Church planting. It was a phrase I heard throughout the years, but to be completely honest, I didn't think much of it - I was after the kind of missions where you helped people, served people and shared the gospel. I wanted to change lives, show people overseas that Jesus could heal and bring peace and joy. And, to my very ignorant mind, this wasn't done through church planting, this was done through "missions" - individuals going overseas, starting organizations and building relationships.
And then I took a class on the book of Acts (through my church, using
Bild International).
My life changed, my perspective on missions was wrecked.
What if God instigated the Church to change lives, bring healing, peace and joy? What if people in the Church were well established in their faith, discipled and trained - actually grounded in their relationship with God and His word? What if said people (the Church) took it upon themselves to seek the good of their local community, to meet needs and live the love of Jesus in practical ways. Here in America, and around the globe.
What would happen if instead of individuals trying to live out the Great Commission, it was the Church living out the Great Commission?
Open up your Bible to the book of Acts and you'll see what happens.
I'll spare you a sermon, but this whole notion of Church planting took on a whole new meaning for me. Think about the impact well-established churches could have on a village, city, country...
Insert my trip to Haiti.
For the last several years my church, Harvest Bible Chapel, has been very involved in Haiti. And it all began with meeting a Haitian Pastor, and a desire to see the gospel spread throughout Haiti.
His name is Pastor Charles.
The leaders of my church met Pastor Charles, in Haiti, and quickly discovered his tenacity and passion for Jesus, the gospel and the church. Having a network of churches he planted and currently oversees, Pastor Charles knows full well the joys and frustrations of planting churches in a third world country. Yet, it wasn't financial support he was after - but rather, physical support.
Friendship, leadership, training.
Harvest Lancaster partnered with Pastor Charles to provide what was so desperately needed in these new churches. Pastor Charles first came to Lancaster and received a week of equipping/training, and of course lots of love and a warm family welcome. Men from Harvest then made several trips to Haiti to meet with the local leaders. These dynamic leaders were trained on how to teach, equip and disciple current members in deepening their relationship with God, and also how to establish new believers in a Biblical way.
This relationship has only continued to deepen as the Bild curriculum was translated into Creole, thus expanding the impact even further - allowing pastors to extend this discipleship material with their congregations.
When the idea of our recent Worship Team Outreach Trip was presented, our church excitedly went all in. The groundwork was laid, now it was time to encourage the church, help to further open their doors and bring people inside.
I saw, in action, what happens when a church serves the community. When the church recognizes the need and mobilizes the people to meet those needs. When the church, comprised of individuals, but operating as a whole, is an extension of Jesus - loving people, serving them, and ultimately bringing them to Himself.
I hope to give you a glimpse of what I saw and experienced. This is only the beginning...
(Bild International exists to train networks of leaders, grassroots to national in the way of Christ and His Apostles - providing philosophy, curriculum and a network)
