by John Gross
Taking a mission trip to one of our new church projects can create memories to last a lifetime for your church and also encourages a church plant in its infancy. The excitement that comes to the church planter and his people when a group comes to share and minister is unparalleled. Providing help surveying, contacting new residents, helping with property maintenance, or assisting with a vacation Bible school boosts a young church planter and his people providing much-needed manpower to reach new people.
Also, when a pastor, youth minister, couple, or youth department visits a church launch and gives a testimony, sings, or shares a message of encouragement, it enhances the church’s worship. And, a church planter cherishes and appreciates when a visiting pastor personally and privately shares with them.
The church planter may also have needs the visiting church could meet. The pastor and congregation of a new plant are encouraged when a visiting pastor publicly shows affirmation and appreciation toward the planter and his new church as they step out in faith with this new endeavor.
If you or your church has not put together a church planting project as a mission trip, I encourage you to visit our APEX website at www.bbfi.org and pray about one of the planters listed. We have a tremendous group of men scattered across the country and any one of their projects would make a great mission trip. It would be exceptional if we could have pastors visiting church planters and their projects on a regular basis. Imagine what it would be like to have a different group visiting a planter once a quarter providing the church with a visiting speaker and allowing the people to become acquainted with different supporting pastors.