Why Plant A Church?

That's a fair question.  You can drive through Fredericksburg and see plenty of churches already.  Why do we need more?  Why not join an existing church or help make it bigger/better/healthier?  Aren't there even a lot of "startup churches" springing up already?

From Grace in FXBG - Pastor Bill's Blog

I heard a number of startling facts and figures last week at the meeting of the EPC Presbytery of the Mid-Atlantic - my regional accountability structure and "church planting support group."  For instance: There is an annual net loss of churches in the United States of about 2000.  Continue to Pastor Bill's Blog

Other Resources

In addition, I'm recommending and making available two presentations by Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City.  They are perfect to listen to in the car while commuting, on the ipod while exercising or during your devotional time.  Whatever fits you best.

 Why Plant Churches? - 32 minutes - click here to listen (r-click and "save target as" to download)

How could you not be interested to hear this one when his thesis is:

The vigorous continual planting of new congregations is the single, most crucial strategy for the numerical growth of the body of Christ in any city, and the continual corporate renewal and revival of all the existing churches in the body of Christ in the city.  Nothing else - not crusades, not outreach programs, not parachurch programs, not growing big old-fashioned megachurches, not congregational consulting, not church renewal processes - none of those things have the consistent impact on the body of Christ in the city of dynamic extensive church planting.

 Gospel Ecosystems - 24 minutes - click here to listen (r-click and "save target as" to download)

This is a church planting vision for an entire community.  If we think of Christ Covenant as a healthy plant, we ought also to envision, support and work for a healthy farm that can help feed the world.  So much of my life and effort is focused on week-to-week survival, that I needed the balance of this one.