Why We Need More Churches

When we started the Save New England ministry six years ago, we began highlighting areas in our region that desperately need more churches. One well- meaning man replied to our efforts with a screenshot of Google maps showing dozens of churches in the area we had recommended for a church plant. He contended that the location already had enough churches.

We kindly replied that a church building is not the same as a faithful New Testament church. Many of the “churches” in New England are dead relics of the past. They are tombstones marking the spot where spiritual life existed long ago.

I think we can all agree that not all churches are the same.

There are four kinds of churches in existence today.

1. Counterfeit churches

Not every building with a sign that says “church” is truly a church. Like the church in Sardis, they have a testimony of life, but they are dead. Most churches you see in our region are nothing more than social clubs. Some never preached the Gospel. Many church that once had the truth have forgotten the Gospel long ago. You couldn’t find the truth in them with a magnifying glass.

2. Corrupt churches

Corrupt churches have the true Gospel but are corrupted by false doctrine. Like the churches of Pergamos and Thyatira, they have good points and make sincere efforts, but the false doctrine is crippling and destructive.

3. Compromised churches

These churches believe the Gospel and fundamental doctrines of the faith but have lost their distinctiveness and spiritual power. Like the church at Laodicea, their lukewarm approach sickens the Saviour.

They are compromised in holiness. The world has changed them instead of them changing the world. Spiritual power has been replaced by secular promotion. Holy Ghost conviction takes a back seat to humanist comfort. Powerful preaching has been dethroned by popular exposition. Sincere worship in spiritual song has been rejected for worship teams modeled after rock concerts.

Making no difference between the holy and the profane, compromised churches dishonor God.

They are compromised in ministry, too.

Bible methods of two-by-two visitation are mocked. Personal and confrontational publication of the Gospel is rejected. Proven methods like Sunday School, bus ministry, scheduled soul-winning times, and special evangelistic events are abandoned.

Unbiblical ministry philosophies abound in these churches. Calvinism destroys a church’s motivation for outreach. After all, they reason that God will send the elect to them. Lifestyle evangelism stifles a church’s boldness. You don’t want to push people away, you know.

We have lost too many committed churches to compromise and corruption. Instead of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars and countless man-hours to birth a new church, imagine what we could do if just 50 of these compromised churches returned to holiness and soul winning as God intended. Wow! It would be a revival! It is our prayer that this magazine would stir a fire in good people who have become discouraged, distracted, disillusioned, or derelict.

4. Committed Churches.

These churches are committed to the Word of God. They are committed to preaching sound doctrine. Good churches are committed to going after the lost. They are committed to glorifying God despite the changing winds of pop culture and faddish trends. These are churches where Christ is the Head, the pastor is a servant, and the people are obedient to God.

We desperately need more churches. But to be clear, I’m not merely advocating for more churches. We don’t need any more counterfeit, corrupt, or compromised churches. There is an abundance of those. We need more committed churches. Our goal at Save New England is to help churches start and sustain Bible-believing, separated, soul-winning, Baptist churches.

Christ founded the local church. He is its Head. He purchased it with His own precious blood. He intends to use your church to accomplish His will in your community. Your church is the spiritual lighthouse in your neighborhood. However, not all churches are equal in effectiveness or efficiency. Every pastor and church have room to increase in both areas. O, how desperately your city needs your church to be at its best!

Many areas don’t have a committed church at all. How many towns don’t have a Gospel witness? Which of the many rural areas don’t have a committed church within an hour’s drive? How many city neighborhoods have not been reached with the Gospel in more than a generation?

Without a doubt, we need many more committed churches. Allow me to offer five biblical reasons why we need to plant more churches.

1. The local church is God’s people organized to fulfill the Great Commission in a community.

Our Lord Jesus gave the Great Commission to His disciples before He ascended to Heaven after His resurrection.

Matthew 28:18–2
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.

The responsibility to reach the world with the Gospel belongs to every believer.

Christ explained that believers would be His witnesses after that the Holy Ghost came up them. There are only two options for professed believers that don’t witness for Christ.

These silent Christians are not filled with the Holy Ghost, or they are not true believers. Sadly, most born-again believers do not live in the power of the Spirit.

A local church is a called-out assembly of baptized believers. Although it is the responsibility of every believer to witness to the lost, there is only so much they can do alone. When a group of Christians chooses to organize their evangelism efforts through the local church the sum of the whole is greater than its parts.

God supernaturally multiplies our small contributions for His glory when we partner through the local church.

The local church is God’s people organized to fulfill the Great Commission in a community. The successful efforts to witness to sinners, win the lost, baptize believers, and disciple converts are multiplied through the church when God’s will is accomplished.

If this concept is biblical, and it is, then consider how many churches are failing in their holy calling. How many churches have no organized outreach programs? There are many preachers don’t win souls themselves. How many Christians think the purpose of the church is only to learn the Bible? Pastors must leave the office and hit the streets, showing the congregation how to witness. Pastors must remind the church that the purpose of everything the church does is to win the lost, baptize believers, disciple converts, and uplift Christ. No ministry should exist unless it actively contributes to the Great Commission.

There is a significant difference between a church that actively spreads the Gospel throughout the community and one that doesn’t. Get a map. Draw a circle around your church. Take responsibility for the souls in those communities. Get the Gospel to every house. Talk to as many people as you can. Organize your church members into groups to take the Gospel to every soul.

Create soul-winning times, bus ministries, Bible clubs, nursing home services, prison ministries, etc., as the Lord leads. Of course, every church will not have every ministry. However, every church should go after sinners in a scheduled and organized manner.

“We desperately need more churches.”

The local church is God’s people organized to fulfill the Great Commission in a community. That’s the first reason we need more churches.

2. The local church is the greenhouse of Christian growth.

Faithful attendance at a Bible-preaching church is the single most consistent denominator of Christian growth. We are born again as babies in Christ. God intends us to grow into mature and capable followers of Christ. This vital growth can only occur with proper nourishment, training, and guidance.

A greenhouse provides the optimal environment for plants to grow despite the season. Likewise, a local church offers the necessary environment, knowledge, encouragement, and mentors to grow in grace.

Make a mental list of all the essential things we learn in church:

• We learn foundational Bible doctrines.

• We learn to walk with God in personal prayer and Bible reading.

• We learn to obey the Lord in our daily lives.

• We learn to avoid the pitfalls of sin and temptation.

• We learn how to apply eternal truths to daily living as the Bible comes alive through Spirit-filled preaching.

• We witness victorious Christian living at church, finding role models for our own success.

• Church services whet our spiritual appetites to live for God all week long.

On the other hand, what happens when a Christian stops attending a committed church? We have seen the effects of this terrible decision many times, have we not? Testimonies are ruined, and lives fall apart without faithful church attendance.

The Scripture reveals that if you want an unwavering testimony, you must never stop attending a Bible-preaching church.

Hebrews 10:23–2
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

While I am grateful for streaming church services, online learning resources, digital classes, and virtual fellowship, nothing – I repeat – nothing can replace the impact of a local church on the spiritual growth of a believer.

In many communities, some believers are not growing because they have no committed church to attend. A new church offers an opportunity for wandering believers to return to the fold and new believers to grow in grace.

The local church is the greenhouse of Christian growth. That’s the second reason that we need more churches.

3. The local church is the hub of the Christian life.

Christ not only instructs every believer to attend a local church, but also, He intends that every believer be an active participant in it. There is a large difference between attending a church and being a working member.

For much of American history, the local church was the hub of the entire community. Most stores and restaurants were closed on Sunday because it was the Lord’s day. As our nation has become more secular, the things of the Lord have taken a more ancillary place in society.

Today, local schools plan events on Sundays with no thought of the church house. Work has become the most important thing in adult life. For families with children, public school often becomes the hub of life. Soccer moms became a common phrase to identify parents who spend their lives taking their children from one sporting event to another.

Undoubtedly, the church plays tiny part in society today.

When sinners gets saved today, they must learn to build their lives around the local church. God intends the local church to be the hub of the Christian life. That means priorities, traditions, and schedules must be changed to make time for regular attendance and service. Church is not a place that we visit once a week. It is the hub of your new life in Christ.

Acts 2:46–47
And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

In the book of Acts, believers met together regularly for worship, learning, fellowship, soul winning, and service. They had new priorities and a new crowd as new creatures in Christ. Some professing believers have tried to promote the ridiculous idea that church is not necessary for believers. While you don’t need to attend church to be saved, you must attend church to be a good Christian. There is not a hint in the New Testament of a committed believer living without faithful attendance to a local church.

I recommend that you organize your life to attend Sunday School, Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night church services. Also, schedule weekly time for soul-winning and ministry. Make Christ the King of your heart and make His house the center of your life.

The local church is the hub of the Christian life. That’s the third reason we need more churches.

4. The local church is the pillar and ground of truth.

1 Peter 3:15
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

Pillars support and maintain the integrity of a structure. Also, they can bear meaningful inscriptions that are messages from the builder to the observer.

The word “ground” in this verse speaks of solid ground. It is the stable foundation upon which the pillars sit. The church is the stable ground upon which the truth sits and the pillars that support the truth from falling to the ground.

A committed church supports and preserves the Word of God. It is the library of truth for a community. It is the spiritual pharmacy containing the cure for the city’s spiritual ailments.

It is the Fort Knox of truth in your town.

Once the truth is gone from a church, it is no more a church. Once the church is gone, the truth is absent from a community.

What is the truth?

Jesus Christ is the living Truth.

John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

The Bible is the written Truth.

John 17:17
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

It is the church’s mission to proclaim the risen Christ and the whole counsel of God to all who will hear.

The local church has 3 responsibilities to the truth.

1. The church must preserve truth. We must keep the truth exactly the same as God gave it to us. We cannot improve God’s truth. We can only preserve it’s perfection.

2. The church must protect truth. We must earnestly contend for the faith against those who would corrupt it

3. The church must publish truth. Truth is not a secret to be hoarded; it is a soul-saving message to be heralded. We must publish the truth to every home in our community and around the world through a missions program.

The local church is the pillar and ground of the truth. This is the fourth reason that we need more churches.

5. The local church is the embassy of Christ’s Kingdom.

An embassy is a group of government officials headed by an ambassador representing their government in a foreign country. The building in which they work is also called an embassy. Land on which an embassy sits is considered the sovereign land of the country it represents. The purpose of an embassy is to assist the citizens who travel or live in the host country.

The local church is the embassy of Christ’s kingdom in this present evil world.

The corrupted earth is currently under the dominion of the Devil. Satan stole that dominion from Adam when he chose to sin.

2 Corinthians 4:4
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Believers are pilgrims and strangers in this world. (1 Peter 2:11) Our citizenship is in Heaven (Philippians3:20). We must live in this world until we are glorified. However, God did not leave His citizens sojourning in this world without a safe place for them to run.

Furthermore, every believer is called to be an ambassador of Christ through personal soul winning. We represent our King by inviting others to join His Kingdom through faith.

2 Corinthians 5:20
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

The local church is the embassy of Christ’s Kingdom in this world. That’s the fifth reason we need more churches.

CONCLUSION

The local church is a priceless gift to New Testament believers. It is the home base of God’s efforts to save sinners. It is an indispensable element of Christ’s Kingdom. We must strengthen and sustain the committed churches which exist. Also, we must birth more churches if we hope to save our, region, nation, and world.