‘Gospelizing,’ ‘Gracism,’ and Church Planting

Acts 29: Churches Planting Churches

It’s essential that we develop our philosophy of ministry—including our philosophy of church planting—from the Scriptures. I often tell church planters that the best book on church planting is the Bible. Sometimes they look at me like, “Duh. Thanks, Captain Obvious.”

But it’s essential that we stay rooted in the sacred text. We must do this for the sake of our churches and for the good of our own souls. This doesn’t mean church planters shouldn’t read other books, or that the Bible will tell them everything they will want to know—like where to order chairs, how to build a website, how to do a budget, and so on.

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But God’s Word does give us all the essential convictions we need for faithful ministry—convictions regarding preaching, shepherding, ecclesiology, and mission. It shows us what should drive our ministry: the gospel. And it reveals how the church should both declare and also display this gospel to the watching world.

So today we’re going to talk about the Bible in general, and the New Testament in particular, says about gospel ministry and gospel-driven church planting. We have New Testament scholar Michael Bird with us to discuss these things.

You can listen to this episode of Churches Planting Churches here.

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Are You a Frustrated, Weary Pastor?

Being a pastor is hard. Whether it’s relational difficulties in the congregation, growing opposition toward the church as an institution, or just the struggle to continue in ministry with joy and faithfulness, the pressure on leaders can be truly overwhelming. It’s no surprise pastors are burned out, tempted to give up, or thinking they’re going crazy.

In ‘You’re Not Crazy: Gospel Sanity for Weary Churches,’ seasoned pastors Ray Ortlund and Sam Allberry help weary leaders renew their love for ministry by equipping them to build a gospel-centered culture into every aspect of their churches.

We’re delighted to offer this ebook to you for FREE today. Click on this link to get instant access to a resource that will help you cultivate a healthier gospel culture in your church and in yourself.

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Tony Merida (MDiv; ThM; PhD, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary) is the founding pastor of Imago Dei Church in Raleigh, North Carolina; vice president for planter development for the Send Network; and a Board member of The Gospel Coalition. He’s the author of several books, including The Christ-Centered Expositor, Ordinary, and Orphanology. He and his wife, Kimberly, have five adopted children.

Michael Bird is a Lecturer in Theology at Ridley College. Michael is the author of a number of books, including Evangelical Theology: A Biblical and Systematic Introduction and What Christians Ought to Believe: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine Through the Apostles’ Creed. He and his wife and have four children, and live in Melbourne, Australia. You can follow him on Twitter.