There is an evident move of God in our day toward the launching of new works that has resulted in great interest in the planting of new churches . This fervor is correctly drawing from our understanding that new churches are far more effective at reaching emerging cultures than existing churches. But I want to ask a series of simple questions. Does Jesus ever tell us to go plant churches? Is this command anywhere in the New Testament? And maybe on a more controversial note – do we ever even see the practice of church planting in the New Testament?
The disciples of Jesus were given an extremely clear and narrow commission to “Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations…” Why didn’t Jesus tell us to go into all the world and plant churches? Have you ever considered the difference? Until one year ago I was living as if the Great Commission said to go and plant churches, until a man from China literally showed up, out of nowhere, and practically stuffed my face in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20). This began a journey for me of discovering how my strategies, thoughts and activities stem almost entirely from modern-day church practice (or emerging church practice) and not Scripture.
“OK, but what about Paul? Surely he was a church planter first?” It’s been interesting to note Paul’s recorded activities. We only see him actually doing two things – proclaiming the Gospel and training disciples. “But what about the churches that started in those cities?” They were the gathering of the disciples into bodies that occurs naturally among trained disciples. There is no need to corral the Sons and Daughters of God into gatherings and serve them. This is the strange anomaly of our day and merely serves to conceal our utter failure to make disciples.
Paul did launch city-wide discipleship training everywhere he went which naturally birthed house churches by the thousands but his focus was on the city expression of church which was more like a discipleship training center (such as the School of Tyrannus in Ephesus) and not the planting of individual bodies (churches).
If you intentionally make disciples you will plant many churches but if you plant many churches you will not necessarily make disciples. Which did Jesus command us to do?
Jeremy, I think you will regret making a fast distinction between church planting and disciple making. They are one in the same. Yes, I agree that for many church planting is mainly starting a service on Sunday. That is wrong without a doubt. If that is what you mean you should be more careful to define your terms in such a public forum.
Don’t succumb to the modernity’s false gospel of individualism. Just because you were part of an extremely organic church doesn’t mean you are immune to this danger. Its is the systemic discipleship that your children receive from being part of your family that will primarily shape them though all your “systematic” lessons be important. The same is true for the disciples of Christ. It is in the belonging to a gospel driven community that will ultimately bring disciples into maturity. Without it you’ve only created better educated yet very orphaned sheep.
Just a brotherly and loving push back.
Hey Mike,
Good Point – let me clarify one thing. I’m not trying to argue which is ultimately more IMPORTANT but which activity (church planting or training disciples) is most in line with our call and produces the most fruit. If you love to see new churches planted then train disciples first. You will plant 10x more churches if you train disciples and allow well-trained disciples to form bodies than if you plant traditional churches dependent on “the dude” (Driscoll’s word).
So even if your end goal is planting churches then let’s aggressively train disciples and plant hundreds of churches together instead of spend the rest of our lives building our own fiefdoms independently and see each other once every year or two at conferences.
And to your other point I agree 100% that the church is necessary for full discipleship but I think the way you get the church is to train disciples NOT to plant “dude-centered” churches. It’s too slow (to reproduce), too stagnant (after first 5 years tends to plateau), too isolated (pastors are left alone), too imbalanced (based around one person’s gift) and too stifling to the disciples you are training (who can gather on their own if shepherded by elders).
This post definitely builds on the previous ones but if people only read this I can see your point – they would misunderstand what I’m saying. Not sure how to avoid that when blogging because we all use these words so differently.
Does this mean that you are going to change your “about” page?
Thanks for posting this, Jeremy. I have been hearing and reading about church planting lately as the Lord is preparing me for ministry. So many people and organizations say that they want to go out into the nations and plant churches. SCP, saturation church planting, is the latest thing it seems.
The question that came to mind the other day, and is consequently how I found your blog, was this: Was Paul’s motive or intention to plant churches? When he left on his missionary journeys, what was the goal? I re-read through Acts again and noticed that what he did was not plant churches, but he preached the gospel and strengthened the existing churches. He followed Christ commandment to make disciples. Building up disciples will build up the church, but building up a church does not always build up disciples.
I have to give you props for posting this. I haven’t been able to find anyone else who has this view-point.
Thanks Bethany, this has been a long journey for us in making sure the training of disciples is the center to our mission and nothing else. I read some of your blog and I’m excited to hear how things for you as you prepare to go to France on mission.
God bless!
Thanks! It’s a hard thing to find the ministry to partner with. The majority of mission organizations are church-planters, and I know I am not called to that. I’m trying to find something more unique and non-traditional than the SCP organizations. It’s the key, I believe, and my dilemma.
Thank God for what He is doing with you and your humility to yield.
The focus of the twenty century was church planting and baptism and resultant boast of thousands of church membership, without a resultant positive impact on the society. And the missing link was discpleship. SomeONE said, “It is more valuable to plant men (disciples) than struggling to plant churches”.
pastor Uzor Obed of Glory Tabernacle mMinistry in Ibadan, Nigeria, isleading the Afican churches in this noble direction.
Dear Servants of God
Greetings from Kenya, in Jesus most precious name. Thank you for your
blessing website. I have been able to open in your website
and was greatly touched with the blessing work you do for the Lord.
You have new light fire of evangelism in my life and i kindly pray that
you please pray to work a meeting with us next year 2009 in the month
of may in Kenya. We can pray to bring together all churches of this area
for your training if God brings you.
I kindly wait for your blessing email. Iam married and have 6 children
of whom we work with them in in this ministry.
God bless you
pastor Julius o.masieyi
God Bless you, and greetings In the Holy Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, much Love Greetings and Encouragement from Africa Kenya. Let He Who Appointed you to Endeavor In Truth and Spirit Bless your Work, and be Crowned with Glory to Eternity. I’m your Bond Servant from Kenya who Prayefully seek for your Spirtual Nourishment, being an Evangelist of a small but Growing Congregation. We have been indeed touched by your Biblical Doctrine in your Website and that is why the Spirit of the Lord Has Instructed me ask you for some Spiritual hand In Affiliating You. By the Blood of Jesus, let’s be part of you kindly.We love children, we have some 19 orphans that this fellowship gives aid to within it’s reach. Pray for them Brethren.By the Grace of Jesus, we Invite you to Kenya for the Holy Expansion of your Ministry for the Glory of God. We will be so Blessed and Spiritually Motivated to read from you.
Thank you and God Bless you as His Household. Yours In Christ Jesus, MARY.
[...] they will be self-sustaining, training disciples city-wide and able to reproduce. How, through the training of disciples NOT through the planting or building of churches. Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)Five Questions for my “Missional [...]
Dear Pastor,
Greetings in the wonderful name of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. My Name is Benjamin Bonni.I am a Pastor at local church in republic of Togo in West Africa. The name of my church is Maranatha Bible Church. We are doctrinal church. I went to site today and find that your mission is one of the doctrinal churches. So want to share this with you if you can help me. I have started my church six year ago and by His grace everything is going on well, but I need help. When I stated the church six years ago I haven’t got any support for the work so I have to work full time to support the work so I want you to help me. The place I need help are teaching Material, when I need advices, and financially. Why I write these for help is that is two things. First about 85% of members have got job so they can support the work. Secondly the third word country is very difficult to get support so if you will help me I will appreciate it lot you want to know more information about my church I can send them to you. Please I will like you to partner me in the ministry in Togo west Africa; I am looking forward to hear from you.
Thank you very much for your help.
God richly bless you.
Pastor Benjamin
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