Taking our cues from the Scriptures, planting churches takes a high priority in what Great Commission does. Spend some time looking at these texts and listening to the Spirit about His global mission.

• Church planting is a central part of God’s mission to form a new people of God (Ephesians 1:3-14, 1 Peter 2:4-10).
• Christ loves the church and promised to build it (Matthew 16:18).
• God grows His church by adding those who are saved (1 Corinthians 3:6, Acts 2:47).
• God’s plan goes beyond rescuing the lost to transforming lives, families and communities (Parable of salt and light — Matthew 5:13-16; of yeast — Matthew 13:33; and ministry of Jesus and apostles).
• The Great Commission implicitly includes church planting (teaching, baptizing, discipling all nations — Matthew 28:18-20).
• The task of evangelism is complete only when people are brought into the fold of the church (Luke 14:23, 15:1-10).
• The book of Acts demonstrates that new churches are the normal and necessary result of evangelism and disciple-making.
• Church planting is central to Pauline understanding and practice of mission (Romans 15:19-20, 1 Corinthians 3:5-6).
• Jesus will not return until there is a witness to every ethnic group (Matthew 24:14).

Church planting tour in a remote area