In the ever-evolving landscape of Christian ministry, few voices have been as transformative and pioneering as that of Chris Galanos. From leading a thriving megachurch to championing the cause of Disciple Making Movements (DMM) and tentmaking, Galanos’ journey offers profound insights for church leaders and believers in the Western context. This article delves deep into his teachings, experiences, and vision, as shared in a recent discussion with DMM Trainer and Coach, Cynthia Anderson.
The Genesis of a Visionary Leader
Born and raised in Lubbock, Texas, Chris Galanos’ spiritual journey began with a passion for college ministry. This initial foray into the world of faith and fellowship eventually steered him towards church planting. Within the span of a mere decade, the church he founded witnessed exponential growth, with over 10,000 souls embracing faith in Jesus Christ. Such rapid success, however, was just the beginning.
Achieving their initial goals prompted Galanos and his leadership team to introspect and to seek God’s vision for the church. Reflects Galanos,
“What we did at that point, I don’t recommend unless you are ready to be incredibly uncomfortable and you’re ready for God to give you an extraordinary amount of faith to pursue it.”
Instead of asking God to do again what he did in the last few years in the life of the church, Galanos and his team asked “What was God’s vision for the next decade?” They soon realised that their vision wasn’t large enough for what God had in store for the region and the nations.
Influenced by global movements and seminal literature on church planting, Galanos and his team felt a divine calling to aim higher, to target entire people groups, and to bring the Gospel to the uncharted territories of the heart.
The realisation dawned on Galanos and his leadership team that traditional strategies wouldn’t suffice if they were to reach a million people in West Texas with the message of Christ.
“Literally it took us 30 seconds to realise we couldn’t keep doing what we were doing if this is the vision God has given us.”
From Megachurch to Disciple Making Movements (DMM)
The church, under Galanos’ leadership, underwent a paradigm shift. Instead of merely attracting members, the focus shifted to equipping and sending them out as disciple-makers and church planters. This transformative vision led to the establishment of a sprawling network of churches across multiple states and even countries.
Transitioning from a megachurch model to a multiplication-centric approach was not without its challenges.
While many embraced the new vision with enthusiasm, others, accustomed to a more traditional church experience, found it hard to adapt.
Yet, the church, driven by its renewed purpose, persisted. The result? The establishment of over 800 fellowships and churches, each a beacon of faith and fellowship.
Galanos assures listeners in the West who have heard of disciple making movements in the developing world but are sceptical of the approach in a Western context, to be ready for God to surprise them- they could be next. Says Galanos,
“God often brings movements next in the places that people said ‘It could never happen here.’”
Embracing a Tentmaking Approach to Support Kingdom Ministry
One of the cornerstones of Galanos’ teachings is the concept of tentmaking. Drawing inspiration from the Apostle Paul, who made tents to support his ministry, Galanos emphasises the need for pastors and church leaders to have financial stability outside of the church. He has written a chapter on tentmaking in his book “From Megachurch to Multiplication: A Church’s Journey Toward Movement” that outlines the steps Galanos took to get off the payroll of his church.
Such independence, Galanos believes, allows for greater freedom and boldness in pursuing DMM. From his personal journey into real estate to the potential of online businesses, Galanos offers a plethora of suggestions for those keen on exploring tentmaking. Galanos observes,
“The main hindrance I saw to pastors pursuing DMM was ‘How am I going to be paid?’”
He has put together some coaching and training for pastors who are interested in tentmaking to develop other streams of income that can be found at tentmakingpastors.com. Galanos argues that not relying on one source of income for your livelihood frees up pastors to fully commit to DMM and be part of God’s Great Commission in greater ways than previously imagined.
The Western Resurgence of DMM
While DMMs have seen success globally, their adoption in the West, especially in places like Oregon, California, and the Northeast, is particularly noteworthy. Galanos shares inspiring stories of how these movements are taking root in the most unexpected of places. Resistance, he believes, often paves the way for the most profound spiritual awakenings.
In his mission to spread the Gospel, Galanos underscores the importance of targeted evangelism.
By focusing on specific groups, such as friends with children or those in lower socioeconomic brackets, the chances of fruitful spiritual conversations are significantly enhanced.
Central to Galanos’ teachings is the belief in the multiplicative power of discipleship. Through prayer, vision casting, and rigorous training, he envisions a world where every believer is both a disciple and a disciple-maker. His experiences with various religious and immigrant populations in the West further attest to the universal appeal and efficacy of this approach.
The Global Appeal of the Gospel
Galanos’ recounting of Buddhist monks in Thailand, who were open to stories about Jesus, serves as a powerful testament to the universal appeal of the Gospel. Such stories, he believes, are indicative of the boundless potential of diaspora populations and their openness to the message of Christ.
Galanos heartfelt prayer is seeing the fruition of a God-sized vision including the raising up of dedicated leaders, and the catalysing of spiritual movements across the globe. He also provided resources for those keen on delving deeper into DMM and tentmaking.
Listen more to Chris Galanos’ DMM and tentmaking vision here
Chris Galanos
Chris was the founding pastor of Experience Life in Lubbock, Texas which was named by Outreach Magazine as one of the Top 100 Fastest Growing Churches in the US five different times. He is a currently a Tentmaking Pastor in Texas and is the author of “From Megachurch to Multiplication: A Church’s Journey Towards Movement”