The Work of a Planter: Identify a People or Place

In our last blog, we talked about developing a team.  Today we will continue to discuss some “pre-move” work that a planter must do.  It seems logical that before a planter takes off, he knows where he’s going.  There are many factors that play in to site selection of a church plant and todays topic could be the first step in that consideration.  A planter must identify a people or an area that needs the Gospel.

In one sense, this is incredibly easy.  Who doesn’t need the Gospel?  Name me one community in all of the world that couldn’t use another biblically faithful church?  According to the North American Mission Board there is only one church for every 6,000 or so people in the US...and we’re one of the most “churched” cultures on the planet!  However, the vastness of the need for the Gospel doesn’t necessarily make the decision easier.  If you’re working an equation and you add 5,000,000,000 to both sides, it’s a wash.  It doesn’t help with the decision making because virtually every decision (to go) is biblically faithful as the need for the Gospel is universal.

There are certain cultures that specific planters are going to have an affinity for.  It could be because of familiarity.  It could be because he has ministered to a certain group on mission trips or in college.  There are a number of reasons that a planter may feel called to a certain people or place.  We must be careful to evaluate our motives in wanting to go to a certain people or place.  If those motives are in keeping with the glory of God and the truth of the Scripture, we can feel confident in our desires.  

Another consideration is the team.  A plant team at our church was formed after the lead planter had developed a vision for a certain city.  In that situation, the team was assembled in no small part because they shared the planters vision.  In instances where the team is developed before the group of place is identified, the vision may take a little longer to develop as it is a shared vision from the beginning.  It will take a lot of prayer and candid discussion for the group to articulate their call or passion, but this time is not wasted.  A plant team commits to invest not just time and money, but their lives and the lives of their families when they commit to planting a church.  It is wise to take time and fully develop the vision.

In the EPOCH document produced by the North American Mission Board, there are three key principles listed for identifying a people or place.  They are:

• The gospel is generally communicated best through established relationships.
• Identifying a specific group of people or a place allows your team members to focus their ministry.
• God is at work in the lives of people and communities. Our assignment is to identify where He is at work and join Him.

These are great points of practicality and theology.  May our prayer, as planters and those who support them, be that God will guide each planter to the lost sheep that those men are gifted for reaching those particular sheep.

Soli Deo Gloria

Epoch, North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, Alpharetta GA, 2010, page 11.