The number one reason we should be sold out to church planting is the Glory of God.
Yes, church planting is the central vehicle for achieving God’s mission.
Yes, church planting is a critical strategy in fulfilling Jesus’ great commission.
Yes, church planting is critical to establishing ongoing mission posts throughout the world.
Yes, church planting is a natural by-product of a healthy, multiplying church.
Every one of these reasons motivates me in some way or another. Still, the number one reason church planting inflames my heart is that the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ has captured my heart.
God revealed his truth about his Son deep within my soul over 40 years ago and continues to reveal himself to me every day. I am passionate about church planting because I am passionate about God. My zeal for God drives me to be a part of what he is doing in this world. If God is on a mission, I want to be on a mission.
If the foundational motivation for church planting is the glory of God. Then what is the glory of God? One author describes the glory of God as the afterglow of God’s holiness. Because man cannot stand in the presence of a holy God, God gives a glimpse of himself through his glory. Through his supreme plan, he chose to use the church as his chief instrument. His glory is manifested throughout the world today.
Three times in Ephesians 1:3-14, we see how the church is “the praise of his glory.”
- The spiritual blessings we experience in Christ exalt the glories of God’s grace (v. 6),
- The supreme hope we have in Christ brings unceasing praise to the glory of God (v. 12).
- The divine security we possess in Christ creates “…praise of his glory” (v. 14).
Churches in the small villages of Haiti, along with churches in the rural areas of northern Michigan, reflect the glory of God. Churches in our major urban centers, as well as churches in the sprawling suburbs, all have one thing in common…they are bringing praise to the glory of our God.
Therefore, planting new healthy churches is a means of seeing God’s glory spread throughout the earth and proclaimed in the heavenlies (Ephesians 3:10).
In his book “Let the Nations be Glad!” John Piper reflects on the significance of God’s glory with all missionary endeavors.
“Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exist because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever.” He continues, “Worship, therefore, is the fuel and the goal of missions. It’s the goal of missions because, in missions, we simply aim to bring the nations into the white-hot enjoyment of God’s glory.”
Every new church plant becomes a lighthouse of God’s glory. The afterglow of God’s holiness is reflected, manifested, and ultimately enjoyed!
Let our passion for church planting be driven by a passion for God! May our zeal for church planting be consumed by a zeal for the glory of God!
The glory of God is not only the motivation but the goal of God’s sovereign work among men. There is no more majestic theme, no more noble pursuit than the glory of God.
We are sold out to church planting at Converge because we are sold out to God and his glory!
“To him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever” (Ephesians 3:20-21).
Join churches around the country as we celebrate church planting throughout Converge on June 5-6.
