• Build a mega-building and bring together a large staff.

• Plant another congregation.

• Die.

The following account of "planting a church" in Abilene, Texas, might serve to answer some questions and stimulate some thinking for those who are considering such a move. Certainly this process is not to be considered the "only way," but "a way" that served well in one situation.

February 26, 1995. Gayle Potter, one of the elders at the Baker Heights congregation, read a statement that was signed by all twelve elders. In the statement, each elder agreed to go or stay" with a new "church planting:'

Footnote: Eight acres of ground had been purchased in a part of town away from other congregations a couple of years before. Fifty had been baptized and ninety had placed membership at Baker Heights in the previous year. The auditorium had been enlarged and chairs lined the aisles of the building, and still there was not enough room. The parking lot was full and cars lined the streets. It was decision time.

The following quotations from the statement reflect the spirit and the substance of the planting process:

"The elders asked all members to meet on a Friday evening to discuss this and bring possible solutions. This meeting was well attended and many ideas were presented. The next morning the men held a meeting and we talked about the comments from the previous meeting, and more suggestions and comments were made at this Saturday morning meeting. The elders have met several times since this and have studied all of the ideas, suggestions, comments, and possibilities to the best of our abilities. We have reached the following conclusions:

• "We believe this congregation exists for the purpose of saving souls.

• "There are many souls in Abilene to be saved. Abilene is therefore a mission field.

• "This congregation will start a new congregation in southeast Abilene on land it already owns there.

• "The new congregation will be started for the purpose of winning souls for Christ, and no other reason. We do not believe 'overcrowding' of our present facilities is sufficient reason, or the right reason, for starting a new congregation. Evangelism is the right reason.

• "The starting of a new congregation will mean this family will no longer be all together, and this will cause sadness. For all of us to remain together would mean the building of a new, much larger facility. We believe the financial costs would be too much, and we would end up spending too much money on building payments and too little on evangelism.

• "A core group from this congregation will be asked to form the new congregation and will start meeting here until adequate facilities are built, or otherwise obtained. Four of our elders have offered to resign from the present eldership and be members of the new congregation. We anticipate several of our deacons will do likewise. It has been suggested the new congregation would have approximately one hundred members to start with.

• "The elders understand the decision we have reached is not the answer many wanted. So many of you expressed a desire to keep our Baker Heights family together. All of us wanted to stay together. This is an excellent commentary on this family. It shows we have a warm, friendly, and loving group of people here, and there are no divisions among us. When some leave, it will cause sorrow for all of us, but let us take comfort in knowing we are doing this for the salvation of people. This is the Lord's work, and this is our purpose.

March 26, 1995: One hundred and thirty met in the Family Room for the first meeting of what was to be called the Oldham Lane congregation. More than three-fourths of the congregation remained at Baker Heights. Some were asked to stay and others were asked to go. Leadership selection began at the first meeting. The names of three elders and seven deacons who came with the planting were placed before the congregation. Bible class, Sunday and Wednesday evening assemblies, and the bulletin served both congregations until the congregation began meeting at the new location.

April, 1995: Three elders and seven deacons were appointed. A directory was printed with ninety-five names. Baker Heights gave the new congregation $10,000 start-up money, eight acres of land, and a surprise special contribution of $7,000. Oldham Lane would send back $1,200 a week to Baker Heights so the mission program would not suffer. April 30 was the last meeting in the Fellowship Room. The new congregation finished early and marched into the auditorium and sang with tears in their eyes and lumps in their throats, "We love you with the love of the Lord, We love you with the love of the Lord, We see in you the beauty of our Kind, and we love you with the love of the Lord." The congregation sang it back to those who were departing.

May 7, 1995: This was the first meeting in the new rented facilities. There were "work days and nights," Bible class organization, and clean-ups so the building could be used by others the next day. Through the summer, fall and winter, there were struggles to reach out to our new community, begin the building process, and organize the different ministries. There was also the challenge of orienting into our fellowship other Christians from the area who wanted to have a part in the new work. On November 12, a special contribution netted $101,000.

March 4, 1996: The slab was poured and the building began to take shape. The men of the congregation were busy building tables, bulletin boards, toddler chairs, and a multitude of other things needed for the new building. Ladies were sewing, choosing colors, preparing class material, and doing office work. One hot Wednesday afternoon, everyone brought lawn chairs to the unfinished auditorium for the mid-week prayer meeting. A special contribution of about $70,000 was given to help purchase furniture for the building.

August 4, 1996: The congregation met for the first time in the building.

Recently we noted the first anniversary of being in the building. During that year, thirty-six were baptized. The contribution now averages $7,000 a week. Many from the community have come to work with us, and we average more than four hundred in the Sunday AM assembly. The teen group has grown from two to thirty-five. There are more than sixty Pew Packers. Baby Boomers and Busters are prominent. Additional elders and deacons have been appointed. A big portion of the budget goes to mission work. Mission work involves several states and five foreign countries, World Bible School, Internet teaching, and jail and prison ministries. Two hundred and twenty have been baptized in mission campaigns. A supplementary special mission contribution was given for $35,000. The mission statement is the "great commission of Jesus in Mark 16:15, "Preach the gospel to all creation." The mission model is the practice of the early church as reflected in Acts 8:4, "Those who had been scattered went about preaching the word:'

Baker Heights continues to grow. They have filled up the vacant pews that were left behind. Their building and parking lot are again crowded. What Gayle Potter read at the planting of Oldham Lane still holds true: "We believe this congregation exists for the purpose of saving souls." The spirit of Oldham Lane is reflected in this statement: "We have been planted to plant."

The story of Oldham Lane cannot be told in chronological data or recorded figures; it involves people, purposes, and plans. I would suggest four basic principles which allow for the strength and growth of the congregations:

1. The blessing of God. At one of the first meetings called to consider the planting of the congregation, one of the elders, Bob Childress, read Revelation 3:17 warning of congregational pride, which says, "I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing." Success, even in the Lord's work, does not come by power or might, but by the strength of the Lord.

2. Strong leadership. Shepherds who lead, deacons who serve, and teachers who teach are essential. Oldham Lane is blessed with experienced leadership which is doctrinally strong and spiritually mature. They know where they need to go and possess the inner discipline to do what is necessary to get there. It is easy to follow leadership that continues to develop and calls out new leaders from the congregation. Saturday "men's meetings" and "single ladies' dinners" allow the leaders not only to communicate goals but also to receive helpful information to enhance leadership.

3. The source of growth is the Word of God. The regular Bible classes are textual. Bibles are carried to class and are opened during the assembly. No attempt is made to attract people with "performance worship" or "social programs." The battle with the devil is for the souls of men, and our weapon is the word of God. There are evangelistic Bible studies and home Bible studies. The emphasis is on the Christ revealed in Scriptures. An axiom on the bulletin reads: "Biblical in doctrine, conservative in practice, and liberal in love."

4. The effectiveness of growth is the strength of fellowship. We are all children of God by faith and have been baptized into Christ. This brings not only the forgiveness of sin and salvation, but also the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which makes us kin. Those whom God recognizes as His children and whom Christ recognizes as His disciples are my brothers and sisters. We function differently, but in one accord. We need each other and thus rely on the strengths of others to make up for our own weaknesses. We care about one another. Terms like "love," "unity, "generosity," "loyalty," and "discipline" all find expression in what we call "fellowship."

Any time a congregation can plan and build a building, select leaders twice, determine a congregation's mission, organize a teaching program, absorb three hundred new members, and blend them into a loving spiritual family, a working body, and a growing church without a fuss, the fellowship must be strong.

FOOTNOTES

You Should Plant When . . .

You can know when you need to consider planting another congregation when some of the following situations exist:

• You outgrow your facilities and have to build, plant, or die.

• Members of the congregation live long distances from the building. They are commuting members and have difficulties in bringing their friends and neighbors to the assembly. They rarely see other Christians in day-to-day activities.

• It has become difficult to maintain a close-knit fellowship in the congregation because not even the elders know all of the members.

• An area of the city, or maybe a town nearby, does not have a congregation. This can provide a mission challenge that is a valid as sending missionaries to foreign countries. The whole planting congregation can become personally involved in helping the new congregation.

• Young leaders need to have opportunities to grow and develop leadership skills and assume responsibility.

• The congregation has lost its evangelistic zeal and is bogged down in ministering to each other and maintaining the status quo.