Well, here we go again. Can't believe some people struggle so much with simple terminology.
A well respected older preacher recently stated in a sermon which he delivered at a local association that the term 'church planting' was unscriptural. His reasoning was that it is not found in the Bible and that the usage of this term will draw us into the 'Universal Church' heresy. I was really surprised and dismayed by what I heard because this brother is much more intelligent and wiser than the average preacher.
To associate the term 'church planting' with 'universal church' is like saying that oranges come from apple trees. A little research on this subject would have been advised before arriving at such a conclusion. If he is right about this then we would have to assume that the term 'mission', since it is not in the Bible, is also unscriptural because Roman Catholics initiated the practice of starting 'missions' first. Therefore, if he is right, every new 'mission' that gets started is in danger of becoming a Roman Catholic church. It makes about as much sense.
I don't know of anyone that does "church planting" who also believes in the 'universal church' teaching within our fellowship. Neither do I know of any 'mission' in our fellowship that believes it will become a Catholic Church.
Just my simple observations.
David
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8 comments:
Isn't a "mission" universal in it's concept? If my church were the sponsor of a "mission" in the Philippines, we cannot say that they are a part of our church. There is no local assembly. Yet I've seen many churches believe that the missions that they support are actual members of their own church.
:/
See you in Henderson.
My simple observations are that Apostle paul planted churches so many.
When We go back to Jesus,He simply used only Bible and no computer.
But,he heeled our spitirual things so deeply.
When we look up the Bible,Apostles didn't show to play pool and tenis and ganbles.They established church and church and church.
Isn't it Bibical???
I can't judge this brothers intent when he preached such a foolish statement but I do know that in general these kinds of statements can get a lot of big Amens from the crowd.
from my understanding Paul planted Appolos watered....God gave the increase. Later in 1Co 3:9 it says "For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, [ye are] God's building." Farmers and vineyards plant plants and seeds. IF Paul planted all the seeds then didn't he in fact also plant the husbandry(which is the local church). The Farm? The problem I see is that people don't realize that Church Planting includes the whole process of evangelizing through to organization through to reproduction. Those who are against the "Church Planting" term think it describes only that part known as the "organization" when a group of believers "officially" becomes a church. It's just fear and ignorance and its common place in our churches and our world. The truth is that the term "planting" and the idea of "planting" as it relates to our Work and God's work runs all through the Bible. This is an undeniable fact. Mission is nowhere to be found in concept or terminology!
Jonathon Smith
I must really apolorogize that I mistaked the point,that every glory belongs to Jesus.
I myself is not be able to do anything without Holy spirit.
I thank for Bro. Jonathan Smith,for aknowledge me to be humble servant for Lord.
I am in agreement with you Bro. Suzuki. I appreciate your comments!You are to me a very fine friend.
Jonathon Smith
I did a little more study of the Word of God and came to find this verse which would show that even Jesus recognized that one man could plant a whole "vineyard" or "husbandry" on his own....
Mat 21:33 Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard,
now we understand that in this parable the one who planted was the Lord but the idea is that the one who plants the seeds and/or the tiny plants has indeed planted the vineyard.
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