A Church Planting Movement (CPM) is “a rapid multiplication of indigenous churches planting churches that sweeps through a people group or population segment” (Church Planting Movements:  How God Is Redeeming a Lost World, page 21, © 2004 by David Garrison, WIGTake Resources).

Characteristics of a CPM:

• Reproduces Rapidly:  Newly planted churches start planting new churches within a short time
• Multiplication:  CPMs do not just add new churches, but multiply them—that is, every church feels the calling and responsibility to multiply itself
• Indigenous:  Outsiders may be involved in the beginning of a CPM, but very soon the new believers take over—the movement “feels” homegrown
• Occurs within a People Group (PG) or Cluster of Related PGs:  Communication of the gospel message occurs most naturally within a people group having a shared language and the same or similar culture

There are 10 universal elements that are present in every CPM:

1. Extraordinary Prayer
2. Abundant Evangelism
3. Intentional Planting of Reproducing Churches
4. The Authority of God’s Word
5. Local Leadership
6. Lay Leadership
7. House Churches
8. Churches Planting Churches
9. Rapid Reproduction
10. Healthy Churches