CHURCH PLANTINGReasons and Rationales

Acts 2:42-47

42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. 44 And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common;45 and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. 46 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread  from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart,47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

“The single most effective evangelistic methodology under heaven is planting new churches.”

C. Peter Wagner

Wrong Assumptions on Church Planting

“We already have plenty of churches that have lots and lots of room for all the new people who have come to the area. Let's get them filled before we go off building any new ones."

“Every church in this community used to be more full than it is now. The church going public is a 'shrinking pie'. A new church here will just take people from churches already hurting and weaken everyone.”

“Help the churches that are struggling first. A new church doesn't help the ones we have that are just keeping their nose above water. We need better churches, not more churches.”

Theological Rationales for

Church Planting

“Each new generation must be evangelized on

its own terms”

“Even where there are many sheepfolds, there are

still many lost or wandering sheep”

Team up and form at least 3 theological rationales for

Church Planting

Group Dynamics

Empirical Reasons for Planting New

Churches

New Churches are a key to outreach

It has been affirmed time and again that planting new churches enhances evangelism. Older churches usually have a variety of activities. The problem here is that evangelism sometimes becomes a low priority.

New Churches grow better than old churches

Built into new churches is a potential for growth that older churches no longer have. New churches are more noticeable and new believers fit in better.

New Churches provide more options for the unchurched

Unbelievers come in such a wide variety that a correspondingly wide variety of church options is needed to win them. Fortunately, no two churches are just alike and new churches are different from others even in their same denominations.

New Churches are usually needed

One common barrier to new church planting is the notion that “this area is already overchurched.” New churches are needed not only to accommodate more people but also to serve as venue for the ministry of unused believers.

New Churches help denominations survive

Churches, like people, die. Just to stay even without showing any growth at all, denominations need to replace their deceased churches. This makes it necessary to start at least some new churches each year unless leaders are indifferent to their own denomination’s viability.

New Churches help meet the needs of existing Christians

Planting new churches is not only focused to the unchurched. It is also beneficial to believers in terms of location, and meeting their needs both individually and their family.

New Churches foster a broad-minded Kingdom mentalityLocal churches are only part of the whole

Body of Christ. There will always be a tendency to be parochial when it comes to our local churches or denominations thinking that we are the only one who is right. New churches being planted will help promote the kind of perspective that we are all working to fulfill the same mandate given by the Head – Jesus Christ.

Why is church planting crucially

important?

We want to be true to the BIBLICAL MANDATE

1. Jesus' essential call was to plant churches

2. Paul's whole strategy was to plant urban churches

We want to be true to the GREAT COMMISSION

1. New churches best reach a) new generations, b) new residents, and c) new people groups

2. New churches best reach the unchurched

We want to continually RENEW THE WHOLE BODY

OF CHRIST 1. New churches bring new ideas to

the whole Body 2. New churches are one of the best ways to surface creative, strong leaders for the whole Body

We want to continually RENEW THE WHOLE BODY

OF CHRIST 3. New churches challenge other churches to self-examination 4. the new church may be an 'evangelistic feeder' for a whole community.

As an exercise in KINGDOM-MINDEDNESS