Why Plant Churches

by chadbrooksis@gmail.com | Jun 27, 2014 | Uncategorized

Some of you know I was recently appointed to start a new Methodist congregation in North Louisiana. I have a mailing list I send out to anyone interested. A few people liked the first email so much I decided to post it here.

Why Plant Churches

One of the first questions I am asked when people hear about my appointment to plant a church is “…isn’t there already a Methodist church in Sterlington?“
 
Yep. There is.
 
“Then why start a new one?”
 
Here is where the rubber meets the road. The average church plant will bring 6-8 times more new people into faith than an older congregation of the same size.  Newer people groups and situations require new methods and new churches. New churches are able to streamline and focus ministry in unique ways that existing churches can’t.
 
This isn’t just institutional reproduction. Starting new churches is evangelism.
 
If we want to introduce new people to Jesus, we have to start new churches. 
 
Plain and simple. 
 
Starting a new church isn’t just a desire for something new or cool, but it is about reaching new people for Jesus. I don’t want to pour years of my life and expend tremendous resources for “just another worship option” for church folks. It is about following the call to be part of something Holy Spirit led. For people who are already followers of Jesus, our highest calling is fulfilling the Great Commission. To follow the pioneering of the Holy Spirit and break new ground, go to new places, do new things and reach new people. God is calling not just Meredith and me, but others to be part of this new church. I don’t know who these people are yet, but I have been praying for them for the past year.
 
And I deeply believe that God is calling me to begin this in the Sterlington area. Not to be better or newer, but to go to a new mission field and meet new people and introduce them to Jesus. To follow the call of God without abandon. To create environments for them to experience God, possibly for the very first time. To help them discover the God-given purpose and call in their life. To create a culture of holiness and sacrificial love. To meet with God, see and experience His kingdom, and be part of doing everything we can to pull it into our place and time – “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” type stuff. 
 
This is why we are planting a church.

Guest Post: Connecting With Muslims

by chadbrooksis@gmail.com | Jun 12, 2014 | Uncategorized

We haven’t done a guest post in a while. This one is from a good friend who has ministry and passion for Muslims. He wrote a great review of a book all of us could stand to read as we live in an increasingly multicultural setting. If you want to write a guest post, here are the things I ask for.

Connecting with Muslims by Fouad Masri. IVP Press, Downders Grove, IL. 2014. $12.00

Muslims are a great enigma in Western culture; especially in the Christian community. From terrorists who are commanded by their prophet and holy book to kill Americans, to Islamic evangelists poised to forcibly convert the world over to Islam and Sharia law, much of Islam is misunderstood. Yet, the Gospel mandate to “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel” compels us to go to Muslims with the Gospel, but sadly that rarely translates to our next door neighbor. Through immigration and globalized diaspora communities, millions of Muslims live next door and most Christians are too afraid to show them and share with them the love of Jesus. That reason alone is why Fouad Masri’s latest book Connecting with Muslims: A Guide to Communicating Effectively is such an important resource for North American Christians.

Masri not only answers many of the enigma’s that is Islam, he build bridges between Muslims and the average church member so the two can meet and Christ can be shared. The first half of the book focuses on practical ways to connect with Muslims like inviting them to share a meal or simply asking them to explain why they believe what they believe. Masri states “as ambassadors for Jesus, our goal is to construct a bridge by which our friends can cross over from misunderstanding to truth, from fear to faith. However, paralyzed with fear, many Christians hesitate to reach out to Muslims to offer them the same hope and security Jesus offered to them (24).” Jesus died for Muslims to know God and God has given us the responsibility and privilege to share that message with our Muslim neighbors, coworkers, and fellow citizens. How that is done is the contents of the second part of Masri’s book.

Addressing seven major “questions” or “themes” that may get brought up while in conversation with Muslims, Masri first and foremost reminds us that we must be intentional about sharing Jesus with Muslims. Being a Muslim’s friend does not create room for them to meet Jesus, only introducing them to Jesus does that. We do not convert or save, all we do is tell our story. Going through common objections like the Injeel (Arabic New Testament) has been corrupted or that Christians worship three gods, Masri gives helpful and visionary leading to North American Christians to most past fear and indifference, to evangelists who are sharing the life-transforming power of Jesus with a religion that desperately needs to know. “Muslims don’t know what we believe. They don’t know that Jesus has come to be the Savior- their Savior. It is a crisis of information.”

Practically sharing how and inspirationally sharing the what, Masri gives the church a practical and very helpful text in an area that very little has been written about- ministry to Muslims. Evangelism, missions, and church planting pastors need to read this book. God’s heart breaks for Muslims to know Jesus; will we be the carriers of that message? Masri says we must and I cannot recommend this book enough.