Church Planting: Plant One or Support One
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There was a time when sending missionaries all over the world was the typical approach to making disciples. Now it seems the movement has transitioned toward church planting.
Matthew 28:19-20 mandates that disciples must make disciples all over the world and baptize them—which is typically treated as an introduction into the fellowship of Body of Christ—and then continue to teach them so they may grow in Christ. Tragic would be the missionary who baptizes new believers with no church body to connect them with. Therefore, a disciple working in this commission is either a missionary who works with and is in support of a local church, or he or she must be a disciple who plants churches, especially where there are few or none. There is no other option for a disciple in light of this commission. Thus, every disciple must evaluate his or her obedience to Matthew 28:19-20 and consider supporting an existing church or planting one.
Some look around and say there are already enough churches. Maybe this is an excuse to do nothing. So I suggest we think about this statement. Given that there are still many lost souls who do not worship Jesus, most disciples should work to see more church plants. If every person in a city were to attend a Sunday service, are there enough churches? Is the Body really ready to remain content with only a fraction of the community worshiping the Living God. Saying there are already enough churches suggests this is the case. Yet, Matthew 28:19-20 says otherwise.
Matthew 28:19-20 mandates that disciples must make disciples all over the world and baptize them—which is typically treated as an introduction into the fellowship of Body of Christ—and then continue to teach them so they may grow in Christ. Tragic would be the missionary who baptizes new believers with no church body to connect them with. Therefore, a disciple working in this commission is either a missionary who works with and is in support of a local church, or he or she must be a disciple who plants churches, especially where there are few or none. There is no other option for a disciple in light of this commission. Thus, every disciple must evaluate his or her obedience to Matthew 28:19-20 and consider supporting an existing church or planting one.
Some look around and say there are already enough churches. Maybe this is an excuse to do nothing. So I suggest we think about this statement. Given that there are still many lost souls who do not worship Jesus, most disciples should work to see more church plants. If every person in a city were to attend a Sunday service, are there enough churches? Is the Body really ready to remain content with only a fraction of the community worshiping the Living God. Saying there are already enough churches suggests this is the case. Yet, Matthew 28:19-20 says otherwise.