Church Plant in Bartow

The Lord brought my family to Bartow County in 2007. We now think it was to plant a church. It is now almost two years later and the Lord, quite possibly, is preparing me to take the plunge. Here is portion of the vision:

The population in Bartow is increasing by about 36% every ten years. Our churches are increasing by about 26% every ten years. We are losing ground. If we continue to do church (buildings and full-paid staff) then it would take 159 years and $1,032,000,000- yes that is right- 1 billion 32 million dollars to reach Bartow County for Christ! This information is from Dr. Jim Slack from the IMB.

My strategy for taking the gospel to every person in Bartow County begins and ends with church planting. If God plants a church through me and it births two more churches in the second year and each plant continues to birth two churches every year--then after 7 years , Bartow County would have an additional 324 churches (think Amway). I propose that these churches be led bivocationally and that they are home churches or storefront churches that would not exceed 50-80 persons. This cap would allow the church to grow without ownership of buildings and full-time staff. 324 churches at 50 persons would mean an additional 16,200 Christians after just seven years if God so moved. This will take a bite out of the population growth and excitement would begin as the goal begins to be realized.

My strategy would allow for each of these churches to be autonomous. This would mean that the Lord would have to call 324 bivocational pastors to lead these home churches. Would they all have to graduate from seminary? No. I will disciple, pray with and pray for these called men of God. We will meet on Monday evenings and discuss the text that will be preached the next Sunday (all of these plants will preach the same text each Sunday to ensure the Word is rightly preached). This idea came from Highview Baptist Church in Louisville, KY. The sermons will be somewhat different because of style and differing illustrations, etc. Do I think seminary education is important? Yes. Do I think it necessary? No. I agree with the President of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Dr. Al Mohler, who believes that the church needs to be discipling and educating the called men of God, not seminaries.

I do not believe that we should throw away traditional church as this avenue will still reach many. However, I do think we need to begin to attempt to immitate the Church Planting Movements that are happening all over the world through home churches. Please see my entry from March 19, 2009 entitled Church Planting Movements--America Left Behind.