WE'RE PLANTING ANOTHER CHURCH!

We are so excited to announce that Jimmy and Kirsty Smith-Cottrell, with their three kids will be leading an LCC Church Plant in 2019 at Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast!

We have two info nights coming up (one in North Lakes and one in Aura), where all of your questions will be answered...we hope!
Click below to head to the Facebook event page for each night, or contact us if you don't have Facebook.

But why plant a Church? This is a question that many people have and we get asked a lot, so here are three reasons why.

1. It is a biblical model of ministry

When we look throughout the New Testament, we see church planting as an established pattern. Even though the Bible never uses the words "church planting", it's still found throughout the New Testament (similar to the Trinity).

Consider the great commission:

“And Jesus came and said to them, “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 commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matt 28:18-20

Notice that there are two aspects of the commission. 

Go and Tell: In the commission, Jesus says to go - that is to leave where you are and as you go, make disciples. So no matter where you and I go that is our mission. We are to be God's witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). GO GO GO. GO OUT AND TELL THE GOOD NEWS.

Come and Belong: The commission is also about baptising and teaching. Baptism in the New Testament is both into Christ (Gal. 3:27), and additionally into God’s body (1 Cor. 12:13); His family, which is a worshipping community where teaching occurs.

It is clear that church planting includes sending people out and as a result, it also means bringing people in. Church planting is an overwhelmingly biblical passion and model of ministry and we need to participate in it.

2. It is a needed model for ministry.

In Acts 16:9 the Apostle Paul had a vision of a man from Macedonia who was ‘standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” What is Paul’s response? What does Paul, Timothy, Silas and Luke decide the Macedonians need? The Gospel!!! Acts 16:10 says, ‘

“And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.”

Macedonia is helped by the planting of the church at Philippi that proclaims the gospel. How did Paul help Corinth? He planted a church. The city of Thessalonica? Another church plant. Ephesus? You get the idea.

The planting of gospel-centred churches, filled with gospel-centred people who live as grace-leaking agents of salt and light, inviting the dead to come alive in Jesus Christ and to dwell in the Kingdom of God—that is the hope of our cities, suburbs and regions.

The world doesn't need more shows, more entertainment, more religious good and services, they need Gospel-centred people, preaching the gospel. In order to do this, we must send more people to plant more churches. The people in “Macedonia” need us to.

3. It is an effective model for ministry

All the current evidence points to church plants being the most effective evangelistic strategy for mission, particularly in the Western context. There are numerous reasons for this but it must be stated that the main reason is due to the first point. It's a biblical model. If it’s a biblical model then it is what the Spirit empowers.

We always want to consider the effectiveness of our ministries, yet we don't start by asking what will work, but what has God told us to do. For this is what God will empower. God has called his people to evangelise, to witness, to make disciples and proclaim his gospel to the nations. This is what God breathes on and empowers.

The gospel is God’s Spirit-empowered word that makes demons shudder, sets captives free, redeems the drunkard, frees the addict, heals the broken-hearted, comforts the prostitute, restores the running rebel, strengthens the weary soul and loves the abandoned. It even turns religious hypocrites into fully devoted followers of Jesus.

Planting gospel centred churches benefits the receivers, the planters and the senders.

The Receivers: People in the wider community receiving a new church plant will be edified, encouraged, saved... because a local gospel-centred church is present. There will be salt and light that in turn benefits the wider community.

The Planters: Those that step out in faith to join a church plant also benefit. Often people on the fringes of an established church seem to get more plugged in and experience a new found life in the gospel as they step out in faith and serve the purposes of God in a brand new way.

The Senders: The question is often raised, ‘What happens to the sending church?’ Well according to Jeff Farmer, who did his PhD dissertation on how church planting impacts sending churches, churches that commit to church planting tend to be healthier churches. The date from his study of 150 churches (75 planting Vs 75 non-planting) suggested that it was not just that healthier churches tend to plant a church but that in fact planting churches tend to lead to greater health. In other words, it's not only those that join a new church plant that comes alive but those that are also sending.

Gospel ministry is supposed to be a highway, not a cul-de-sac. Life is in the stepping out in faith on the mission. THIS IS WHY WE ARE PLANTING A NEW CHURCH.

To find out more, click the button belowand follow as our church planting journey continues.