Our church planters depend on the prayers and encouragement of God’s people. OUTREACH NORTH AMERICA provides this monthly prayer letter to inform you of some of their specific needs and praises so you will know better how to pray for them. Thank you for your prayers and the interest you show by your phone and e-mail responses. Your prayers truly encourage your church planters. (See the bottom of this e-mail for a summary of all the mission churches included in this update.)

Fill out the form below to receive our monthly prayer email from our mission congregations

Photo Credit – pritam

Our church planters depend on the prayers and encouragement of God’s people. OUTREACH NORTH AMERICA provides this monthly prayer letter to inform you of some of their specific needs and praises so you will know better how to pray for them. Thank you for your prayers and the interest you show by your phone and e-mail responses. Your prayers truly encourage your church planters. (See the bottom of this e-mail for a summary of all the mission churches included in this update.)

Fill out the form below to receive our monthly prayer email from our mission congregations

Photo Credit – pritam

Our church planters depend on the prayers and encouragement of God’s people. OUTREACH NORTH AMERICA provides this monthly prayer letter to inform you of some of their specific needs and praises so you will know better how to pray for them. Thank you for your prayers and the interest you show by your phone and e-mail responses. Your prayers truly encourage your church planters. (See the bottom of this e-mail for a summary of all the mission churches included in this update.)

Fill out the form below to receive our monthly prayer email from our mission congregations

Photo Credit – pritam

Our church planters depend on the prayers and encouragement of God’s people. OUTREACH NORTH AMERICA provides this monthly prayer letter to inform you of some of their specific needs and praises so you will know better how to pray for them. Thank you for your prayers and the interest you show by your phone and e-mail responses. Your prayers truly encourage your church planters. (See the bottom of this e-mail for a summary of all the mission churches included in this update.)

Fill out the form below to receive our monthly prayer email from our mission congregations

Photo Credit – pritam

CLICK HERE to download the Spring 2010 edition of OUTREACH.

Our church planters depend on the prayers and encouragement of God’s people. OUTREACH NORTH AMERICA provides this monthly prayer letter to inform you of some of their specific needs and praises so you will know better how to pray for them. Thank you for your prayers and the interest you show by your phone and e-mail responses. Your prayers truly encourage your church planters. (See the bottom of this e-mail for a summary of all the mission churches included in this update.)

Fill out the form below to receive our monthly prayer email from our mission congregations

Photo Credit – pritam

This is a quote from Erskine’s Whole Works, the 2001 reprint: “Now, believe this, that Christ is given, offered, and presented in the Gospel, even to you who are rotting in the grave of sin, that [he] may, through the faith of God’s operation, be the resurrection and the life to your souls in particular.”  (II. 504-505)

This theological understanding drove the Erskines to offer the Gospel to all who would hear. This was revolutionary in Scotland where few ministers would freely offer salvation in Christ to anyone who would believe in Jesus. But the Erskines maintained a strict covenant theology, which was the impetus for a system that compelled them to do evangelism.

The Erskines understood the Scriptures to teach that the Gospel (the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ, via the Covenant of Grace) confronted all people as sinners. They shared the Gospel wherever sinners were found because all sinners are “qualified” to hear the Gospel because they need to hear it. They often used Acts 2:39 to show Peter’s boldness in sharing the Gospel “to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off.”

John 6:32 was also a favorite where John declared, “My Father gives you the true bread from heaven.” This true bread is understood as the offer of salvation in Christ.

There was a great concern from the Erskine brothers about churches being planted that could mature people who had come to know Christ through their evangelistic work. They desired churches that were Gospel-driven and had a heart for worship and good teaching from the Word of God. Church planting was seen as an essential part of their work to promote sound doctrine among those who were coming to faith in Jesus.

How can we promote the sharing of the Gospel among our pastors and those seeking to plant new churches?  How do we as pastors teach in such a way the Scriptures so that our people will desire to share the Gospel with others?  How can we have a lasting impact like the Erskines through our church planting efforts?

1.  Prayer: Personal and Organizational.
The church planter should be known for/have a demonstrable record of:
1.    Placing a high value on personal prayer.
2.    Mobilizing and encouraging others in prayer.
3.    Identifying and celebrating answers to prayer.
4.    Teaching and preaching on the importance of prayer.

2.  Worship
The church planter should be known for/have a demonstrable record of:
1.    Preaching and teaching about the importance of God-centered worship.
2.    Preaching, teaching and organizing relevant, biblical worship that transcends cultural barriers.
3.    Being himself a worshiper of God.

3.  Preaching.
The church planter should be known for/have a demonstrable record of:
1.    Preaching with exegetical and doctrinal accuracy.
2.    Preaching that displays the centrality of Christ and the grace of God.
3.    Preaching with conviction and passion.
4.    Preaching with a cultural fit in vocabulary and presentation.
5.    Preaching sermons that are focused, structured (a recognizable beginning, middle, and end), and applicable.
6.    Preaching with an effective delivery that captures the attention, employs effective illustrations, and possesses memorable content.
7.    Preaching the gospel with clarity.

4.  Leadership.
The church planter should be known for/have a demonstrable record of:
1.    Discerning God’s vision for his church at a particular place and time.
2.    Projecting this God discerned vision as a workable vision for the future.
3.    Having an ability to create ownership of the vision in others.
4.    Instilling motivation and enthusiastic commitment to achieve the vision.
5    Developing strategies and structures that empower people to achieve the vision.
6.    Mobilizing people according to their giftedness, abilities, and spiritual maturity.
7.    Honoring and recognizing people for their effort.

5.  Evangelism.
The church planter should be known for/have a demonstrable record of:
1.    Personally possessing a passion for the gospel and for evangelism.
2.    Understanding the content of the gospel.
3.    Sharing the gospel regularly and clearly.
4.    Modeling/teaching others how to share the Good News.
5.    Developing, with his leaders, effective strategies to reach the community for Christ.
6.    Preaching the gospel clearly and contextually.

6.  Discipleship and Leadership Development.
The church planter should be known for/have a demonstrable record of:
1.    Engaging in personal disciple making.
2.    Implementing strategies for moving people through increasing stages of spiritual growth.
3.    Organizing, implementing and replicating small group ministries.
4.    Incorporating newcomers into a growing network of relationships.
5.    Proactively identifying, developing, and equipping potential leaders.

7.  Administration.
The church planter should be known for/have a demonstrable record of:
1.    Identifying and mobilizing Godly laypersons that possess organizational and administrative skills.
2.    Insuring that ethical and honest practices are in place and followed.
3.    Insuring that administration serves the vision.
4.    Insuring good communication with supporting churches, presbytery and denominational agencies, and individual supporters.

8.  Finance.
The church planter should be known for/have a demonstrable record of:
1.    Conducting his personal finances with integrity.
2.    Teaching and promoting biblical stewardship.
3.    Identifying and mobilizing Godly laypersons with skills in finance.
4.    Insuring that fiscally responsible practices are followed.
5.    Insuring that the budget is consistent with the vision.

9.  Service to the Community.
The church planter should be known for/have a demonstrable record of:
1.    Discerning the unique culture of the community.
2.    Demonstrating a redemptive vision for the community.
3.    Articulating a vision for how the church can minister to the needs of the hurting both within and outside of the church.
4.    Mobilizing resources and people to appropriately meet community needs.

10.  Call to Church Planting.
The church planter should be known for/have a demonstrable record of:
1.    Affirming a strong belief and faith in the sovereign purposes of God.
2.    Articulating both an inner sense of call and a realistic motivation for church planting.
3.    Receiving several affirmations of his call to church planting from others.
4.    Projecting a realistic vision for reaching a community with the gospel through a growing, spiritually vibrant church.
5.    Having a commitment to Kingdom advancement through church multiplication.
6.    Articulating a desire to see God glorified through the ARP vision for church multiplication.
7.    Demonstrating strong intrinsic motivation.
8.    Having resiliency and perseverance in trials.

11.  Healthy and Supportive Family Life
Both partners in the church planting couple should have a demonstrable record of:
1.    Exhibiting a steadfast commitment to a growing marriage and healthy family life.
2.    Uniting as a couple and family in wholehearted agreement regarding God’s call to church planting.
3.    Being informed about the challenges and rewards, and yet willing to make the sacrifices that come with the call to church planting.
4.    Accepting the responsibility of serving as examples to the church and the community.
5.    Demonstrating a reliance on Christ building His family and His church.
6.    Exhibiting agreement regarding each partner’s role and involvement in the family and in ministry.

12.  Character and Growth.
The church planter should be known for/have a demonstrable record of:
1.    Possessing a personal life that reflects grace, integrity, ethics, transparency, and servant leadership.
2.    Being a listener and learner.
3.    Engaging regularly in personal, spiritual, and professional development.
4.    Taking difficult stands where others have been known to compromise.
5.    Being biblically principled and guided.
6.    Being compassionate, tender, and understanding, yet riveted to following the Lord’s way exclusively.
7.    Maintaining a good reputation in the community.
8.    Exhibiting good stewardship of the gifts that God provides.
9.    Fleeing temptation.

The Builder magazine article explained:

Housing economists have long held that the housing rebound, when it comes, will be uneven. The markets that benefit first will be the ones with the strongest core dynamics; places where house prices never got out of hand, cities where a diverse and progressive employment base drives job creation, towns that continue to draw population despite the economic recession.

The ARP is well placed geographically, as the article specifically highlights the Carolinas and the Mid-Atlantic region, along with Texas, as dominating the 20 healthiest markets list:

Lone Star markets were eclipsed this time around by some relatively hot markets in the Carolinas, which accounted for seven of the top 20 spots. Many of the major cities along the Mid-Atlantic seaboard continue to benefit from a strong influx of people drawn by a comfortable way of life, affordable housing, and growing employment prospects.

1. Austin-Round Rock, TX
2. Raleigh-Cary, NC
3. Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC
4. San Antonio, TX
5. Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville, SC
6. Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO
7. Huntsville, AL
8. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
9. Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
10. Eugene-Springfield, OR
11. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
12. Richmond, VA
13. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington
14. Colorado Springs, CO
15. Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway
16. Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton
17. Wilmington, NC
18. Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX
19. Greenville-Mauldin-Easley
20. Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA

The Apostle Paul, perhaps the greatest church planter of all time, urges the Corinthian Church to excel in the grace of giving (2 Corinthians 8 & 9). Giving is important to the healthy growth of a church.

Many of us find that counterintuitive. We are afraid that asking people to give might drive some people away. But that’s not what Ed Stetzer found in a 2007 study of church plant survivability. He found that having a proactive stewardship development plan increases the likelihood of a church plant surviving by over 178 percent.

Before you discount that as being only about having the money to keep on going, consider two other things Stetzer found in that same study.

• Being intentional about financial stewardship is one of the ten factors correlated with higher church plant attendance. In other words, while a proactive stewardship development plan risks potentially driving someone away, the positive impact is greater than the potential risk.
  
• A proactive stewardship development plan is also correlated with more baptisms. Stetzer argues that this is a basic aspect of the Christian life that needs to be nurtured rather than neglected. When it is nurtured, it tends to produce a higher expectation church that sees more professions of faith.

Given that having a proactive stewardship development plan is important both Biblically and practically, what is the best way to teach stewardship?  Ruben Swint, ministry partner of The Columbia Partnership (http://www.thecolumbiapartnership.org/), suggests that younger generations respond better when you emphasize the concept of generosity, “generosity is a companion word to stewardship.”

Swint writes, “If you are planting a new congregation or your congregation is less that 20 years old, then begin to emphasize generosity. Generosity is a term that you do not need to hide from your visitors either. They are used to the term from popular culture. In fact, your church may be more appealing if it is seen as being a generous group of believers.”
Swint notes what II Corinthians 8:7 – 9:15 tells us about generosity:

• Generosity is excelling in the grace of giving.
• Generosity is not an obligation, command or duty.
• Generosity measures the sincerity of a person’s love.
• Christ was rich, yet He became poor for our sakes.
• Christ is the example of God’s generosity to us.
• Be generous with an attitude of enthusiasm, not reluctance.
• Generosity is good for us.

“If generosity is a word or action that has value for the Christian life, how can one grow generosity in their congregation?” Swint gives the following suggestions:

• Engage in a Bible study on generosity.
• Receive an offering and give it all away.
• Preach on God’s generosity and that we are made in God’s image.
• Train and empower a generosity team or task force.
• Plan an act or event of generosity for your community.
• Make generosity the guiding principle of budget planning.
• Remind, remind, and remind members of what they still have.

How does generosity relate to a proactive stewardship development plan? What do you think, or what has been your experience?