I Corinthians 16:9; Acts 19:1-41
Many dreams of building a dynamic and flourishing new church have been quashed by the lack of planning. Benjamin Franklin famously said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” (Goodreads, AAPI Books, accessed May 10, 2022, <link >.) How true that is in life, and especially for the Church Planter. Yes, we must act in faith and obey God’s calling and leading. But, at the same time, we must be strategic about it.
During his missionary journeys and especially when entering a new location, Paul developed successful strategies when starting a new work among its peoples. In this week’s passage, we will look at an incredible opportunity that God gave the Apostle Paul and see the role planning played in its success. Paul relied upon the Holy Spirit to lead, guide and direct both him and his team members. Planting a church in a new location was the result of his evangelism of those communities. He used Holy Spirit strategies to win people to the Lord, plant churches and thus fulfill the Great Commission.
Consider the following questions:
- After reading the account of his new church plant in Ephesus, in as few steps as possible, outline the “Pauline” Strategy.
- How important is it to develop and carry out a strategic plan when planting a new Church?
- What are some of the negative outcomes that could accompany a lack of planning?
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