Church planting?

[ResidentAlien]

Jesus said, in Matthew 28:18-20: "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Where did He ever command us to plant churches? Where are the examples from Acts of church planting? He commanded us to make disciples, not plant churches.

Churches have become an end in themselves; they have more importance to people than making disciples. By their very nature they're inward focused, not outward focused. They say "come," not "go." The building itself has become the focus, at least most of the ones in the US that I know of.

People go to their churches to be be "fed," when they already had the gospel from day one. How much more grazing do we need before we're ready to break out of the walls and go do something? And by "something" I mean make disciples, not plant more churches.

 

[Roughsoul1991]

Jesus said, in Matthew 28:18-20: "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Where did He ever command us to plant churches? Where are the examples from Acts of church planting? He commanded us to make disciples, not plant churches.

Churches have become an end in themselves; they have more importance to people than making disciples. By their very nature they're inward focused, not outward focused. They say "come," not "go." The building itself has become the focus, at least most of the ones in the US that I know of.

People go to their churches to be be "fed," when they already had the gospel from day one. How much more grazing do we need before we're ready to break out of the walls and go do something? And by "something" I mean make disciples, not plant more churches.

Paul literally planted many churches including putting Timothy in charge of one.

Discipleship carries the implication to multiply. If people multiply they grow beyond the walls of a home. A church should be like a hospital for the sinners where evangelism should be like the ambulance. Once we are brought to the hospital, we are nursed back to strength or from death to life.

I disagree to the fact that churches shouldn't be planted but I agree in context if you are bashing a church without evangelism.

 

[Edify]

Isn't that what missionaries do today in cities of foreign countries?
I do agree that there's more to it than a building.
Paul started churches in many cities, but one church might have 3-7 home congregations making up one church.

 

[ResidentAlien]

Paul literally planted many churches including putting Timothy in charge of one.

Discipleship carries the implication to multiply. If people multiply they grow beyond the walls of a home. A church should be like a hospital for the sinners where evangelism should be like the ambulance. Once we are brought to the hospital, we are nursed back to strength or from death to life.

I disagree to the fact that churches shouldn't be planted but I agree in context if you are bashing a church without evangelism.

Let's make this perfectly clear, I'm not "bashing" anything, I'm merely making observations. If you see it as bashing I can't help that.

Paul never planted a single church, he planted seeds. "Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted [the seed], Apollos watered, but God gave the increase."—1 Corinthians 3:5-6 Believers organized themselves into congregations or "churches," but not churches like we see today; that came later.

Then, the people were the church, each led by the Spirit; now the church is a place you go where "specialists" mediate to you what God's will is for you. You can say yeah, there are exceptions to the rule and that may be true, but the exceptions prove the rule.

The church was intended to be a living organism, not an institutional organization. Many churches today are 501c3 corporations, in business to make money, not disciples.

 

[ResidentAlien]

Paul started churches in many cities, but one church might have 3-7 home congregations making up one church.

Paul didn't start churches, he planted seeds and the Lord grew the churches: "Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted [the seed], Apollos watered, but God gave the increase."—1 Corinthians 3:5-6

Paul's mission was never to plant churches but to preach the gospel.

 

[pottersclay]

King James Bible
Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

New King James Version
praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

Yeah i dont know....talk to dad about this😄😄😑

 

[Eli1]

@ResidentAlien do you have nightmares of Churches in your sleep? Sounds like this is a deep problem for you.
‘Did something happen to you in a Church?
I get it. When I was a kid I was bitten by a dog so I’ve never liked dogs.

 

[RichMan]

Jesus said, in Matthew 28:18-20: "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Where did He ever command us to plant churches? Where are the examples from Acts of church planting? He commanded us to make disciples, not plant churches.

Churches have become an end in themselves; they have more importance to people than making disciples. By their very nature they're inward focused, not outward focused. They say "come," not "go." The building itself has become the focus, at least most of the ones in the US that I know of.

People go to their churches to be be "fed," when they already had the gospel from day one. How much more grazing do we need before we're ready to break out of the walls and go do something? And by "something" I mean make disciples, not plant more churches.

And another thread where you judge and condemn people you do not know and local churches you have never set a foot in.
Try as you may, you will never justify your sin of refusing to assemble.
I have come to the conclusion you have no concept of what a church is or what it is to do.

 

[RichMan]

Jesus commanded us to go, make disciples, and teach them all he has commanded us.
My question to those who want to act alone, never being a part of a local church, are you teaching all that Jesus commanded?
How much time do you put into teaching?
Who taught you?
Do you really believe you know all things?
If you answer these questions "yes" you are deceiving yourself.

 

[Gideon300]

Jesus said, in Matthew 28:18-20: "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Where did He ever command us to plant churches? Where are the examples from Acts of church planting? He commanded us to make disciples, not plant churches.

Churches have become an end in themselves; they have more importance to people than making disciples. By their very nature they're inward focused, not outward focused. They say "come," not "go." The building itself has become the focus, at least most of the ones in the US that I know of.

People go to their churches to be be "fed," when they already had the gospel from day one. How much more grazing do we need before we're ready to break out of the walls and go do something? And by "something" I mean make disciples, not plant more churches.

The problem with so-called church planting is that very often the people who attend are from other churches in the same area. It's just competition. The "mother church" (if that's the right word) is assuming that there is a need for yet another denominational structure. The truth is that there is only one church. God has no place for denominations in His Kingdom. If the body of Christ saw as God sees, denominationalism would cease.

 

[Gideon300]

Jesus commanded us to go, make disciples, and teach them all he has commanded us.
My question to those who want to act alone, never being a part of a local church, are you teaching all that Jesus commanded?
How much time do you put into teaching?
Who taught you?
Do you really believe you know all things?
If you answer these questions "yes" you are deceiving yourself.

The problem with so-called church planting is that very often the people who attend are from other churches in the same area. It's just competition. The "mother church" (if that's the right word) is assuming that there is a need for yet another denominational structure. The truth is that there is only one church. God has no place for denominations in His Kingdom. If the body of Christ saw as God sees, denominationalism would cease.

The first church formed as a result of preaching the gospel. It was not a rigid structure as is commonplace now. It was a living body, not an organisation. Structure is necessary, but not at the expense of reality, truth and life.

 

[p_rehbein]

Jesus said, in Matthew 28:18-20: "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Where did He ever command us to plant churches? Where are the examples from Acts of church planting? He commanded us to make disciples, not plant churches.

Churches have become an end in themselves; they have more importance to people than making disciples. By their very nature they're inward focused, not outward focused. They say "come," not "go." The building itself has become the focus, at least most of the ones in the US that I know of.

People go to their churches to be be "fed," when they already had the gospel from day one. How much more grazing do we need before we're ready to break out of the walls and go do something? And by "something" I mean make disciples, not plant more churches.

Pretty much every Epistle of the Apostle Paul is addressed to churches he "planted." Jesus instructed us to do so when He said.......Go ye into all the world....." Every community in the New Testement had a "church" within it. All local churches are a part of the One Church.

I can not understand why anyone would have a problem with someone "planting" a church in a community where no "church" congregation exists.

Yes, congregations are "inward focused." Jesus told Peter to feed His sheep. This is done when a Pastor "feeds" his sheep in his congretaiton. What is wrong with being obedient to Scripture?

Sometimes people here confuse me with the things they decide to "nit pick" believing they know better than the Apostles and Jesus Himself....

weird

 

[ChristianTonyB]

Jesus said, in Matthew 28:18-20: "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Where did He ever command us to plant churches? Where are the examples from Acts of church planting? He commanded us to make disciples, not plant churches.

Churches have become an end in themselves; they have more importance to people than making disciples. By their very nature they're inward focused, not outward focused. They say "come," not "go." The building itself has become the focus, at least most of the ones in the US that I know of.

People go to their churches to be be "fed," when they already had the gospel from day one. How much more grazing do we need before we're ready to break out of the walls and go do something? And by "something" I mean make disciples, not plant more churches.

That directive by Jesus on the Mount was given to the 11, who He sent out as apostles to preach and win souls to Himself and His Father.

We know that no one comes to Jesus unless the Father draws them.

We also know that faith comes from hearing (or reading) the word of God.

So it is Jesus that is establishing and building His church.

If a denomination or other structured religious organisation wanders out to plant their churches elsewhere, satellite churches if you will, they have nothing to do with the church of God, and Jesus has nothing to do with them. He may see an individual in their ranks that questions the denominational and regimented traditions, in which case He will try to wizen them up about the danger they are in, and draw them out of that.

So, the church of God is, and it's being added to, it's just not obvious to most.

 

[ResidentAlien]

And another thread where you judge and condemn people you do not know and local churches you have never set a foot in.
Try as you may, you will never justify your sin of refusing to assemble.
I have come to the conclusion you have no concept of what a church is or what it is to do.

Can you give me an example of what you call "judge and condemn?" You keep saying that; I'd like to know what I've said, specifically, that you believe is judgmental and why you feel it is so.

 

[ResidentAlien]

My question to those who want to act alone, never being a part of a local church, are you teaching all that Jesus commanded?

This is off topic for this thread; it belongs on the other thread in Family Form. This thread isn't about acting alone, it's about acting in a new way.

 

[ResidentAlien]

Pretty much every Epistle of the Apostle Paul is addressed to churches he "planted."

You're repeating the common misunderstanding that's already been posted a couple of times. Paul didn't plant churches, he planted seeds: "Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted [the seed], Apollos watered, but God gave the increase."—1 Corinthians 3:5-6

This just proves how deeply ingrained is the error.

 

[ResidentAlien]

That directive by Jesus on the Mount was given to the 11

What are you saying then, that everyone else in the New Testament and afterward, who went about sowing seeds, is mistaken?

"Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word."—Acts 8:4

 

[ResidentAlien]

This thread isn't about acting alone, it's about acting in a new way.

Though it's not really new, it's just a return to the Spirit's way of doing things.

 

[Edify]

I'd say there are several in here are growing weary of your rants & excuses. If it walks likes a duck, quacks like a duck, it's a duck.

 

[ResidentAlien]

I'd say there are several in here are growing weary of your rants & excuses. If it walks likes a duck, quacks like a duck, it's a duck.

If it bothers you that much put me on ignore and we'll both have a better day.