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Over the years many of our churches have been "rising to the challenge" of reaching out to an ever-changing community. However, our previous slogan was too general and not focused enough for the task at hand. The new slogan is simply "Starting and Strengthening churches." That is simple and to the point.
The South Metro Baptist Association will be concentrating its time and energy on those activities and events that strengthen our existing churches. Acts 15 says Paul and Silas "went through Syria and Cilicia strengthening the churches." Then Chapter 16 of Acts opens with Paul and Silas strengthening other churches in Derbe, Lystra and Iconium. Evidently even the amazing first century churches needed help in being more effective in reaching their communities. Strengthening the churches in the SMBA must be a priority. Across our denomination 80% of our churches are plateaued or declining. Revitalizing a stagnant church is beyond human ability. God must lead us into and through the process or all our efforts will be in vain.
As we move through the 16th Chapter of Acts we discover that while Paul was strengthening existing churches he was also planting new churches. A few years ago NAMB published a booklet about church planting in which they made the following statement:
"It is often difficult to get pastors and churches excited about church planting."
You may think that statement has some merit. However, it vastly understates the situation. Far too many churches (and some pastors) have a natural resistance to starting new churches. They are afraid that they will drain money and members away from existing churches.
This article is too brief to adequately address all of these concerns, but remember the Book of Acts spends more chapters talking about church planting than about any other subject. If, as the writer of Hebrews says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever," then He must still have a heart for church planting. If it was important enough for the Apostle Paul and others to dedicate their lives to planting new churches, then surely it should be one of our top priorities as well.
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