Church Planting

The whole concept of church planting was one that I explored while I was in seminary.  I joined in the various conversations and understood many of the necessary things that needed to take place. For often, a new church is started within an area with the help of the synod (the larger church organization that is right above a congregation).  It takes a lot of work and time to build the relationship and organize the various events to invite those who are either never been to the church setting or have been hurt by the church.  Within a church plant, there is often a planting of seed within a given community and hopes that with nurture, the leader would be able to reach out to people and build a sustaining community. .

A popular model that has been happening in a number of places as well is that a congregation will actually give birth to another congregation within the same community.  This often comes around when either the facility that current congregation is unable to facilitate the growing number of people who are attending the worship services and other things that the congregation is offering.  The Lutheran Church of Hope in Des Moines, IA is one of the greatest examples of this happening within the Lutheran Church. Pastor Mike Householder is the lead pastor there and it would seem that God is truly blessing him and the ministry that is alive within the Lutheran Church of Hope.

I have also witnessed church plants that floundered and struggled to listen and meet the needs of the people that they are attempting to reach out to.  The church, either through funding or leadership, is simply not able to be sustained for the care of the people and the community dissolves.  This is truly disappointing not only for the people but also for the church as a whole. 

While reading this cartoon, I think that this cartoon truly gets to the heart of the matter. It is truly about faith, sharing the truth while meeting people where they are at, and having a lot of hope and trust within God.  I would enjoy thoroughly working with someone like Mike Householder because it is very apparent through the fruit of the spirit that God has blessed him and the ministry that he is doing within the church plant that he helped plant.