaimed the word everywhere they went.
“Therefore, those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.” Acts 8:4
The First Church Was Indigenous
As a result of this scattering, they adapted to the communities they entered, sharing the Gospel and engaging the local people to plant churches. At Petros Network we call this “Indigenous DNA.” Since the Good News is most effectively expressed in the local context, equipping leaders to meet the needs in the DNA of their communities brings about spiritual, social, and economic transformation in those communities. Just as it did in those first churches.
Empowering Local Leaders
Petros Network believes in Indigenous DNA. We believe in training, equipping, and empowering local leaders to be their own community change agents. Unlike foreign missionaries, these native leaders know the language and culture and they know, and often have relationships with, the people in the communities they serve. These relationships help these church planters become effective missional change agents who lift unreached communities regardless of faith, tribe or gender. This transformation results in what we call “redemptive lift,” and all the individuals in that village benefit — believers and non-believers alike.
Melvin Hodges writes in his book The Indigenous Church:
“. . . no place on earth exists where the gospel seed will not produce an indigenous church if it is properly planted. The Holy Spirit can work in one country as well as in another. To proceed on the assumption that an infant church in any land must always be cared and provided for by the sending mission is an unconscious insult to the people we endeavor to serve. This way of thinking is evidence of a lack of faith in God and in the power of His gospel.”
Unleashing a Church Planting Movement
Believing this, believing that the Holy Spirit works in all countries, through all peoples, Petros Network partners with indigenous missionaries to reach their own people and unleash a church planting movement that is transforming unreached regions of the world with the Good News of the Gospel.
Our vision is to train up leaders, retire from them, and watch the spirit of God unleash His movement among the unreached.
