Because God wants to establish his family!

God has always been interested in having a family! He does not want to save lonely individuals and send them in search of a church where individualism still thrives. Rather, he wants to deliver them from isolation by drawing them into his community! God’s people are his holy dwelling. God is accessible on his planet among his people. So when we plant a church in a new location, we are establishing a ‘dwelling’ where God can be encountered, where his presence is felt and experienced as God-centred lifestyles are lived out in God-centred communities.

Because it works!

Church planting is the most effective form of evangelism! Author Peter Wagner comments: ‘Why plant new churches instead of renewing old ones? Both time and money can be better directed towards reaching the unchurched. It is easier to have babies than raise the dead!’

Because of the large need!

There is a very large harvest field facing us (at least in the UK and Europe). The workers (as ever) are few, so we need lots more churches, touching different communities. Ultimately, bringing people to Jesus is a one-to-one process and so we need church to be outworked in everyday reality as individuals relate compassionately to other individuals: ‘on-the-ground’ with people, at their level; in touch; ‘connected’.

Because we need new, creative churches!

God has created people in his image, with an inbuilt creativity. Today’s challenges require that all those creative energies are fully deployed. There seems to be something about a church plant particularly that draws out an adventurous, creative, pioneering spirit.

Because we have a contribution to bring!

In the last 2000 years there have been many movements raised up by God, people with a common vision and fresh passion, used by God to restore some truth of doctrine or practice to the rest of church. We are part of one such movement, and are convinced that we still have a unique contribution to bring to towns and villages across the UK and Europe, as we set a high value on community life, Spirit-led worship, responding to God’s direction, the restoration of equipping leadership, personal pastoral care and discipleship.

Because of the diverse need!

In today’s UK culture, which has been variously described as ‘postmodern’, ‘post-Christian’ and ‘post-evangelical’, we urgent need creative and innovative expressions of church, that reach out to people who increasingly see the church as irrelevant, whilst holding firm to the message of Jesus.

Because of the rest of God’s church!

The provocation of church planting is one way in which the whole church can be constantly kept mobile, responsive and dynamic. Through fostering good relationships with existing churches, they too can be provoked to fresh vigour!