What is the Strategy of ICP?

We train church planters to start multiplying churches in their local community. For most people in Latin America the idea of going to a seminary or Bible College is simply overwhelming. There are many factors that affect this decision: distance of travel, price, time, convenience, etc. In order to best respond to these factors, ICP starts local training centers. At each Training Center, church planters are trained to plant reproducing and multiplying churches through a balanced Biblical curriculum.

We bring the church planters together on a regular basis (mostly in rural, village locations), for two years of training. Each and every student must start a new church during the 17-course curriculum. Without planting a new church, a student cannot graduate. These new churches meet in buildings, houses, under trees, etc. The average church size begins with around 15 new believers (though many grow much larger) in mostly rural and un-evangelized areas.
 

·         The training is Bible centered.

·         The training is relational and a non-formal model.

·         The training is local church based.

·         The training is designed so lessons learned can be immediately transferred to the student’s life and new church.

What is ICP's Definition of a Church?

The working definition of an ICP church includes: A group of believers, who meet together regularly, to worship the Father, study and communicate the Word of God in the power of the Holy Spirit, pray and fellowship together, observe the ordinances, and are sent out to share the love of Christ to the lost world. All of this is under the authority of biblically qualified leadership. A church can meet in a building, in a house, under a tree or anywhere! We suggest that every church that is planted through ICP have at least 10 individuals that are not related to the church planter.

How Does All Of This Church Planting Happen?

          The following descriptions give a detailed outline of how ICP operates.

1.       First we Recruit: we recruit church planters from the various churches we have already planted and will be planting.

2.       Second we Train:  we train center teachers and church planters which will go out and plant multiple churches. The training last two years. By the end of the two year training the church planter must start a church in order to graduate and be ordained. By the end of the third year the church planter must have another church planter in training out of his church plant.                                                                                                                                               

3.       Third we Multiply:  We repeat the process over and over. ICP continually scouts out new unreached areas to repeat the 3 steps again.

What We Expect From Teachers and Students At The Training Centers

Teacher- Our Teachers are chosen by the director of ICP. Each teacher leads a Training Center in various locations around their country. The teacher will start a school of 10 church planters (recruited by the teacher) and will teach the students the full Curriculum, taking two years to complete. This person should have church planting experience and assisting in church planting.  
Students – The main expectation of All ICP Students is that they become church planters. For every student trained, we expect at least one multiplying church to be planted. The church planter is not able to receive a certificate of graduation or be ordained until a church has been planted. Our mission is not only to provide bible training, but to plant multiplying churches that send and support men out of their church plant. We are dedicated to making sure each church planter is well established in God's Word before he leads a body of believers.

 

Subjects Covered In the Two Year Training

Hermeneutics / Homiletics / Church Planting / Book of Acts / Old Testament 1 / Old Testament 2
New Testament Gospels / New Testament Pastoral Epistles / New Testament General Letters / Major Bible Doctrines / Apologetics / Church History / Spiritual Warfare / Pastoral Ethics / Personal Evangelism Discipleship 1 / Discipleship 2

Continued Training for Church Planters.

After the church has been planted and the dust has settled we understand the church planter will face every day challenges that come with pastoring. ICP offers continued training workshops, counseling and encouragement for all church planting pastors.

Dealing With The Elephant In The Room. Part 2

One misconception is that God sends people to hell. On the contrary, people choose to go there by rejecting the free gift of salvation made available through Jesus Christ. Since it is a choice and there is no second chance, it is extremely important to determine your destiny now. We are not guaranteed tomorrow, or even the next hour. It would be tragic to put off securing your future until it is too late. It is simple to decide your eternal destiny. You might say Doug, why does hell exist? The answer to that is simple. Hell exists because evil and sin exist. In Genesis 6:5-6 we can understand what the primary focus of humanity was and how it totally went against God’s perfect design for man. Because God is holy and just Psalm 15:1-2 tells us the kind of person who can dwell with God. What are some of that individual’s characteristics? Contrast the description of humanity in Genesis 6:5-6 with the requirements to dwell with God in Psalm 15:1-2 and it will make sense to you. To further understand how God will judge the world read 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10. Despite our best intentions, we all fall prey to our sinful nature, putting us squarely in the position of being imperfect. Heaven is a perfect place, because God is perfect. To bridge the gap between imperfect humanity and perfect God, there is Jesus. God also promised that all people would be judged in fairness and righteousness, therefore there will be a place for the just and the unjust, which is heaven and hell. How can you and I show our appreciation to God for the knowledge that no matter what happens in this life, He will balance the scales in eternity? Have a great day!!!