Church Planting

Recently, our church has placed emphasis on becoming more and more missional and outward facing in line with our vision to bring non-­‐kingdom people to maturity in Christ. Great strides have been taken with the establishment of impact weekends and several local outreach efforts. In addition, even more progress has been made in the area of foreign missions – with a renewed energy for missions to areas including Peru, Cuba and Cambodia. 

However, as we examine local outreach and mission we must ask; are we effectively reaching the unchurched? Recent statistics show that the United States is the fifth largest mission field in the world. Ralph Moore points out that most established churches serve their constituents well, but on the whole are not winning the unchurched. Another study showed that 80% of conversions occur in churches less than 2 years old. Tim Keller explains; “The vigorous, continual planting of new congregations is the single most crucial strategy for (1) the numerical growth of the body of Christ in a city and (2) the continual corporate renewal and revival of the existing churches in a city. Nothing else—not crusades, outreach programs, parachurch ministries, growing mega-­‐ churches, congregational consulting, nor church renewal processes—will have the consistent impact of dynamic, extensive church planting.” 

The Great Commission tells us in the words of Christ: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Amen. This commission is so much more than an exhortation to share the faith. We clearly see the mandate to make disciples and to baptize which could only mean becoming part of a worshiping community. What better way than by planting Churches. God sent His Son to redeem and as heirs what shall we do (Gal 4:4‐7). Jesus tells us that even as the Father sent Him so he sends us (John 20:21). Have you ever thought about the many parables that deal with planting? 

Again borrowing and paraphrasing from Keller, “The greatest missionary in history, Saint Paul, had a rather simple twofold strategy. First, he went into a region (cf. Acts 16:9, 12), and second, he planted churches in each city (cf. Titus 1:5—”appoint elders in every town”). Once Paul had done that, he could say that he had “fully preached” the gospel in a region and that he had “no more place . . . to work in these regions” (cf. Rom. 15:19, 23).  This means Paul had two controlling assumptions: (a) that the way to most permanently influence a country was through its chief cities, and (b) the way to most permanently influence a city was to plant churches in it. Once he had accomplished this in a city, he moved on.” So it seems clear that we are to plant churches, but the question before us is:

Are we ready?

May we all prayerfully approach the question of planting and as we do may we remember the words of the greatest church planter ever; “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more that all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Grace and Peace!