Let me tell you a story ….
Years ago in Orlando I was the member of a church that was beginning a capital fund raising program to move across the street into a huge new facility. They thought it would take $5-6 million. I met the pastor for lunch one day. I asked him about the abandoned super-market next door: might make a good sanctuary and office space. Apparently his deacons didn’t think it looked like a church. I thought it would save lots of money. “What about planting a church?” I was not expecting the response I got.
He claimed you needed to have a membership of 3-400 to plant a new church and not “harm” the mother church. “So, you’re telling me we have to spend $5-6 million to get a congregation large enough to think about planting a church?” He said yes.
Since then I’ve seen churches committed to church planting rather than endless building programs. I worshipped in one today that has planted 3 churches so far.
The authors of Total Church think this should be the rule rather than the exception. I agree.
“Church planting puts mission at the heart of church and church at the heart of mission.”
It is too easy for churches to lose sight of vision and mission in order to maintain and sustain a bulding and programs. Churches move into a maintenance mode, so they plateau and eventually decline. But a gospel community is one for which growth is a commitment. And a natural expression of that growth is the planting of new churches.
“But mission very easily becomes one activity among others in church life. It sits on the agenda alongside a list of other items, vying for attention. Or it is left to the enthusiasts to get on with it at the edge of church life. For some churches mission seems a distant dream as they struggle to keep the institution of the church afloat. Putting on a weekly service is challenge enough.”
Sounds strange, why go all the trouble to convert and mature those Christians if you’re going to send them off to start a new church? Sounds just like a family. You have and raise kids so they can go and start their own families. It is part of the natural growth process God has established for your household … and His. Building His kingdom (instead of ours) means having His priorities and passions of mission instead of ours.
The Book of Acts reveals to us that God’s priorities are for new Christians and new churches- worldwide. Most of that book is taken up with Paul’s missionary journeys, which resulted in new churches. The church is God’s mission strategy: locally and globally. Remember, Paul and Barnabas were sent out by the church to form new churches (not merely convert individual sinners). Gospel communities want to beget new gospel communities, just like families want to beget new families at least if they are healthy.
Not only that, but it takes it back out of the realm of “programs” and into the very rhythm of life. It is no longer a “special event” but something you are always working towards, something that intentionally affects each decision for the community.
“Mission is a communal project in which a number of gospel communities are involved together as they seek to extend the reign of Jesus though planting more churches.”
Precisely! Chester and Timmis are calling us back to gospel priorites in these chapters. We would do well to listen. Bigger is not always better.
Cavman Considers 
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