Church Planting
Church Planting matters because the Church matters. Many in our society consider churches to be irrelevant or out of touch with society. Nothing could be farther from the truth! Jesus’ Church is the most important institution in the history of the world because Jesus is the most important figure in human history. When time to an end, the Church will be celebrated as the most significant institution of all time.
Church Planting in the Bible
Jesus was a Church Planter.
Jesus, the hero of the Bible, established the universal Church and declared the gates of hell would not prevail against it (Matt. 16:18). He also led a small congregation of disciples, teaching them the Word of God, sharing communion with them, and commissioning them to plant more churches.
The Apostles were Church Planters.
The apostles themselves were church planters, and the book of Acts is an account of their church planting ministry. They planted churches with little support from other churches and against great political and religious opposition. Ultimately, their obedience to the Great Commission cost them their lives.
Paul was a Church Planter.
His commissioning by the church at Antioch (Acts 13) marks the beginning of an incredible church-planting effort by the great apostle. Over the course of 13 years, Paul embarked on three missionary journeys, during which he traveled more than 7,000 miles and planted at least 14 new churches.
The Great Commission is a call to plant churches.
Jesus’ “Great Commission,” recorded in Matthew 28:19-20, essentially is a call to plant new churches. We can say this because, throughout the rest of the New Testament, baptizing, teaching and making disciples are exactly what churches are commanded to do! Additionally, the dozen men who originally heard Jesus say the words “baptize, teach and make disciples” responded by spending the rest of their lives planting new churches.
Church Planting is for All Churches and All Christians
Virtually every evangelical church in North America would agree that the Great Commission applies to all churches, and all churches and all Christians should endeavor to fulfill the Great Commission. It is vital for churches and Christians to realize the Great Commission is fulfilled by church planting, and the Great Commission cannot be properly fulfilled without planting churches.
Missio Dei Network Offers Members
Church Planter Coaching
Experienced pastors who have successfully planted churches are available to coach other pastors and church leaders through the church planting process (requests can be submitted in the members area).
Church Planter Cohorts
Church planters are encouraged to sign up for a church planting cohort, where they will have access to both instruction and a group of other church planters for networking and encouragement (sign up is available in the members area).
Books and Resources
Church planters have access to church planting tools and other resources (requests can be submitted in the members area).