In The Alliance, we believe that church planting is the most effective means of winning people to Christ, discipling them to maturity, and unleashing them into fruitful service to His Kingdom. In fact, the 22,000 churches planted by the C&MA throughout the world have resulted in a global Alliance family of more than 6 million Christ followers and counting—in this generation alone!
Did You Know?
- The very first church was planted in 30 A.D. “They devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer . . . And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:42, 47).
- Currently, 127 churches are in the planting phase, and more than 60 of these emerged during 2016–2017.
- Nearly 100 Alliance churches have recently planted or are preparing to plant “daughter” churches.
- Three Alliance colleges are now offering church-planter training.
- The most successful church plants are started by other churches—like yours! A church of any size or budget can reproduce itself in a spiritually needy community. The Gospel Tabernacle, birth place of the C&MA, started with just a handful of people.
Since your church is a part of this family, we want to invite you and your congregation to join the celebration. Will you devote 5–10 minutes of your worship service on February 25 to church planting? These links will help:
Watch a Snapshot of John Stumbo’s 43rd video blog to understand why John wants church planting to be a priority for The Alliance.
Watch a video segment, featuring church planting team leader Dave Reynolds and Church Ministries vice president Terry Smith, explaining how “Greenhouse” churches are establishing a gospel presence among diverse people and how you or your church can be involved. (Closed captioning is available for the hearing impaired by clicking on the CC icon on the bottom right of the screen.)
Watch Pastor Mark Ashton of Christ Community Church in Omaha, Nebraska, challenge church and district leaders at Alliance Council 2017 to be part of new church plant sometime before Alliance Council 2019.
Read “Why Plant another Church?”
Download the Church Planting Sunday bulletin insert to print and distribute to your congregation on February 25. (Download the Spanish versions here and the Korean versions here)
Visit the Alliance Church Planting Web site for some great print and video resources to help your church discover:
- Why planting churches is so important
- How The Alliance started as a church plant
- How your church is already involved in planting
- How our Acts 1:8 values are being lived out through planting
- Where the church plants in your district are taking place
- How to interact with and pray for a church planter during your worship service
- 10 Ways to Help a Church Plant/Planter
- What a Greenhouse church is and how your church can become one
Here are a few examples of C&MA churches that have heard and answered God’s call to extend Christ’s love to their communities through church planting:
Seniors Help Church Plant Reach Addicts and Homeless
“This trip served as a tremendous catalyst for ministry back home,” says Pastor Larry Sundin. “Each person who participated now realizes that the most important part of missions is taking the time to get to know someone who is not like you.”
Racial Reconciliation through Church Planting
“We read in Revelation what Christ’s Kingdom will look like—every tongue, every tribe, every nation,” says Pastor Robbie Edalgo. “We believe that multi-ethnic community of believers is the gospel.”
“We need to have a safe place for policemen to go,” says Pastor Tim Rupp. “I want those in law enforcement to realize that there are a lot of good people out there who support them.”
“Sending our [church-planting] leaders not only blessed new communities but also blessed our church because it’s kept us humble, prayerful, and dependent,” says Pastor Chris Hruska. “It’s been good for the mission and healthy for our church.”
Reaching the Lost through American Sign Language
God has given the Church American Sign Language to proclaim the gospel message to deaf and hard-of-hearing people and across various racial and socioeconomic divides.
“I know I should be dead,” Pastor Myron says. “But I’m a living example of how when you accept the free grace of God, everybody wins.”