Why Plant a Church

Why Plant a Church

Author: Pastor Jacob Serns
October 14, 2024

Why are we planting a church? 


The question is a fair one. After all, God's kingdom has plenty of needs as is, so why take resources from existing churches to launch new ones? Why not just strengthen the churches we have? 

Let's look at a few good reasons to plant churches.

1. JESUS SAID "GO!"

While there are many reasons to plant churches, this is the most important of all of them. Jesus has given His church its mission.
"And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen."-Matthew 28:18-20

I'd like to add my own hearty "AMEN!" after those words, just like Jesus did. He came with all authority and told His followers to "Go make disciples." Churches serve many functions in God's kingdom: fellowship, teaching, ministry; but the primary function of any Christ-obeying church must be disciple-making. When things are being done Jesus's way, all other functions are to contribute to the fulfillment of the mission Jesus gave us to "Go make disciples!" Simply put: churches are to be mechanisms for discipleship. The more churches we have, the more discipleship we should also have. Church planting is one of the most effective strategies for the fulfillment of Jesus's mission!

2. EVERY COMMUNITY NEEDS ITS OWN CHURCH.


As a lifelong Seventh-day Adventist, I'm quite comfortable driving 20 to 30 minutes every Sabbath to get to church. Most people in any given community are not. People want a church in their community, by their community, and for their community. And if the church is to truly make an impact in its community and be recognized as a positive force for good within its community, it goes without saying that it will actually need to exist IN the community! There's a reason Starbucks has more than one location in the same city. They understand the concept of "going" to "reach" the people. If businesses take this concept seriously of embedding themselves where the people are, for convenience, awareness, and impact, how much more should the people of God take it seriously to go and get close to those we are seeking to reach for Jesus?

3. DIFFERENT CHURCHES REACH DIFFERENT PEOPLE. 


I thank God that I belong to a worldwide church of more than 20 million people, in nearly every country, and in many multiple languages! I'm thankful that no matter where I go in the world, I have spiritual family there! And while the 28 fundamental beliefs that come from Scripture are shared in every Seventh-day Adventist Church from California to Zimbabwe, I'm also grateful for the wide variety displayed within the Adventist Church. This world is filled with different types of people, and ALL are invited to become Seventh-day Adventists! Different congregations are free to enjoy different expressions of preaching styles, worship styles, and widely varying forms of ministry, all while still coming together every Sabbath to lift up Jesus and share His love! This variety is crucial if we are to carry out Christ's mission. The apostle Paul puts it this way, "For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; ...I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." 

Ellen White also speaks of the importance of variety and trying new things: 

"In the cities of today, where there is so much to attract and please, the people can be interested by no ordinary efforts. Ministers of God's appointment will find it necessary to put forth extraordinary efforts in order to arrest the attention of the multitudes...They must make use of every means that can possibly be devised for causing the truth to stand out clearly and distinctly."  Ev 40.3

"Whatever may have been your former practice, it is not necessary to repeat it again and again in the same way. God would have new and untried methods followed. Break in upon the people—surprise them." —Manuscript 121, 1897. Ev 125.4

God is calling a people who share His passion to "Seek and save the lost." Church planting is one of the methods He's given us, as we see all through the book of Acts in the early Christian church. Every church we now have was once a church plant! Someone came into that community and said, "We need a Seventh-day Adventist Church in this community." It's time for us to rise up and be about "Our Father's business." Jesus has given us our directive, and He has promised, "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come." Matthew 24:14

So what are we waiting for? LET'S GOOOOOOO!!!
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