Redemption Church is about three and a half years old and is still, in many ways, a church plant. Yet, we still want to be planting other churches. We are partnering with LifePoint Church in Farmington and have had a good relationship with Phil Bennicoff and Brent Van Sickle. In the last couple of months, Redemption has embarked to plant Wasatch Gospel Community, a new church plant in Harrisville, Utah.
At Redemption, our vision is to start hundreds of churches throughout Utah. It’s a large goal and one that may not even happen in our lifetime. However, we believe this to be critical for what God has called us to do in our state.
Why is it important to start new churches, and why is this such a big part of our vision? Here are several reasons.
1. It’s a biblical model.
In the New Testament, the apostles could not contain the Good News of Jesus Christ, including the fact that He had paid the way for sinners and that He was alive from the dead. They traveled throughout the world, telling people how they could be saved from their sins and that Jesus was alive. As people believed the Gospel, churches were started and pastors were equipped and put into place.
2. People are moving to the cities.
Not too long ago, people were escaping the cities for the suburbs. Now, cities are becoming popular again. As population numbers increase, there is a growing need for churches in those cities. Cities are becoming more diverse, and at the same time, cities are becoming lonelier. The need for the Gospel and Gospel-centered community has grown as cities have become larger.
3. Church planting is the best way to reach people with the Gospel.
In the first century as well as today, church plants statistically seem to connect newer people to the Gospel. That doesn’t mean that helping established churches doesn’t have its place. Established churches still reach people with the Gospel, and we link arms with all of our fellow churches who are working alongside of us to see the Gospel transform our city. However, since church plants seem to be the way that many people are coming to know Jesus, we want to spend our energy and resources there.
4. Not everyone will connect in the same church.
As we have watched Redemption Church grow, I’ve noticed a few things. Not everyone will connect with our church, and that’s ok. Not everyone will connect with the church down the road, and that’s ok. Church planting opens the doors for more people to connect with the Gospel. I’m not talking about consumerism or competing for which church has the best band. People naturally connect to some people and not to others. Church planting provides diversity in the ways people connect.
5. New churches help existing churches flourish.
One of the objections to church planting is the idea that it creates competition. Some may feel that a new church will take all of its people. While, sometimes this is unfortunately true, many times, the reverse will happen. As new churches reach their community with the Gospel, many of those people will settle in the established churches in the area instead of the church plant.
Please pray for God to continue to send future church planters and for our current church plants that we are partnering with more directly. Pray for LifePoint Church and for Wasatch Gospel Community.