Reproducing
My heart was challenged as I listened to the mandate based
on cold hard facts: “We need 700,000 new church plants in the U.S.A. by 2020 just to keep up with population growth. The U.S. is 26.3 percent evangelical while Canada is approximately 12 percent evangelical. There is ample proof to indicate that these numbers are actually too high. In their book Planning Strategies for World Evangelization, Edward R. Dayton and David A. Fraser note, “Observation and research has shown that when approximately 10 or 20 percent of the people have accepted an idea or new religion, they have the ability to evangelize the rest of the group.” Sadly, there are 38 states in the United States that do not have
enough Christians to evangelize the people in their communities (16 states are 10 percent or lower, and 12 are 20 percent or lower). Missiologists are agreed that an unreached people group exists when 2 percent or lower of the population is evangelical. In a recent study by J. D. Payne (which I can provide for those interested) we are told that there are seven states that qualify as unreached (Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Utah, and Vermont). There are at least 29 U.S. metro areas with an evangelical population less than or equal to 5 percent. Unfortunately, just because the other 12 states have a population of 20 percent or more evangelicals, it does not mean people are being reached with the Gospel. We need to be careful that we do not become so enamored
with numbers that they are our driving force because we must remain sensitive to the leadership of the Holy Spirit and where He has called us to serve. But they do show the need. In our North American church planting program we are committed to properly equip our teams for the vision God has placed upon their hearts. But we cannot stop there since we need to train these new church plants and established churches to multiply and plant more churches than ever before. Our vision is, “Raising up a generation of church planters to transform our communities with the Gospel.” Ed Stetzer says it well, “How did Christianity change from
a faith spread primarily through church planting to a faith in which church planting is rare, sometimes even controversial?” In the book of Acts church planting was the normal expression of New Testament missiology. If you or your church are interested in rediscovering the dynamic disposition of the early church, maybe you should prayerfully consider church planting. It is not just some novel, unique, or overzealous methodology but rather pure Bible. Shouldn’t our hearts break and burn within us that Provo-Orem, Utah, is 0.6 percent evangelical? As Baptists, does
it not bother us that Providence-Warwick-Pawtucket, Rhode Island, (the area of the first Baptist church in North America) is now only 1.7 percent evangelical? C. Peter Wagoner said, “The single most effective
evangelistic methodology under Heaven is planting new churches.” In D.C.P.I.’s Churches Planting Churches training it teaches this truth, “The most Biblical strategy for reaching the world for Christ is church planting.” For the BMAA to survive as an evangelistic force in North America we must plant churches. More importantly, for us to be obedient to the Great Commission we must plant churches.
Resources: DCPI Churches Planting Churches Training, May 4 -6, Little Rock, AR Planting Growing Churches in the 21st Century by Aubrey Malphurs
REPLANTING
Churches are just like people— they have a life cycle.
Replanting a church is defined by REPlant as, “To move a dying church from an unhealthy pot to a new pot so that life can resume, fruit can grow, and the world can experience the amazing life a healthy church provides.” There are many reasons a church can decide to replant, such as economics, location, target group, ministry style, leadership, facility, and more. But how do you decide if your church needs to replant? 1. Realize that is a process. You did not get in that situation
overnight and you will not get out overnight. Be still and know that He is God! Your goal is not just to relocate but for God to place you where the ministry of your church can be vibrant and make a difference for Christ. 2. Pray, pray, pray. No amount of training, reading, or
“Does it not bother us that Providence-Warwick-Pawtucket,
Rhode Island, (the area of the first Baptist church in North America) is now only 1.7 percent evangelical?”
seeking other’s advice can replace abiding in Him. Yes, do all of the above, but make sure that God is leading in this area before you make any moving plans. 3. Evaluate. Make sure that you analyze where you are as a church and the community you are in. Ask the hard questions
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bmaamissions.org n theGLEANER
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