STOP PLANTING CHURCHES!

While eating lunch today, I read a fascinating quote in a book. It said, "Don't plant churches. Plant Jesus! Plant the Gospel of the kingdom. Church will grow naturally from that, and reproduce organically."

As a church planter, it struck me odd for a moment, and then from out of nowhere it hit me like a speeding train. I had to read, re-read, and then re-re-read it again. The profundity of that statement was so overwhelming that I couldn't eat another bite.

It was so much more than an "a-ha" moment. It spoke to the very core of my being. It resonated in my spirit so deeply that I had to close the book and simply mediate on what I had just read.

The Bible never tells us to "build" churches. In fact, Jesus told Peter that HE would build HIS church. BUT scripture also does not tell us to plant churches either. It tells us to proclaim the Good News and make disciples.

Here's what struck me about what I read: We are called to sow. What do we sow? We sow the Truth. The Gospel. The Good News of Jesus Christ. We are not called to sow churches. Churches are the FRUIT. Fruit that is produced from the seeds of the Gospel. Think about what that means for a second. Is it possible that we are doing things backwards? I think so. I'm not saying that a vision for a new church is wrong. But I do believe the "why" and "how" we are going about it could be sadly heading in the wrong direction.

Here's the WHY:

Current thinking says: "There are no churches in this community, so let's plant one."

Biblical thinking says: "The community around us is going to hell, let's demonstrate Jesus' love to this community and see what HE produces.

Our motivation should simply be that EVERYONE needs an opportunity to see the love of God demonstrated through Jesus, and now His love demonstrated through us. It is then we are planting the seeds of the Gospel. Will a church come from that. I certainly hope so. But we are not the ones "building" it. It is truly a work of the Holy Spirit.

Here's the HOW:

Current thinking says: "Let's start meeting in a building and invite people to come and see what God is doing."

Biblical thinking says: "Let's go into the community and share God's love and message and see what HE does."

I don't know about you . . . but that really shakes my world. It makes life a heck of a lot more interesting. And let's be honest . . . it fills our life with such purpose, every moment that we have breath.

May we all be challenged to plant the seeds of the Gospel EVERYDAY. May we look for and take advantage of every opportunity God gives us to share the love of Christ. If we all did that . . . maybe, just maybe the church might begin to look like the church Jesus said it would be: "And the gates of hell will not prevail against it."

Amen and amen.

Onward and upward,

Stephen

P.S. The book I was reading was called "Church 3.0" by Neil Cole. I know some of you are going to ask :) sb.