HOW DOES A CHURCH COME TO BE?
MUST WE STAND BY AND WAIT FOR GOD TO MOVE SOMEONE ELSE, OR SHOULD WE TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE?
More Churches.
Every discerning believer will readily confess that we need many more churches in countless needy communities.
Many sincere believers pray to this end regularly. Most fundamental pastors stand ready to help a worthy church planter with prayer, encouragement, and financial support. Thank God for those efforts. However, that model is not working.
We are losing our nation while we wait for God to “do something.” Sin abounds as churches shrivel up and die while we pray for God to work on someone else’s heart. Perhaps WE are the answers to our own prayers.
God’s Plan
God has called every believer to take the Gospel to the world to make more disciples of Christ. This process begins with personal evangelism.
Matthew 28:18–20
“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
Have you ever noticed that this doctrine is built into God’s creation? The seeds for new apple trees are found in apples. When each fruit ripens and dies, it spreads the seeds for many more apple trees to grow.
Likewise, every Christian has the “Gospel seed” within them to bear fruit. The fruit of a Christian is another Christian.
Proverbs 11:30
“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; And he that winneth souls is wise.”
John 15:8
“Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.”
When a Christian “dies to self,” obeying the Great Commission, new Christians are born again through faith in Jesus Christ. Soul winning is weaved into the spiritual DNA of each believer.
So, it is with Christ’s churches. Churches start churches. A “new church” is the natural by-product,
lists two other locations between “Jerusalem” and “the uttermost part of the world.” “Judaea” and Samaria” are the holes in most church plans to spread the Gospel.
Acts 1:8
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
In order to reach our Judaea and Samaria, we must plan churches in our region. There are many needy communities; however, the most obvious place to start a church is just outside the area where someone or fruit, of a church that dies to its own self-interests, obeying the Great Commission. God weaved church planting into the spiritual DNA of every church.
Churches do not appear in a community by accident. Churches start churches.
According to Acts 1:8, we must reach the communities in which we live while, at the same time, spreading the Gospel around the world. We call this the “both” mentality.
(Read the article “The Both Mentality” to further research this concept. It can be found at savenewengland.org/articles.)
The word “both” in Acts 1:8 means “at the same time.” Most churches accomplish this goal through local church outreach and world mission programs. However, the Bible would drive to attend your church consistently.
Proximity makes the entire process of starting a church easier.
Curtis Corner Baptist Church in Wakefield, Rhode Island, was started in 1842. I have the privilege to be the 39th pastor in its 185-year history.
CCBC exists because a Baptist church in the northern part of the state was burdened for the lost in our area. That church would only be a 40-minute drive away today, but it was an all-day wagon ride back then. Thank God that church had a burden for souls. As a result, our church has been preaching the saving Gospel of Christ for almost 200 years.
Imagine the heavenly fruit of those dear people who sacrificed to birth a church in the difficult days of the mid-1800s!
Imagine our shame when we stand before the Throne if we do not stretch ourselves for the cause of Christ! We have been given more money and tools than any generation in the history of Christendom, yet we have done so little with it. To whom much is given, much is required! We must work while it is day for the night cometh when no man can work.
Luke 12:48b
“For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.”
John 9:4
“I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.”
Every church exists because God moved upon a pastor to promote the Great Commission through personal soul winning and public church planting. Of course, God must call a man to pastor the new work. But how will this man know of the need, learn the process, and surrender to plant a church unless a man of God leads the way?
Every church with a church-planting focus is led by a pastor with a church- planting heart. Every church planter had a preacher or pastor that God used in their lives to stoke the fire and show them the ropes.
You, dear pastor, can be that man for someone. You can lead your church to understand its responsibility to start other churches.
Think not of the reasons why you can’t. Instead, think of the God Who can! The size of your church should not determine the size of your vision. The depth of your pockets must not determine the strength of your commitment.
God is able to use you, in your current situation, to move the ball toward the goal. Don’t make excuses in fear. Make plans in faith.
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God weaved church planting into the spiritual DNA of every church.
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Ephesians 3:20
“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,”
Churches do not appear in a community by accident. Churches start churches. Church planting must be weaved into the missional DNA of your local church. And the pastor must lead the way. Use the ABCs of Church Planting to get started.
A. Acknowledge the Urgent Need.
To fill a need, we must admit that there is one. God provides wisdom, resources, and laborers after we acknowledge the need and step out by faith.
The need is NOW.
There is no time to wait. Every second
two people enter eternity without Christ. Our culture is imploding. Our nation is crumbling. Jesus could come at any moment. Our time to make a difference is short!
The need is NEAR.
Churches are needed everywhere. However, you don’t need to go across the country or around the world to find a place that needs a church. There are places within an hour’s drive from your location that need a Gospel-preaching, soul-winning Baptist church.
The need is NOBLE.
There is no more noble mission than a search and rescue of eternal souls. Perhaps we should look at our schedules to compare how much time we spend doing what we know is most important. There is much to do; nevertheless, time spent to seek and save sinners should top the list.
A new church is a soul-winning station. More churches mean the multiplication of soul-winning efforts.
B. Believe God Can Use You.
We are the answer to our own prayers. We must not wait for someone to appear out of thin air to address the need.
In the next issue of this magazine, we will identify five ways to start a church. Those concepts will shed light on “how” your church can move forward with a church plant. Nevertheless, you must believe God will use you to birth new churches. Every church is called to plant churches. Does your church know this? Do you believe this? Do you believe God will use you to do it?
Eventually, a pastor must be called for the new church. However, the Apostle Paul did not wait until a pastor was available to start churches. He started churches and then appointed elders.
At the very least, you can get the ball rolling by declaring the vision and laying the groundwork.
C. Commit To The Process.
The process is the same for a pastor or a church planter. The concepts are simple, but implementation requires faith and labor.
1. Confirm the call.
Understand that God intends for your church to start churches. Grasp it. Marinate in the truth. Feel the burden of its implications. Admit to God that you understand your duty and seek His wisdom and power.
2. Choose an area.
Every area “needs” a church, but not every area “wants” a church. Jesus told the disciples to “shake the dust off their feet” of the communities that didn’t want Him. God knows which community is ripe for harvest. Identify possible areas and seek His face for direction.
Read the article “Where Should I Start A Church” to learn six ways to discern where you can plant a church. It can be found at savenewengland. org/articles.
3. Communicate the vision.
Once your heart is committed to the call to plant churches, tell your church of the urgent need and its responsibility. Weave it into the very fabric of the church’s philosophy and
structure. Declare that, with God’s empowerment, your church needs to start a church within the next 2-5 years. Begin working toward that goal.
4. Collect a team.
Don’t try to go it alone. Ask God for the right people to accomplish this monumental task. Pray for givers to give, soul winners to go, and people to pray. Pastors don’t grow on trees. Faithful men of God are in short supply today. Begin praying for God to prepare and send a pastor for the new church.
Be willing to let go of people you love if you are starting a church in an area where some of your members live closer to the new plant. We quickly donate money but can be stingy with people. Mature members are one of the greatest needs of a new church.
5. Commence by faith.
Get started by faith. If you wait to see how it will all work out, you will never take the first step. We are called to walk by faith, not by sight. Remember that the will of God works much like the headlights of your car. The headlights only illuminate a short distance in front of you. If your vehicle doesn’t move, you’ll never
see what’s just beyond the reach of your headlights. In contrast, as the car moves forward, the next part of the journey is revealed. Step out by faith, and you may be surprised at how quickly God begins to move.
Conclusion
Churches do not appear in a needy community by accident. Churches start churches. Church planting must be weaved into the very DNA of your local church. And the pastor must lead the way.
May God empower us to start many more churches for His glory!