Church-Planting is a Partnership

The work of planting a New Testament church is not a one-man endeavor. All Nations Outreach Ministry has been a part to planting 277 Bible-believing churches in the past 38 months. These new churches in over 30 nations were all started by local, indigenous pastors. These men are from Bible Colleges where we serve, and many are students in the Lone Star Baptist College extension schools which we have helped establish.  

Of the dozens of local churches being established globally it is a collaborative effort of many of our partners who are investing resources and time. Missions is networking for the gospels' sake. The moving parts of a church plant include MAN-POWER, MONEY, AND MATERIALS. 

MAN-POWER begins with a preacher being called to go to a new area and build a work for God. These mostly young men are usually saved in a local church  nd trained at a Bible College in which we have visited and have strong ties. Recently we visited East Africa and met pastors who were formerly s herdsmen from the northern region. One man named James was saved at a Baptist church in his region and later attended our Bible School overseen by Pastor Alfred Lukwa. Upon graduation, James was sent to plant a new church in an area called Chebarus. Pastor James had maybe 30 or 40 members the Sunday when we visited him. Of the 277 churches ANOM has helped plant a recent case study revealed that on average these churches are having 37 people in attendance each Sunday morning. This would mean that on any given week more than 10,000 people are attending church in these new Baptist Churches. God begins his work in church-planting by saving and calling a man. Ezekiel 22 declares, "I sought for a man". God is searching for saved men today to answer the call to go. 

Once a man finds a new place to plant a church, there needs to be those who will give. This includes not only a local church member in a foreign land but people in churches back home in our nation who will be called to partner with the local pastor. The gospel needs MONEY to move forward. Paul often spoke about this in his epistles. We can enter world evangelism while never stepping foot on distant lands. We can give our money to spread the Word of God and assist in planting churches. When Pastor James had been prepared and was sent out to plant the new church in October of 2023, a local church in Texas gave graciously to build a small structure. The cost was $600 and included even an amount to rent the land on which the church began. The pastor in Texas later reached out to us and wanted to support Pastor James for $50 per month. This has helped this first-time church-planter to be more able to minister to the people in his area and see many souls saved. Pastor James was also helped in purchasing a motorbike in 2024. These financial gifts help spark the engine of evangelism. We all know that God can use anything or anyone that is available. He used a little lad’s lunch to feed 5000. The financial sacrifices of the widow women and small churches has an enormous impact in reaching the world for Christ.

Lastly, it takes MATERIALS to put in the hands of the believers so that they can distribute the written gospel to lost men in their regions. This includes but is not limited to gospel tracts and Scriptures. Groups like Fellowship Tract League, Bearing Precious Seed, and Bible Literature and Missionary Foundation are invaluable resources in putting literature into the hands of new converts. Most nations in the Third World either have a lack of

availability of these things, or they are over-priced so that new believers and local churches cannot afford them. A man who lives off $2 per day could rarely have the funds to buy even a $20 Bible in a nearby bookstore. It is common to preach in an African church with 50 people present and see 2 or 3 copies of the Bible in the entire congregation. If "faith comes by hearing", then it's imperative that new believers in impoverished regions have Bibles. Our missions’ program should include making these available. 

We have received time and time again gifts of $500 and $1000 from local churches and individuals in the US for our Bible Fund. These Bibles have made their way to places like India, Pakistan, Egypt, Syria, and beyond. The great need of our generation is that people know God through His Word. 

It cannot be overstated the importance of teamwork in missions. When we go-it-alone, we find ourselves discouraged and feeling hopeless in making an impact. We would do well to abandon our sense of pride and wanting to get the credit for the work of God. Many fail in missions trying to "do it themselves", rather than asking others who love the Lord for their prayer and help. We should be co-laborers with those who seek the salvation of humanity. It should not always have to be our plans and vision and ministries that we get excited about, but we should be more passionate about helping others reach their goals for Christ. Missions is a selfless task. When we empty ourselves of self, God can enable us to do more for His glory. Partnership is the KEY to Church-Planting.