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Church Multiplication

Church Multiplication in Japan Made Easier

Rev. Chida, leader of the Church Multiplication project Asian Access initiated in Yamagata, Japan was in a network with four other Japanese pastors. Each pastor intended to multiply his own congregation. Midway through the three year project, he pronounced to his fellow colleagues:

"Mitsu no kyokai ga areba, kantan ni dekiru!

In English, "If you have just three churches, you can do [church multiplication] easily."

Networking Pastors and Churches for Multiplication

In context, Rev. Chida's made the point that even though church planting/multiplication is hard work, it is made "doable," relatively simple and enjoyable when you are part of a network of pastors doing it simultaneously.

Slightly surprised, Asian Access president, Doug Birdsall asked him to repeat the statement in order to see if he understood the claim the pastor was making. Pastor Chida did so readily and cheerfully. A dynamic equivalent translation would be:

"Any group of pastors and churches can multiply churches... if they just do it together.  It's not rocket science!"

It shouldn't be surprising, then, that each of those five congregations did multiply within two-and-one-half years. And one year later, the parent churches and the new church plants are preparing to multiply again. Now that's church multiplication.

<< Back to Church Multiplication Model

Here are links to help you picture what this new model is like:

• A Japanese pastor's perspective of Asian Access' church planting model
• Church Planting by Networking, an article on the Yamagata Project
• Asian Access' Church Planting Partnerships
• Church Multiplication Network Map
• Information for potential Church Multiplication Teams missionaries
  • Sample Missionary Ministry Timeline
  • The Ministry Setting of CM Teams
  • The Ministry Objective of CM Teams
  • The Characteristics of CM Teams Ministry

More Information on Church Multiplication in Japan

• Your church can partner with Asian Access to plant-a-church
• Missionary programs geared toward helping multiply churches in Japan:
  • Church Multiplication Teams
    • Long-Term Church Planting Missionaries (4+ years)
    • Church Planting Associates (1-3 years)
  • J-Teams (4 or 6 weeks)
  • EnVision (10-12 days)