Church planting is the natural product of the mandate found in God’s Word. Jesus said in Matthew 28, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” Church history from the time of Christ to the present day describes the process of obeying this command of our Lord. We are to win souls, disciple those we win to Christ, and form a local church (not a building but a body). The local church is ordained of God to facilitate the training of those who receive Christ so that they may duplicate that process.
In Mark chapter 16 Jesus said, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Sometimes churches forget the USA in their missionary program, but the last time I checked, the USA was still part of the world that Jesus commanded us to reach! I point that out in order to say that missions is not geography, missions is people. Acts 1:8 tells us that we are to be witnesses “both” (which means simultaneously not one without the other), “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” It is interesting to note that three things multiplied when the church obeyed the command given by the Lord Jesus. The Word of God was multiplied, the disciples were multiplied, and the churches were multiplied. Throughout the book of Acts the growth of the church continued to increase sharply as the precepts of the great commission were carried out in detail.
If you think that church planting in the USA is no longer necessary, consider this:
• Although 45% of Americans profess to be “born–again,” according to a recent Barna survey only 9% are considered “evangelical.” Barna classifies “evangelicals” as those that profess to be born again and believe in seven other cardinal issues, including salvation by grace, the sinlessness of Christ, and the inerrancy of the Scriptures (barna.com).
• Sixty–eight percent of third–year students in American colleges are “unsettled about spiritual and religious matters.” Seventy–five percent of American college students are “searching for meaning and purpose in life” (crosswalk.com).
• 1 in 3 American adults have not attended a religious service of any type in the last 6 months (barna.com).
• Church growth experts estimate that 70% of the population has no meaningful church connection.
• Only 20 of American teenagers attend church.
• Many established churches are slowly dying and failing to reach their communities for Christ.
• Last year over 4,500 churches in America closed their doors, and over 850 of those were Baptist churches (David Wood Evangelistic Ministries).
• Nearly 50% of new Independent Baptist churches planted in America fail to reach maturity.
The need for new church planting in America is real! The ever–changing population of America demands that we continually re–examine the need for new church planting. In recent years the mid and southern regions of the USA have seen a great increase in population. The liberal churches and the cults have started new congregations, but Independent Baptists seem to be lagging behind. A lack of New Testament churches being planted in America has resulted in an ever–growing population that does not know God!
Another overlooked but equally disturbing thought is that this situation has also affected the harvest fields of the world! At a time when we should be increasing our missionary outreach, many churches are “maxed out” in their mission dollars. One missionary on deputation asked his pastor this question, “Do we have too many missionaries? When I call pastors, they report that their schedules are filled with missionaries.” His pastor answered, “No, it is not that we have too many missionaries but that we do not have enough churches.”
The USA is definitely an important mission field when you consider the fact that many new independent Baptist churches start supporting missionaries within the first year. I had the privilege in the early years of my ministry of planting five different churches. Of those churches one had given over $128,000 to missions by the time it was five years old and another was supporting 13 missionaries before it was a year old. We will increase our force by increasing our source!
RESEEDING AMERICA is a ministry to assist local Independent Baptist churches and church planters in the planting of new Independent Baptist churches across America. Since 1970, church planting missionaries with Baptist International Missions have successfully planted over 500 churches in the United States. This has been accomplished by developing a Bible–based church planting program that God is blessing! Whether you are a pastor looking to reproduce your local church, a first time church planter, or a veteran church planter, we can help. Here are some ways that RESEEDING AMERICA can assist you:
Pastor, are you concerned about the changes taking place in many of our Independent Baptist Churches?
• Are you concerned about the funding of missionaries in the next generation?
• Would you like to see new churches started in America?
• Do you have a desire to see your church plant a new church here in the United States?
• Do you have a desire to help new church planters who are being sent out by other churches?
• Have you noticed that all around our major cities in America, there is a tremendous growth in population in the suburbs?
• Do you have men in your church that have a desire to plant a new Independent Baptist church?
We can assist you in the following ways:
• Step–by–step assistance for the sending church and the church planter from men who have successfully planted multiple churches in the United States.
• A training program that is specifically designed for the man who plans to start a church in America.
• Assisting the church planter in his deputation ministry to assure that necessary funds are available to meet the needs of the church planter.
• Giving the sending pastor and the entire sending church the opportunity to be directly involved in the ministry of the new church.
• Regular and frequent “on the field” assistance in the “start up” of the church and the maturing of the church. This might include counsel and our assistance in renting, buying, and building.
• Follow–up assistance at the request of the sending church and or the church planter. This would include counsel in leadership, discipleship, and/or mentoring of the church planter.
Are you called to plant a church in the USA?
The BIMI RESEEDING AMERICA associate missionary program is for the man who is called to plant a new church in America and will continue to pastor the church that he plants. Support to do this is raised for a three to five year term. This program is ideal for the church planter who is being sent out of a local Independent Baptist church and who would need financial help and guidance to start the new church.
Associate missionaries with the BIMI RESEEDING AMERICA program benefit in the following ways:
• The opportunity to network with and seek support from thousands of BIMI donor churches that can help you succeed in your deputation.
• BIMI RESEEDING AMERICA program offers step by step church planting assistance and training for church planters and their sending church from men who have successfully planted churches in America.
• A start–up fund of $1,000 will be available to BIMI Associate Missionaries who complete their training and deputation. This start–up fund is provided by local churches giving to the RESEEDING AMERICA Fund.
An Associate Missionary who completes a short training course can initiate the following RESEEDING AMERICA plan:
1. Phase one will be a pre–planning process in which we meet with you and your sending church to lay out the details of a successful church plant.
2. Phase two will involve giving assistance in acquiring necessary literature, brochures, and equipment.
3. Phase three will involve “hands on” assistance with locating a site and preparing to start the new church.
4. Phase four will involve literature distribution and being present in the launching of the new church.
5. Phase five will be a follow up program to assist you, the church planter, for the maturing of the church.
Would your church consider “RESEEDING AMERICA” as a monthly mission project? When you support this church planting effort on a regular monthly basis, you are providing “start up” funds for new churches. Every dollar that is sent will be used to start new churches in the USA. A supporting church will be able to see how this special fund is being used when they visit reseedingamerica.com. We also provide a quarterly publication showing the new church plants and updated information concerning churches already planted. Please direct all funds for this ongoing project to “RESEEDING AMERICA,” Baptist International Missions, Inc., P.O. Box 9215, Chattanooga, TN 37412. We would like to provide you with any kind of assistance or information that would allow your church to mother a new church.
For more information contact:
USA Director John Bailes
E-Mail John Bailes
423–605–4020
or
USA Asst. Director Bob Larson
E-Mail Bob Larson
423–605–6098
