Global.Church Core Ontology v0.29.5
https://ontology.global.church/poe#PhasesOfEngagementScheme
Eight-phase classification (0-7) of a people group's progress from zero engagement through indigenous church multiplication to sustained gospel presence. Each phase maps to a distinct engagement accelerator profile. Phase 0-R is a restart sub-indicator under Phase 0. Builds on the No Place Left '7 Phases of Progress' framework.
0 Phase 0: Waiting (1)There is no known reported engagement to establish self-sustaining churches.
All engagement accelerators are equally relevant at this phase — the primary need is awareness, prayer adoption, and pioneer deployment. Phase 0-R marks cases where previous efforts have not resulted in a lasting gospel presence.
0-R Phase 0-R: Restart
Previous efforts have not resulted in ongoing activity or have not been updated in three years. Sub-indicator 0-R marks that a restart is needed.
Triggered when: team withdraws with no remaining witness, believers disperse, or no new data received for 3+ years. Requires fresh assessment of the people group's current state before re-engagement.
1 Phase 1: Entry
Workers or near-culture believers gain access to the people group and begin laying relational foundations to share Christ and plant churches. The focus is on connecting, learning, and building bridges.
Key accelerators: Prayer, Scripture/Resource Access, Research/Cultural Insights, Mobilization/Sending, Multi-node Engagement, Critical Contextualization. The bottleneck is deploying workers and establishing initial presence.
2 Phase 2: Evangelism
Regular, culturally relevant gospel engagement is taking place, with the intention of planting self-sustaining churches.
Key accelerators: Prayer, Scripture/Resource Access, Mobilization/Sending, Multi-node Engagement, Research/Cultural Insights. Content production and distribution are the direct bottleneck to discipleship.
3 Phase 3: Discipleship
Individuals or small clusters respond in repentance and faith. Early discipleship stresses obedience to Scripture, laying foundations for self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice.
Key accelerators: Training/Equipping, Critical Contextualization, Prayer, Scripture/Resource Access, Mobilization/Sending. Workers shift from pioneer evangelism to coaching reproducible discipleship patterns.
4 Phase 4: Local Church
Believers from the people group gather regularly, functioning as a local church that is consistent with evangelical faith and practice. Leaders from the people group are emerging among these churches.
Key accelerators: Training/Equipping, Critical Contextualization, Collaborative Engagement, Vision Casting. Church planting support and leader training are the primary bottleneck.
5 Phase 5: Reproducing Church
Churches from the people group are sending out evangelists or church planters to plant new churches among their own people. Second-generation groups and churches are forming.
Key accelerators: Multiplying Efforts, Vision Casting, Collaborative Engagement, Mobilization/Sending, Multi-node Engagement, Training/Equipping, Critical Contextualization. Investment shifts to church planter training and network strengthening.
6 Phase 6: Multiplying Church
Generational church streams spread across the people group, reaching 4th generation or beyond of both churches and leaders. Church network structures empower local oversight.
Key accelerators: Multiplying Efforts, Vision Casting, Collaborative Engagement, Mobilization/Sending, Multi-node Engagement, Training/Equipping, Critical Contextualization. External workers serve consultative roles; the movement is largely self-sustaining.
7 Phase 7: Sustained Gospel Presence
The people group has either: (1) 10% or more following Christ and worshipping in churches, or (2) several multiplying church planting networks led by believers from the people group, who are sending workers to other people groups while continuing to mature at home.
Key accelerators: Vision Casting, Marketplace Involvement, Collaborative Engagement, Multiplying Efforts. The people group transitions from receiving resources to contributing them — sending workers and supporting gospel advance elsewhere.