Gospel Churches Planting Gospel Churches

The New Testament calls gospel churches to plant gospel churches. The New Testament model found in Acts 11-13 resulted in the gospel being proclaimed, the gospel being received, gospel churches being formed, and qualified spiritual shepherds being appointed to lead them. In Acts 13 when Paul and Barnabas were sent out by the local church at Antioch, they were sent out to proclaim the gospel, gather believers into gospel churches, and then in Acts 14, they appointed spiritual leaders for each congregation. Therefore, we know local gospel churches need to be sending out qualified persons to proclaim the gospel, gathering believers into gospel churches, and appointing qualified spiritual leadership to lead these newly formed gospel churches.

The very nature of a New Testament, gospel-centered church is to plant other gospel churches. Each existing gospel church needs to find a way to multiply itself into creating new gospel churches. While some churches may not feel they have the assets for resources for such a vision, through partnership, a way can be discovered and embraced. I am convinced there is a way for each gospel church to be involved in investing in and planting other gospel churches.

The Apostle Paul understood his role was not just to see people come to Christ, but to plant a gospel church in every city whereby these believers would be discipled into gospel-centered living, be nurtured in their walk, and then sent out to repeat the spiritual cycle. Paul would work his way back to Antioch, his sending church, through his missionary journeys to report all that God was doing in this church planting movement. The result was a major advancement of the gospel. This biblical model can be embraced by every gospel-centered people in the world. Church planting is in the spiritual DNA of every gospel church.

Can you imagine what could happen in America through the Southern Baptist Convention, which has 50,000 plus congregations, IF this biblical model would be embraced and practiced? No longer would we have to hold our heads in shame for the lack of gospel advancement in some of our major cities like Chicago, New York City, and Los Angeles, as well as in many under-served regions in North America. We must return to being gospel churches that plant gospel churches. If we desire to see a gospel advance in North America, it will involve gospel churches planting gospel churches. The 250 million plus people that comprise the “darkness of lostness in our nation” can be penetrated when we plant gospel churches that will plant other gospel churches.

Let’s become gospel churches that plant gospel churches.