More Churches? Really?

A comment was made during our church planters bootcamp that was insightful and troubling: If 95% of married couples were unable to conceive, we would consider that a problem, something not right. And we would study that problem until we could determine its cause, and then find a solution or remedy. Yet, we're told that 95% of North American churches think it's OK (normal) to NOT reproduce...and we (the Church) do little or nothing about it. And our lack of concern or voice signals that nothing appears out of the ordinary.

Church planting must be understood as a normal, expected part of a congregation's lifestyle- to reproduce itself in some form or fashion, that those who are outside God's Kingdom may be introduced to it through His people. And because there's an ever-growing number of unchurched people, there's an ever-increasing need for new delivery systems to share the message of Jesus with them in clear, contextually relevant ways.

Jesus certainly understood the need of the hour. He told his followers that there was a great harvest, but few workers (Luke 10:2), so we needed to pray for more. He understood the big picture, that the harvest is not later, but now (John 4:35). And he understood his role (and what ours should be, as well) as one who wanted to please the one who sent him (John 4:34).

There is a wealth of souls around us, people whose eternities lie in the balance. Many are ready for harvest, if there are harvesters. Many will not be reached by existing harvesting centers because these groups have lost their focus, concern or passion for harvesting. But creating new harvest centers provides fresh and committed workers to get into the fields and harvest that crop before it dies, or before the enemy comes and plucks it away.

Established harvest centers can and often do such work. But we know the longer such a center is in existence, the less likely it is to engage in such labor. Fortunately, new centers spring up because they see the need, and they desire to respond while the time is ripe (no pun intended).

Why plant churches? Don't we have enough already? Actually, we don't, partly because too many churches fail to act like their designer had planned. And because our job is to make sure we have ways to engage this generation with the most important message known, we must take that message to them in ways that will make sense to their world, and give them the opportunity to respond to it.

Because eternity surely does hang in the balance.