Why Church Planting?

The church’s calling and great commission is to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them. One of the best ways to do this is to raise up church planters who will enhance the church’s impact on the kingdom by planting new churches. The challenge for the church is to take the gospel to all of the diverse people groups who make up the nations. It’s easy to think of people groups and confine that to various ethnic groups, but there are also tribes of people making up different cultural groups in Arkansas, and beyond, that reflect a different kind of diversity. In Arkansas we have church plants who worship in eleven different languages (Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Karen, Hmong, Marshalese, Laotian, Chuukese, Deaf, and English). There are also groups of people who are just as defined by their cultural characteristics as the different ethnicities and language groups.

These cultural groups have unique lifestyles, language, practices and worldviews as well. Some of these cultural groups are easier to reach and assimilate into our existing churches than others. What do we do with the ones who are not easy to reach or assimilate? We plant new churches. Churches need to engage and reflect the context and the unique people groups among whom they are planting.

We want to come alongside and assist church planters and partner churches in assessing the context, learning the culture of the people, and putting a strategic plan together to connect with them. All of this is so no one misses out on an opportunity to hear about and know Jesus.

Download the monthly "Pray for Planters" Calendar. Each day of the month features a planter and prayer request. Download the PDF flle here!