Roland Allen

Allen's Spontaneous Expansion of the Church: and the Causes that Hinder It is an essential companion volume to his Missionary Methods. The primary argument in Allen's work is that the Spirit would quite naturally lead men to work for the advancement of the gospel in such a way that the subsequent result would be new local churches. It is this 'spontaneous expansion' that we see as characteristic of the early Church, as well as Churches in countries antagonistic towards the gospel. Allen goes on to diagnose the current reality (which is anything but 'spontaneous expansion') as a result of fear. Our fear of the uncontrolled move of the Spirit of Jesus is what causes us to rely upon organizational priciples to do what can only be done by the saint who is surrendered over to the Power of God.

Allen points out the fallacious nature of evangelistic work that has as its goal groups of Christians who must now rely upon the 'evangelist' for their continued faith. The goal of evangelism is not the existence of a large body of christians who have no way of living out their faith, or advancing the cause of the Kingdom. The goal of evangelism is women and men who's trust in Christ is of such a quality that they naturally cause those around them to desire Christ; women and men who are capable of leading others into a life with Christ; women and men who are willing to take responsibility for the spiritual welfare of their families, co-workers, and neighbors; women and men who would take up the cause of advancing the gospel of Christ.

Allen points to the evangelism of a group of people that does not empower those people to live in a christ-centered, missional, community (a Church) backwards. Our goal should be individuals who are of a particular quality in their faith; and this leading inevitably to new local churches. Not the gathering of people who are not missional, have no leadership, are not bound together by the sacraments of the Church (are not a Church!) and then seek to train up individuals of the aforementioned quality of faith out of that group.

I find in this a good deal of support for my contention that the New Testament knows nothing of Christians who were not also Church Planters. To be a Christian in the New Testament sense of the word is to have committed oneself to the spread of the missionary community of Christ.