Church Planting

What is the result of faithfully following Christ?  Churches!

The rapid pace of our culture and level of redemptive potential in our current evangelistic efforts has raised a number of questions for our church.  As we seek to reach people with the good news of Jesus, it's important that we realize the necessity of engaging members to active ministry on a larger scale. People in our own apartment complexes or neighborhoods still don't know what Jesus has done for them, is doing at this moment, or is planning to do in the near future (coming back to take His people home).  

Church planting is a way to recapture the essence of God's love. Jesus left heaven and became a man so that He could reach us. We must be willing to venture into new places with the gospel. By some estimates, within five years more than half the world’s population will be living in urban areas. As you can see on our home page, the number of people in Atlanta is increasing rapidly! In these surroundings, there are new opportunities as well as profound challenges to reaching people in this diverse culture.  Renewed excitement and vision have caused many to hear a call to become missionaries at home.

Fresh expressions of church are emerging all over the place, with different styles and approaches to sharing our unique message.  Some have made small adjustments to help them adapt to the assorted nature of our culture.  Others have totally revamped how church is done, so that evangelistic discipleship can be carried out through an organic process. Church planting must become a point of evangelistic focus, especially lay-lead church planting. 

Reaching the population of a large city presents more financial and spiritual challenges than almost any other missionary frontier. It’s an opportunity for our church to exercise its faith in a God who has promised to make all things possible. The cities are where His children are, and that means it’s where He wants us to go. The miracles are waiting.

We can participate in several ways with tremendous benefits.

First, we can commit ourselves to reaching unchurched people with the Gospel of Christ, which means we must concentrate on conversion growth.

Second, pray that God will call church planters and the people to help them be successful. Pray for the plants in progress that God will enlarge their influence so that each group will be successful in reaching the people they are called to reach.

Third, plan to give financially to church planting efforts.

WHAT THE GNA TEAM PROVIDES WAY TO:

·        Develop a greater capacity for spiritual and personal growth

·        Understand mission principles and strategies for your specific context

·        Be equipped to start churches in the emerging culture

·        Explore and apply skills in leadership and discipleship

·        Acquire resources / consultations that raise effectiveness