Institutions and Movements

Introduction

The Gospel spreads like wildfire, igniting hearts and transforming communities. Church-planting movements embody this Spirit-led dynamism, bringing the Gospel rapidly and broadly to a generation. Yet the long-term health of these movements depends on something deeper: roots.

Institutions—particularly sending churches and sending agencies—serve as the roots, ensuring the Gospel’s integrity and continuity from one generation to the next. Without their stabilizing presence, movements risk losing doctrinal fidelity and strategic sustainability. Without movements, however, institutions can drift into complacency, losing the urgency and adaptability needed to reach new generations and cultures.

This post explores how sending churches and sending agencies complement church-planting movements, drawing lessons from Scripture and church history to envision a fruitful partnership between these vital expressions of God’s mission.

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A Biblical Framework: Movements and Institutions in Acts

The book of Acts illustrates the essential interplay between movements and institutions in the early church. Movements—represented by rapid Gospel expansion, church planting, and disciple-making—are most evident in the Spirit-led missionary journeys of Paul and Barnabas. Institutions, represented by sending churches and apostolic councils, provide doctrinal stability, leadership development, and strategic oversight.

Sending Churches: Antioch and Jerusalem

The church at Antioch exemplifies the Spirit-led adaptability of a movement-supporting church. In Acts 13, while Barnabas and Paul are worshiping and fasting with other church leaders, the Holy Spirit calls them for a specific missionary work. The church responds immediately, praying, laying hands on them, and sending them out. This demonstrates the agility of a sending church in mobilizing its people for mission.

The church at Jerusalem, by contrast, plays a stabilizing institutional role. In Acts 15, it convenes the Jerusalem Council to address doctrinal disputes, ensuring Gospel fidelity as the movement spreads among Gentiles. The council’s decision, communicated through leaders and letters, preserves the unity and theological integrity of the burgeoning movement.

Sending Agencies: An Implication of the New Testament

While Scripture doesn’t describe formal agencies, the collaborative efforts of churches in Acts hint at their necessity. Churches like Antioch and Jerusalem worked together to resource and oversee missionaries, foreshadowing the role modern agencies play today. Sending agencies now provide specialized support—training, financial systems, crisis management, and cross-cultural expertise—that sending churches alone often cannot sustain.

These biblical examples remind us that movements need both the flexibility of sending churches and the robust infrastructure of sending agencies to thrive.

Tensions Between Institutions and Movements

Despite their complementary roles, tensions often arise between movements and their supporting institutions.

Movements Critique Institutions

Movements often view sending churches and agencies as slow-moving, overly bureaucratic, and risk-averse. They fear that institutional structures may stifle creativity and responsiveness to the Spirit’s leading.

Institutions Critique Movements

Sending churches and agencies may view movements as unstable, doctrinally shallow, or overly focused on short-term gains. They fear that movements lack the accountability and theological depth needed for sustainability.

Both Are Needed, and Tension is Healthy

These critiques highlight the need for balance. Sending churches and agencies thrive when they see their role as scaffolding—supporting movements without stifling their autonomy. Movements flourish when they remain tethered to the theological and logistical support provided by these institutions.

Lessons I Have Learned

From my experience with church-planting movements, sending churches, and sending agencies, I’ve observed several key lessons:

Sending Churches as Spiritual Anchors

Sending churches are most effective when they see themselves as spiritual anchors for movement leaders. Their role is not to control or micromanage but to offer prayer, pastoral care, and theological accountability. Healthy sending churches empower leaders to innovate while ensuring their work remains Gospel-centered.

Sending Agencies as Operational Partners

Sending agencies excel when they function as operational partners—handling administrative tasks like finances, visas, and crisis management so movement leaders can focus on the mission. The best agencies see themselves as behind-the-scenes enablers, not front-line directors.

Movements Are Served by Both

Movements thrive when sending churches and agencies work together. Churches provide the relational and theological foundation, while agencies supply the infrastructure and expertise needed to navigate complex challenges. This partnership equips movements to remain both faithful and fruitful.

Emerging Trends and Opportunities

The modern landscape offers exciting opportunities to reimagine how sending churches and agencies can partner with movements:

• Decentralized Sending Models: Many movements today benefit from networks of smaller sending churches rather than reliance on a single institution. These churches collaborate with agencies to provide well-rounded support.

• Lightweight Agencies: Some agencies are adopting a “minimalist” approach, focusing on equipping and resourcing movements while minimizing administrative burdens.

• Global Collaboration: In an increasingly globalized church, sending agencies from different nations are partnering to support movements in under-reached regions.

Conclusion

Sending churches, sending agencies, and movements are not competitors—they are complementary forces in God’s mission. Movements provide the wings to spread the Gospel broadly and rapidly. Sending churches and agencies serve as the roots, ensuring the Gospel remains grounded in truth and continuity.

For movement leaders: Recognize the value of the churches and agencies that serve you. 

For institutional leaders: Adopt a posture of humility, empowering movements to thrive while offering the stability they need.

Together, these three expressions of the church can fulfill the Great Commission, glorifying God by proclaiming the Gospel to every generation and every nation.