Do we really need another church?

Do we really need another church? Every church planter hears this question at some point if they don't ask it themselves first. The short answer is yes. Let me give you three reasons why we need to continually plant new churches and then apply that to the context of Covenant Life in Lakeside.

1. Jesus commands us to plant churches.

He does? Where?! Actually it's contained within a verse that you probably know very well. In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus says, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have command you."

Jesus doesn't just call us to go and evangelize in this passage, but he calls us to make disciples and to baptize them and then teach them all that Christ commands a follower to do. Baptism isn't just a meaningless ritual, but is the beginning of incorporation into a body of Christ--a church! And it is in the body of Christ that new followers learn to walk in the ways of Christ' teaching.

And this is exactly what we see happening in the church in the New Testament. They spread out, preached the gospel, people came to faith, and new churches were started where they were baptized and taught. That would be a really basic description of all of Paul's ministry. 

So the planting of new churches isn't just a trendy thing to do. Or the result of a split in an already existing body. (Although, unfortunately churches are planted for those reasons.) But the planting of new churches is obedience to the great commission that Christ gave the church. Therefore not only should the corporate "we" be involved in church planting, but the individual "we" should be involved too! Pray for church plants, give financially to church plants, and possibly join a church plant!

2. Church plants reach more lost people.

Really? That seems kind of convenient! Convenient or not many denominational studies have shown that church plants grow mostly by new conversion growth. Between 60-80% of new members are from lost people coming to saving faith in Christ! Compare that statistic to the growth of congregations 10-15 years in age who grow between 80-90% by church transfer growth and it should be obvious as to why we need to be planting new churches. 

Now reading that statistic might seem inflammatory. And unfortunately sometimes it is, but it shouldn't be. Established churches and new churches are not in a battle for the "shrinking pie of church going folk". What is needed here is a God honoring kingdom mindedness. Established churches are important and can help a community and its members in a way that a new church cannot. And indeed every church plants goal is to become an established church. No good church planter plants a church hoping it dies off in 3-5 years.

The truth is that established churches and new church plants are vital partners in the goal to fulfill the great commission and see God glorified!

3. Without the gospel the dead stay dead.

In light of helpful statistics and the beauty of kingdom mindedness among the whole body of Christ it is obvious as to why we should plant new churches. The truth is that we need as many churches that preach the gospel as we can get! Because it is only by the gospel that spiritually dead people come to life.

Covenant Life Church exists to see people radically transformed who leverage their lives for the glory of God! We desire to see lost people come to know the God who created them. And to see their lives transformed as God's love changes their everything! And this is not going to happen if we are not faithfully building community, gathering together, and preaching the gospel. We want to make disciples, baptize them, and teach them all that Christ has commanded right here in Lakeside! Why? Because God has commanded it and because God will be glorified in it. We don't want the spiritually dead in Lakeside to stay dead. We want to see them come to life!

How can I help Covenant Life?

Commit to praying for us. This church will be planted by the power of God. And there is an enemy that would love for us to put this calling away in the midst of the hard things of church planting. So please pray for us! Pray for our team. Pray for Lakeside. Pray for the effort to raise support.

Commit to give. This mission is worth your treasures. Please partner in this command of church planting with us by supporting the mission financially! Every dollar you send will be used toward the mission of Covenant Life. You can give here. Please don't forget to select the "Covenant Life Church Plant" option under the funding options.

Thanks for keeping up with the Covenant Life journey!