Church PLANT Manual

Introduction • 3

Biblical Foundations for Church Planting Rev. Ted Smith

The Scripture is clear that the Lord would build His church (Matt. 16:18) often referred to as the “Church Universal” 1 and that the Lord Himself is “the head of the body, the church” (Col. 1:18). Therefore, all church planting efforts rest squarely on the authority and command of Christ to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:19-20). And yet, many who endeavor to plant churches today will hear a familiar retort, “Why do we need another church? There is a church on every corner in America.” Hyperbole aside, there are many churches across our nation. WhyWouldWe Need More Churches? The devil’s influence “in the world” (since the fall, Gen. 3:1-15) is evident in Scripture. Jesus referred to him as “the prince (ruler) of this world” (John 12:31). Paul called him “the ruler of the air… spirit at work in the disobedient” (Eph. 2:2) and the “god of this age (world)” (2 Cor. 4:4). John wrote that, “the whole world is under the control of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). To be clear, the devil is not God’s equal. He is not all powerful and certainly no match for Jesus. There will be a final judgment and a decisive victory over Satan. He will be “thrown into the lake of fire” and “tormented forever” (Rev. 20:10). Any kingdom and/or authority will be taken away from Satan. All will be given back to King Jesus, its rightful

1 From the Latin Ecclesia Universalis referring to the Church throughout the world.