Dr. Bryant Wright, Wright from the Heart Ministries, Pastor of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church wrote an article for the Christian Index. The Christian Index is the state newspaper run by the Georgia Baptist Convention. He wrote a great article on the funding of the Cooperative Program. The Cooperative Program is the combined mission efforts of all Southern Baptist Churches. It is what ultimately makes a Baptist Church a Southern Baptist Church. Because in THEORY we are all autonomous churches giving as God leads, going as God leads, reaching, teaching, and preaching as God leads.

I grew up in an SBC church. Have always belonged to an SBC church even when I worked in another denomination I maintained a relationship with an SBC church. Why? Two things, theology and practice. I believe that most of what the original framers of the Baptist Faith and Message framed as a theological structure for cooperation is correct. Secondly, practice. I believe it is wise to have a comprehensive mission program and not have every program having special offerings every Sunday. How wise would it be if we ran our churches like that?

But, I believe strongly that more money ought to go to the International Mission field. It is ridiculous that, according to Dr. Wright, that only 16% of dollars given reach the foreign field. I believe that the North American Mission Board ought to focus on church planting and quit hiring evangelists to run church planting programs and strategies.

Evangelism is a local church initiative. I believe in personal evangelism. I am trained in EE, CWT, 4 Spiritual Laws, Becoming a Contagious Christian, and almost every other personal evangelism program in the last 40 years. But I was trained in the local church. I don’t need a national initiative to tell me to witness. I need a heart and passion for the lost.

Because I have a heart and passion for the lost I focus on church planting. Why?. Because EVERYONE who knows church growth, knows that Church Planting IS the most effective evangelism there is. Not revivals, although they are fine. Not crusades, although I am not against them. Not EE, CWT or the next personal evangelism course. But church planting. Why?

Glad you asked. I think that church planting is a great evangelism tool because people get excited when they see God at work in building something new. When new converts are made disciples, not just won to Christ and forgotten. When new disciples become new leaders. Those people seeing God at work are like the Samaritan woman who after encountering Jesus went to her tribe and said, “come and see.”

As a lifelong SBC member I encourage change in the SBC. Give more to IMB, Focus NAMB’s efforts on Church Planting. Let the local church lead in evangelism and community transformation. Send, Go. Serve. Then I believe that more church planters would give to the CP instead of run away from mandates from on high.

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