by Pastor Jack Lamb – Anchor Baptist Church, Covina, California The familiar words of our Lord Jesus Christ in Acts 1:8 define our present task: But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. For nearly two thousand years, the return of Christ has been mercifully delayed. There have been many great churches and missionary movements over the centuries, but the world still has not been reached. It is time for our generation to fulfill the Great Commission. This is our day. Here are three statements to help expand your vision for church planting. Building on Another Man’s Foundation Is an Inadequate Vision Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation: But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand (Romans 15:20–21). 12 Reseeding America – Spring 2017 Even a casual glance at the book of Acts reveals that Paul was a pioneer missionary and church planter. He preached where Christ had not been named. His ministry reveals the primary function of the New Testament evangelist. There are people in every city and town who have not heard the Gospel of Christ. Clearly, it is part of God’s plan to build on the foundation of others to establish and strengthen churches (1 Corinthians 3:6). However, if we truly want to expand our reach, we must be pioneers. Our church planting efforts must move beyond focusing on people who are already believers. The Great Commission will not be fulfilled by reorganizing believers into different (even if they are better) congregations. We must evangelize before we organize new churches—that is the New Testament pattern. Church planting in Acts was the result of evangelism in a region, not the cause of it. We must evangelize expecting God to raise up believers who will covenant together as a church to fulfill the Great Commission in their own communities.