I truly rejoice when someone who was lost surrenders to the lordship of Jesus Christ. It truly blows my mind when I ponder on the grace, mercy, forgiveness, patience and love of Jesus Christ. And I especially love it when people surrender to Christ in large numbers. No man can take credit for that; it has to be a move of the Holy Spirit.
However, there seems to be a disturbing trend in bigger churches and I do not see a biblical foundation in their thinking. More and more, larger churches are copying their church and placing these copies in other parts of their city or state. They may have a live band lead worship, but they pipe the message of the pastor via simulcast on a big screen for the presentation of the gospel.
This is not biblical church planting. The message they are sending is that they do not trust that others can present the gospel as well as them. It seems they would rather send a video of their message, instead of rising up a new church plant complete with a preaching pastor to lead the people at the new church plant.
I know a lot of these “video” churches have their own pastors to help shepherd their people. However, part of the authority God gives a pastor is given in the proclamation of the gospel. When the flock that God has entrusted to the pastor hears the gospel from their pastor on a week-in, week-out basis, it gives him credence and authority. There is a trust that the pastor and the congregation share in the giving and receiving of the message.
I am praying that the pastors of the larger churches will drop this idea of trying to duplicate their churches all over their area or state. I pray they will release their resources to plant legitimate churches, complete with a preaching pastor who can biblically lead their people from the pulpit and in casting a biblical vision for the new church plant.
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