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Church planting

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Berean, Mar 27, 2012.

  1. Berean

    Berean Member
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    Recently I have noticed a word or phrase that has been used almost to the excess and I wll confine this to my church in particuler although I hear it often in TV Programs. The term is Church planting. Along with this I have also noticed that I can't recall when I heard any of the following terms Soul winning, Evangelism or even presenting the Gospel. Has anyone else taken note of this? Is this a part of the movement to soften the Word or merely cultural change? Mission churches are also referred to as campuses. I read in the paper this week about a Church that had 3 campuses in the city and 15 statewide.
     
  2. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    IMHO a church that has several campuses is not church planting - they are campus planting. An off campus meeting is not a church.
     
  3. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    Church planting is starting a whole new church that would have it's own leadership, finances, etc. A church campus is still part of the larger church and shares it's leadership and finances.

    But the other terms you mentioned are separate from starting new churches or campuses. The goal of doing this is to be able to spread the Gospel in new communities. We have two church campuses that are in communities that are sorely lacking Gospel preaching churches. We don't use the term "soul winning" because that's God's job but we are out there preaching the Gospel and trying to get into the community to get them to hear it. At our campus this Friday, we are going to be showing the movie Courageous. We meet at a hotel and we put out 1000 invitations and we're hoping to get some new people in to see the free movie and learn that we're there. Hubby will be preaching this Sunday a message about reconciliation - tying in the Courageous movie and the reconciliation that occurred in that to the ultimate reconciliation - the Gospel. :)

    But don't think because people are talking about starting new churches that they are forgetting the Gospel.
     
  4. plain_n_simple

    plain_n_simple Active Member

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    Sure it is. Where there are two or three....
     
  5. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    You are thinking of Matt 18:20 :
    For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

    First Jesus is speaking before his resurrection - ie before "the church". Second this verse is not specifically about a church. If I start a Bible Study at my work and three people show up - we are not a church (esp if we are different denominations) we would be just a Bible Study. Yet the Lord would still be in the midst of us!

    An off campus "church" is only part of a church - much like a Sunday School Class is part of a church.

    Now if the purpose of a "campus church" is to organize a local autonomous church - thats fine - but that should be done within a reasonable time.

    One question - how do their business meetings work?

    Salty

    PS - of course my above statement is a moot point - if you are talking about the universal church.
     
  6. David Lamb

    David Lamb Active Member

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    On this side of the Atlantic, the phrase "church planting" certainly is not part of any movement to soften the Word of God. Back in 2006, there was a thread with the title, "Inviting the Lost into our Homes" . It included the following post from El Guero (emphasis mine):

    The beginning of my reply included a definition of what church planting means here:
    Probably my own fault, but I'm afraid I don't understand your message (El Guero) apart from the last sentence.

    I'll try and explain my confusion:

    1. My understanding of the term "church planting" is of an existing local church setting apart and sending out some of its members to begin ("plant") a new church where as yet there isn't one. If you mean the same sort of thing by "church-planting", I am wondering what the connection is with whether or not we should invite unbelievers into our homes.

    I am wondering what you think church planting means, Berean, that leads you disapprove of the term.
     
  7. gb93433

    gb93433 Active Member
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    Do you know the historical context of where that statement came from?
     
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