CHURCH PLANTING at The Paradox Church
“THE VIGOROUS, continual planting of new congregations isthe single most crucial strategy for the numerical growth of the bodyof Christ in a city and the continual corporate renewal and revivalof the existing churches in a city." —Tim Keller
Jesus’ commission to the church was to make disciples (bold evangelism), to baptize them (covenant partnership), and to teach them to observe all that he commanded (biblical formation). Jesus’ mission for us was, essentially, to plant the Gospel in the city and to plant churches of Gospel-formed people. The Apostle Paul understood this clearly and dedicated his life to the planting of churches in the major cities of his region. This is why a leading missiologist like C. Peter Wagner can say, “Planting new churches is the most effective evangelistic methodology known under heaven.”
Most Christians at one point or another have felt a great desire for God to use them; a longing to see God flex in mighty ways. As well, most of us have a sense of what is broken around us: in our city, in our friends and neighbors, in our schools and on our campuses; and we want to see the glory and grace of Jesus come to bear on these broken places. The saturation of churches on mission, a people who love Jesus and love Fort Worth, is the answer for the Gospel renewal of a city.
The truth is we must plant churches in Fort Worth! Conservative estimates have Fort Worth growing to one million people in ten years (2025). Fort Worth is the second fastest growing big city (cities over 500,000) in the US. It’s growing rapidly—but we also need to notice how it’s growing.
Fort Worth is changing. People are moving in from different parts of the country and from different cultural backgrounds, bringing with them new ideas, little church experience, more pluralistic worldviews, increasingly diverse races and religious views—God is bringing all sorts of people here. Only the continual planting of new churches will offset the population growth of Fort Worth. From 1860 to 1906, U.S. Protestant churches planted one new church for every increase of 350 in the population, bringing the ratio by the start of World War I to just one church for every 430 persons. At that rate we would need to plant over 400 churches in the next ten years! 1200 people per day move to Texas!
Simply, planting a church, or being part of a church planting team, puts you on the front lines to see Jesus flex. The time is now!
It is essential that we strategically and continuously plant new churches in every area of Fort Worth. We have to pray. This will only happen if the Spirit of God empowers the people of God, to carry out the mission of God for the glory of God in Fort Worth. There is a lot to do. People have to be trained, teams equipped, finances raised, neighborhoods evangelized, leaders developed, City Groups multiplied—there is a lot to do.
Let’s saturate the city with the glory and grace of Jesus.
To hear more about church planting at The Paradox visit here and also at our website.