I have many opportunities to speak to individuals and churches about church planting. One question that inevitably comes up each time there is a discussion about church planting is “Do we really need another church?” Sometimes the question is asked this way: “Why don’t we invest resources in the existing churches that are struggling rather starting new ones?” In the coming days I plan to share seven of my top reasons for planting new churches. Does it mean that we don’t care for or do not focus attention on existing churches? Of course not, we need to strengthen existing churches, but at the same time we must plant new churches that connect with a diverse and ever changing culture that is obviously not connecting with today’s church.
Reason 1: Church Planting is Biblical
When discussing the biblical basis of church planting a great place to start is with the commissioning passages in which Jesus sent the church into the world:
John 20:21 “I am sending you . . .”
In John 20:21, Jesus explained “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you!” Since the Father had sent Jesus “to seek and save the lost” and to “preach good news to the poor . . . proclaim freedom for the prisoners . . . release the oppressed” then we are sent to do the same.
Matthew 28:18-20 “Make disciples of all nations . . .”
The Great Commission in Matthew is Jesus’ best-known word of sending, and it clearly explains that the task of world evangelization is given to his disciples – then and now. Because of his term “all nations,” Jesus clearly intended for the gospel to reach people among every people group and population segment.
Acts 1:8 “Jerusalem . . . to the ends of the earth.”
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Today most people think of this passage with concentric circles in mind, whereby we share the gospel starting with “our Jerusalem” (our local community) then to Judea (our state or province) and to Samaria (our continent). Thinking in concentric circles is helpful when we want to teach that missionary work is not only overseas but is local as well. However, another important lesson from this passage is that the power that appears here is that which Jesus promised in the sending account in Luke – the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit is present, the disciples – then and now – have the ability to spread the gospel locally regionally and globally. (Ed Stetzer, Planting Missional Churches)
Moreover, in the book of Acts the strategy for reaching new people was to evangelize and establish churches. Wherever the gospel went communities of faith were created. Jesus’ plan was, and is still today, to build His Church through the multiplication of local communities of faith throughout the world. Church planting is on the cutting edge of God’s redemptive activity on the earth.
Hate to blow your bubble here but I find that find the need to challenge one point here.
You said: Reason 1: Church Planting is Biblical
Th Planter: While I believe Church Planting is Biblical it needs further defining.
Jesus never told us to plant churches. Jesus commanded us to make disciples who make disciples. Our job: Make disciples
God’s job: Build His Church.
I hate the use of Church planting terminology because it focuses on what we can do and not what God calls us to do.
The way we do church planting is about engaging to draw a crowd. It rarely begins with a foundational priority of making disciples who make disciples.
If every Christ follower would make disciples to the fourth generation we would have a God ordained organic movement that cannot be stopped or controlled.