The C1-C6 Spectrum after Fifteen Years

The C-Spectrum has been used widely in mission circles and literature over the past fifteen years to differentiate various types of Christ-centered communities (biblical ekklesiae) found in the Muslim world. It has been adapted for use in other socioreligious contexts such as Hindu and Buddhist-background fellowships as well. Additionally, it has been alluded to in reference to the postmodern West (Frost and Hirsch 2003). The C-Spectrum is framed around two central issues: (1) the socioreligious identity of fellowships of Jesus-followers who were born Muslim and (2) the linguistic, cultural, and religious forms they use. It is assumed that each of these types of Christ-centered communities follows Jesus as the risen Lord and Savior and the Bible as God’s word. Any group along the C-Spectrum could, however, become sub-biblical if adherence to scripture becomes weak. The following is a brief description of the six basic types of Christ-centered communities.