Gerald Rowlands Resources
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
During 50 years of ministry Gerald Rowlands of Australia ministered in about 70 countries. He served in various roles including as a Pastor, Evangelist, Missionary, Christian Radio Teacher, and Bible College Lecturer and Principal. Gerald and his wife Elizabeth lived in various places including Africa, Asia and Israel.
Gerald was the founder and president of Church Planting International (CPI) and these notes formed part of the CPI Training Course for prospective church planters. The CPI Course has been used in some 23 nations around the world.
Gerald’s CPI vision for training potential leaders in evangelism, church planting and pastoral ministry was birthed whilst Gerald and his wife were missionaries in Harare, Zimbabwe in 1980. During his first twelve months in Africa in 1975, Gerald had conducted numerous large crusades with many “conversions” recorded and he observed that it was relatively easy to draw a crowd and to see hundreds of people “make decisions” for Christ. The real challenge came after the crusade when those working with Gerald would seek to integrate the “converts” into the Body of Christ and walk in a truly Christian lifestyle. He had begun to realise how crucial it was to train local pastors in the principles of church growth and development. As a result, Gerald began to organise Pastors’ Seminars in various parts of Africa to provide teaching and training. In 1979 when God led him to start a Bible College in what was then Rhodesia. At that time, Gerald was able to obtain an old guest house/motel and commenced a one-year training course, the for-runner of the CPI Course.
During later visits to Zimbabwe, whilst conducting Church Growth seminars with national pastors, Gerald was able to introduce the CPI training program to many hundreds of ministers. As an ongoing result, the program was adopted by some 27 denominations in Zimbabwe. All of these denominations and hundreds of graduates of Gerald’s CPI Courses participated in a national decade long project called TARGET 2,000. For many years, despite numerous adverse circumstances within the nation, hundreds of new churches were started every year. Zimbabwe became a missions’ focussed nation, sending church planters into several surrounding nations. Many other Churches in Lesotho, Botswana, Zambia, Swaziland, South Africa, Malawi, Nigeria and Namibia also used the CPI Course.
In 1992 Gerald received what he described as a “Macedonian Call” from Asia to place the CPI Course into some 30 new Bible Colleges in several parts of S.E. Asia. Gerald was based in Singapore at that time, and the colleges were in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. It took a few months to accomplish the necessary editing and printing. After this he began to organise pastor’s conferences at which his strategy could be shared and the materials made available to all pastors that desired them.
Throughout his lifetime Gerald’s materials were translated into over a dozen languages being adopted in colleges in India, China, Israel, and in many parts of the former USSR including the Ukraine, Kazakstan and Siberia and Russia itself. It is difficult to estimate exactly, but almost certainly tens of thousands of students have completed courses incorporating Gerald’s training materials resulting in many hundreds of Churches being planted and multiplied thousands coming to know the Lord.
In 2006, Gerald was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) by the Australian government for services rendered in the emerging world. In his late 70’s Gerald still ministered via a regular radio program focusing on God’s plan in the end times.
Gerald went to be with the Lord in 2021 at the age of 86.
During 50 years of ministry Gerald Rowlands of Australia ministered in about 70 countries. He served in various roles including as a Pastor, Evangelist, Missionary, Christian Radio Teacher, and Bible College Lecturer and Principal. Gerald and his wife Elizabeth lived in various places including Africa, Asia and Israel.
Gerald was the founder and president of Church Planting International (CPI) and these notes formed part of the CPI Training Course for prospective church planters. The CPI Course has been used in some 23 nations around the world.
Gerald’s CPI vision for training potential leaders in evangelism, church planting and pastoral ministry was birthed whilst Gerald and his wife were missionaries in Harare, Zimbabwe in 1980. During his first twelve months in Africa in 1975, Gerald had conducted numerous large crusades with many “conversions” recorded and he observed that it was relatively easy to draw a crowd and to see hundreds of people “make decisions” for Christ. The real challenge came after the crusade when those working with Gerald would seek to integrate the “converts” into the Body of Christ and walk in a truly Christian lifestyle. He had begun to realise how crucial it was to train local pastors in the principles of church growth and development. As a result, Gerald began to organise Pastors’ Seminars in various parts of Africa to provide teaching and training. In 1979 when God led him to start a Bible College in what was then Rhodesia. At that time, Gerald was able to obtain an old guest house/motel and commenced a one-year training course, the for-runner of the CPI Course.
During later visits to Zimbabwe, whilst conducting Church Growth seminars with national pastors, Gerald was able to introduce the CPI training program to many hundreds of ministers. As an ongoing result, the program was adopted by some 27 denominations in Zimbabwe. All of these denominations and hundreds of graduates of Gerald’s CPI Courses participated in a national decade long project called TARGET 2,000. For many years, despite numerous adverse circumstances within the nation, hundreds of new churches were started every year. Zimbabwe became a missions’ focussed nation, sending church planters into several surrounding nations. Many other Churches in Lesotho, Botswana, Zambia, Swaziland, South Africa, Malawi, Nigeria and Namibia also used the CPI Course.
In 1992 Gerald received what he described as a “Macedonian Call” from Asia to place the CPI Course into some 30 new Bible Colleges in several parts of S.E. Asia. Gerald was based in Singapore at that time, and the colleges were in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. It took a few months to accomplish the necessary editing and printing. After this he began to organise pastor’s conferences at which his strategy could be shared and the materials made available to all pastors that desired them.
Throughout his lifetime Gerald’s materials were translated into over a dozen languages being adopted in colleges in India, China, Israel, and in many parts of the former USSR including the Ukraine, Kazakstan and Siberia and Russia itself. It is difficult to estimate exactly, but almost certainly tens of thousands of students have completed courses incorporating Gerald’s training materials resulting in many hundreds of Churches being planted and multiplied thousands coming to know the Lord.
In 2006, Gerald was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) by the Australian government for services rendered in the emerging world. In his late 70’s Gerald still ministered via a regular radio program focusing on God’s plan in the end times.
Gerald went to be with the Lord in 2021 at the age of 86.
Resource Topics
- Using a Church Planting Institute
- Basci Doctrines
- Bible Study
- Bridges of Communication
- Burnout Recovery
- Challenge of Change
- Contemporary Churches
- Effective Prayer Life
- Effective Preaching
- Growing a Local Church
- Healing Ministry
- Holy Spirit Manifestations
- Kingdom Come
- Multiplying Ministries
- Plant a Church
- Praise & Worship
- Shepherdfolds
- Soul Winning
- The Sons of Abraham
- Worship the King
- Your Church can Grow
