Church Planting, when done biblically, is the most effective means for accomplishing the Great Commission. I believe it is the process Jesus had in mind when He said to “go into all the world and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19).
Church Planting is, in its purest function, the deliberate pursuit and intentional process of making disciples. This is the Great Commission.
Disciples are wholly devoted followers of Jesus. They adhere to and live out the teachings of Christ. It should be the goal of every church to be effective in producing and reproducing disciples. It should be a perpetual process until the Lord calls His bride home.
We agree on the need to be involved in this biblical purpose. We may disagree on how to go about it.
The question must be seriously considered: Are we effective at church planting? Let me ask it another way: Are we effective at making disciples?
Effectively means in an effective way (source: American Heritage Dictionary). Effective is defined as having an intended or expected effect (ibid). The biblical expectation as it relates to making disciples is clear: plant churches that produce followers of Jesus Christ among all people in every nation until the end.
I propose we can be more effective at making disciples if we are willing to implement another way of church planting.
What I advocate has been termed house church, home church, simple church, family church, relational church, organic church, and biblical church. Whatever you call it, the idea is to be faithful to the intent of Jesus Christ and the Apostles in our church life. Are you?
Pray for me! Pray for churches to multiply in the greater Austin area.
GOD bless you as you serve HIM.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
"If we cannot multiply house churches, we will never see a movement. If we cannot multiply leaders [or, we might say, pace-setters] we will never multiply house churches. If we cannot multiply disciples, we will never multiply leaders. The way to see a true, house church planting multiplication movement is to multiply healthy disciples, then leaders, then churches, and finally movements--in that order. Trying to multiply large, highly complex 'macro' organisms without first multiplying and networking on the 'micro' level is impossible."
(Neil Cole, "Multiplying and Networking House Churches" article, excerpted from "Nexus: The World House Church Movement Reader," edited by Rad Zdero)
I totally agree, Bill. Check out Floyd McClung and All the Nations. I have been really enjoying reading and listening from them in the last few days. Good stuff.
http://www.floydandsally.org/
http://www.allnationstraining.com/
http://www.allnations.us/
*correction: "All Nations", not "All the Nations"
Post a Comment