The task of evangelism and church planting is to fulfill the mission of God. Evangelism and church planting flow out of the heart and mission of God. Eddleman indicates, “Mission began in the heart of God. The Scriptures reveal the concern of the Almighty for the entire human race.”[i] George Peters says, “The Bible is not a book about theology as such, but rather a record of theology of mission – God in action in behalf of the salvation of mankind.”[ii] Georg F. Vicedom recognizes, “The Bible in its totality ascribes only one intention to God: to save mankind.”[iii] Ephesians 1:1-3 testifies that the mission of God is redemption of humanity. Peters identifies mission as, “The total biblical assignment of the church of Jesus Christ. . . . It is the church as ‘sent’.”[iv] To be involved in evangelism and church planting is to be involved in God’s activity. Missio Dei means the mission of God and “the end result of such Missio Dei will be the glorification of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”[v] “The origin of missions is ultimately to be found in the heart of God.”[vi] The Great Commission flows out of the mission of God. Matthew 28:18-20 and Acts 1:8 clearly state once again the Lord’s desire for His Church to be involved with Him in His quest of “bringing many sons to glory.”(Heb. 2:10 NASB) Robert Glover says, “World-evangelism is the Church’s supreme aim and task.”[vii] Frank Viola explains, “Stated simply, the function of the church is to realize the eternal purpose of God. Properly conceived, the church exists to make the fullness of Christ known to the world. . . . the church is here to express Jesus in all of his glory.”[viii] God’s eternal plan of redemption of humanity is carried out here on the earth in several ways. Church planting is one such way the Church is involved with God in His mission activity. The nature of the triune God is expressed in starting churches. “Church planting is an essential, integral part of the mission of the church, and the entire missionary task rises out of the ultimate intention of the Father.”[ix] The Son is involved in mission. Chaney says, “The nations have been given to him for a heritage. (Psa. 2:8) Our task is to claim for him what is his.”[x] Church planting finds its foundation in the Lordship of Christ. The Spirit is active in missions. The totality of the history of missions is the history of the work of the Spirit.[xi] The story of Cornelius in Acts 10 demonstrates the Holy Spirit’s work through the Church to bring individuals to Christ. Church planting is founded in the ministry of the Spirit because the Spirit indwells the gathered congregation, instructs, empowers, and endows the Church. The ministries of the Holy Spirit are essential to church planting.[xii] “The Church and the planting of churches are not trivial after thought. They were in God’s purpose, to use a phrase of Surgeon’s, when this world was in the mind of God.”[xiii] Vergil Gerber, while tracing the growth and development of the early church in the book of Acts, identifies, “Both the Book of Acts and the New Testament Epistles underscore the multiplication of churches as well as church members. New congregations were planted in every pagan center of the then-known world in less than four decades.”[xiv] In other words, the multiplication of churches was normative for the early church. The multiplication of churches was an integral part of the expansion of the early church. Evangelism and church planting are integral parts of the fulfillment of God’s mission. Evangelism through church planting is a proven method of reaching others for Christ by creating a Christian presence in a given community. Many methods of evangelism seek to win individuals one by one, while church planting seeks to win individuals as a collective group. Wagner states one reason for planting churches, “The single most effective evangelistic methodology under heaven is planting new churches.”[xv] Wagner goes on to say, “Without exception, the growing denominations have been those that stress church planting.”[xvi] Lyle Schaller recognizes church planting, “continues to be the most useful and productive component of any denominational church growth strategy.”[xvii] Win Arn asserts that 3,500 to 4,000 churches dies every year.[xviii] Schaller projects an estimated 30,000 congregations ceased to exist sometime during the 1980’s.[xix] Church planting must be a priority if the Church desires continued growth and ultimate accomplishment of the mission God. The missionary task of evangelism and church planting is the fulfillment of the mission of God, which is the redemption of humanity. Evangelism through church planting is the best method of seeing God’s mission fulfilled. Evangelism through church planting is the most rapid realization of Missio Dei. [i]H. Leo Eddleman, Missionary Task of the Church (Nashville, Tennessee: Convention Press, 1961), 13. [ii]George W. Peters, A Biblical Theology of Missions (Chicago: Moody Press, 1972), 9. [iii]Georg F. Vicedom, The Mission of God (St. Louis: Concordia, 1965), 4. [iv]Peters, 11. [v]Vicedom, 9. [vi]W. O. Carver, Missions in the Plan of the Ages (New York: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1909) 12. [vii]Robert Hall Glover, The Bible Basis of Missions (Los Angeles, California: Bible House of Los Angeles, 1946), 31. [viii]Frank A. Viola, Rethinking the Wineskin: The Practice of the New Testament Church (Brandon, Florida: Present Testimony Ministry, 1988), 120. [ix]Charles L. Chaney, Church Planting at the end of the Twentieth Century (Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, 1982), 32. [x]Ibid., 33. [xi]Roland Allen, Missionary Principles (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1964), 67-100 [xii]Chaney, 33-4. [xiii]Ibid., 32. [xiv]Vergil Gerber, A Manual for Evangelism/Church Growth (South Pasadena, California: William Carey Library, 1973) 17. [xv]C. Peter Wagner, Church Planting for a Greater Harvest (Ventura, California: Regal Books, 1990), 11. [xvi]Ibid., 12. [xvii]Lyle Schaller, 44 Questions for Church Planters (Nashville: Abingdon, 1991), 20. [xviii]Win Arn, The Pastor’s Manual for effective Ministry (Monrovia, California: Church Growth, 1988), 14. [xix]Schaller, 17.
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