The definition of Catalyst in Wikipedia serves as an appropriate introduction to our ministry.
“Catalysis is the process by which the rate of a chemical reaction (or biological process) is increased by means of the addition of a species known as a catalyst to the reaction. What makes a catalyst different from a chemical reagent is that whilst it participates in the reaction, it is not consumed in the reaction. That is, the catalyst may undergo several chemical transformations during the reaction, but at the conclusion of the reaction, the catalyst is regenerated unchanged.”
Our work in East Africa is catalytic in the sense that we seek to discover processes that help national leaders increase the rate of the spread of the church as the key means by which the Great Commission will be fulfilled.
CHURCH PLANTING? Is that something you do in the garden?
In a way, we are like farmers. We plow the field and plant the seed and get rid of any weeds that want to choke out the life of the fruit. But we do not make the crop grow. God does. God sends the rain and the sun. He takes a seed and nurtures it from under the soil (where no one can see the beginning of its growth) to the top (where the fruit of the seed is seen and enjoyed).
Church planting is starting new churches (a community of believers) from the ground up. We focus our efforts in villages where there is no church or where the population demands additional churches.
HOW DO WE START SIMULTANEOUS CHURCH PLANTS?
1. Find a person who is receptive to the Gospel.
2. Engage in obedience-based discipleship on the sole basis of the Word of God as 
our text.
3. The one requirement is that the disciple is to share what he/she is learning with his/her circle of influence. In the villages this circle of influence is usually the family – immediate and extended.
4. Within 6-10 months the disciple is now leading a small group of people and a fellowship has begun. This leads to a small church.
5. This new church begins praying about repeating this ministry in neighboring villages or neighborhoods. This leads to a second new church.
Our role is to sensitize, motivate, equip, and coach key leaders towards achieving church planting movements (CPM). A “movement” is seen after granddaughter churches have begun. At this point simultaneous multiplication is rapid.
10 Universal Elements for CPMs
After surveying Church Planting Movements (CPMs) around the world, David Garrison found at least 10 elements present in every one of them:
1. Prayer
Prayer has been fundamental to every Church Planting Movement we have observed. Typically 3-4 hours of prayer every day.
2. Abundant gospel sowing
We have yet to see a Church Planting Movement emerge where evangelism is rare or absent. Every Church Planting Movement is accompanied by abundant sowing of the gospel.
3. Intentional church planting
Churches just don’t happen. In every Church Planting Movement, someone implemented a strategy of deliberate church planting before the movement got under way.
4. Scriptural authority
Even among non-literate people groups, the Bible has been the guiding source for doctrine, church polity and life itself. In every instance, Scripture provided the rudder for the church’s life, and its authority was unquestioned.
5. Local leadership
Missionaries involved in Church Planting Movements often speak of the self-discipline required to mentor church planters rather than do the job of church planting themselves. Once a missionary has established his identity as the primary church planter or pastor, it’s difficult for him ever to assume a back-seat profile again. Walking alongside local church planters is the first step in cultivating and establishing local leadership.
6. Lay leadership
Church Planting Movements are driven by lay leaders. If the people group is primarily nonliterate, then the leadership shares this characteristic. If the people are primarily fishermen, so too are their lay leaders.
7. Cell or house churches
Church buildings do appear in Church Planting Movements. However, the vast majority of the churches continue to be small, reproducible cell churches of 10-30 members meeting in homes or storefronts.
8. Churches planting churches
In most Church Planting Movements, the first churches were planted by missionaries or by missionary-trained church planters. At some point, however, as the movements entered a multiplicative phase of reproduction, the churches themselves began planting new churches. In order for this to occur, church members have to believe that reproduction is natural and that no external aids are needed to start a new church. In Church Planting Movements, nothing deters the local believers from winning the lost and planting new cell churches themselves.
9. Rapid reproduction
Some have challenged the necessity of rapid reproduction for the life of the Church Planting Movement, but no one has questioned its evidence in every CPM.
10. Healthy churches
Most agree that healthy churches should carry out the following five purposes: 1) worship, 2) evangelistic and missionary outreach, 3) education and discipleship, 4) ministry and 5) fellowship. In each of the Church Planting Movements we studied, these five core functions were evident.
For a full reading of David Garrison’s 10 Universal Elements go to: http://www.imb.org/CPM/Chapter3.htm
