As much as we advocate Church Planting ministries, we might be mindful that Jesus never had one. He didn’t come to establish some sort of multi-level marketing scheme, franchising network or satellite campus initiative. Nothing of the sort. The business world does such things. We dare not mimic Wall Street business models for “Church Growth”: constant brand promotion, measurements, strategizing, statistics and targets, which can quickly become the ultimate objectives. In God’s eyes, that is nothing less than Idolatry. And we mere merchandizers of “Jesus, Inc.”
Jesus is all about Relationships. He could have sent an email, a text message or scribbled it in the sky. He didn’t. He IS the Message...and He came in the flesh to us. If ever that should sink into our souls, it is in these times. We are suffocating in the age of Virtual Discipleship. Pastoral home visits have been replaced by Zoom “welcome sessions.” Hospital visitations by Facetime. And evangelistic outreaches by YouTube videos. We have been conditioned to prefer the “drive-thru” “touchless” “socially distanced” “regularly sanitized” and “virtual” way of doing things. No need to get out of our chair, leave the home or “expose” ourselves to the contaminants, complaints and inconveniences of face-to-face Ministry. Unfortunately, that doesn’t work in slums with no electricity, no running water and hordes of humanity in seas of ten-by-ten foot shacks. I’m not so sure it works anywhere.
Initiatives to “Plant Churches” reign far and wide, including in the slums. Plans and proposals are presented to us continually by other Ministries, Missionaries and by the Pastors of the Least. While the zeal to Plant Churches is commendable, the Motives and Methods are, at times, questionable. Questionable Motives?Yes. More often than not, denominational doctrines predominate the Command to “make Disciples”of Jesus. I’ve seen more battles over deciding the denominational (even nondenominational!) “branding” for Church Planting Projects than actual battles for souls. “Is it a ‘____’ church that you are planting?” Insert the brand of choice. If you choose the wrong answer, the project goes nowhere. The Motive often is to make the franchise known...rather than Christ known.
Questionable Methods? “We’re going to plant 10,000 churches in 10 years in the 10/40 window.” “Every church will open 5 satellite branches within 5 years.” “We will raise up 500 church planters in every country in the continent.” At face value, these may be appear well intentioned and even admirable. But the underlying fallacies are not difficult to discern: “faster is more efficient; more is better; bigger is best.”
And this simply is not the approach Jesus took. His Purpose, His Incarnation, His Coming, His Word, His Mission, His Aim revolves around one critical element: Relationship. Restored Relationship with God the Father. Exclusively through an abiding Relationship with Jesus. Lending to Godly Relationships on this earth here and now. How does “Relationship” apply to Church Planting? In every conceivable way.
All too often Church Planting initiatives partner with anyone and everyone who says, “Praise the Lord!” People of whom we know little, if anything. We have no significant Relationship with them. And because of manufactured time constraints, we lower the bar. Conveniently almost anyone is deemed a legitimate candidate for “Church Planting” training and assistance. But Jesus raised the bar infinitely higher, as exemplified by His Relationship with the Twelve. Of the hundreds of “Disciples,” Jesus chose an intimate group of Twelve to pour into more deeply, systematically, exclusively and privately. Why? Because Discipleship requires much Time and Effort. It cannot be done via an electronic pathway. It must, like Christ’s Incarnation, be done face-to-face. And much to our chagrin, it cannot be done quickly. New patterns of thinking, feeling and doing require continual coaching, reinforcement, encouragement and education by the one Charged with making Disciples. And that Charge applies to all of us.
“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying...‘Go therefore and make Disciples of all the nations...Teaching them to Observe all things that I have Commanded you.’ “
We ought to pause when we encounter Church Planting initiatives that emphasize specific numbers, exclusive geographic boundaries and predetermined timelines. After 20 years on the mission field, I soberly report that there are incredibly few Pastors and Ministry Leaders that I would encourage to Plant a Church. That is, until they graduate the Bible School. By which time they have been painstakingly Discipled...through the Word of God.
DSM is not a Church Planting Ministry, although we are continually invited and urged to become one. But doing so would dilute the one step God has given us: to make Disciples of those already representing themselves as Pastors and Ministry Leaders. We ensure they are exposed to the Biblical Jesus. That they encounter Jesus personally and directly through His Word. That they are truly “born again.” That their Relationship with Jesus has begun in earnest. We emphasize the same Relational steps that Jesus did: Repentance, Belief, Submission and Obedience. Their personal Holiness is infinitely more important than whether they Plant a Church or not. Without the man of God being rooted, grounded and submitted to the Biblical Jesus, we have nothing to build upon. To partner with one who is not my own disciple, one whom I do not know intimately...is to utterly disregard the painstaking, time consuming, personal work Jesus did with the Twelve. Paul the Apostle, perhaps the greatest Church Planter, spent 13 years growing in his personal Relationship with Christ...before even considering Planting a Church.Today’s well-oiled “Church Growth” machines churn out “Church Planters” in mere weeks and months.
Church Planting has not been an Objective, but rather an Outgrowth of the DSM Bible School Ministry. Our graduates have planted hundreds and hundreds of new churches in the past 20 years. It is the inevitable fruit that “supernaturally” happens when men of God abide in the Biblical Jesus...
“If you abide in My word, you are My Disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ “
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”
Only those “in Christ” can duplicate, replicate, multiply and produce “a hundred-fold” more Disciples of Jesus Christ. Qualification to Plant Churches is not of Human Effort. But Disqualification certainly is of Human Error. We dare not rush or skip Discipling men of God before embarking on the calling to Plant Churches. Otherwise, we can unwittingly multiply churches with a “different gospel”, “another Jesus” and “doctrines of demons.” It’s not farfetched. In fact, it is infinitely more common than not. And Satan is thrilled.
After Salvation, it’s time for the daily grind of planting and watering the Word of God in His People...face-to-face, without ambitious urgency, but rather disciplined “brick-upon-brick” building of “Vessels of Honor”...
“Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? For Precept must be upon Precept, Precept upon Precept, Line upon Line, Line upon Line, Here a little, there a little.”
Over the past two decades, innumerable Pastors and Ministry Leaders have asked us to start Planting Churches under this Ministry. I have refused. And will continue to refuse. Why? Because THEY must take what they learned and do it themselves. Many who cry for “help” are simply avoiding the Step of Faith that God has called them to. They don’t need me any more than the Apostles needed outside sponsors, donors, well-wishers and “missionaries” to help them plant the first Churches. The critical tool is to lead them into a deep and abiding Relationship with HIM. Not our money, our “Church Planting” programs, our countless short-term visits or 2-week training courses. There is a time and place for that...but it’s all “fingers in the dike” if we don’t do “First things First”: ensure they are Saved, then make them Disciples...face-to-face, personally, directly, sacrificially, and patiently.
Just like Jesus did.
