Student’s I.

D: 20221291
Student Name: Elizabeth Owolabi
Course Code: THE 101
Course: Church Planting
Professor: Dr. Funmi Ebiwonjumi

Introduction:

The church is not just a place, a building, or an organization. The church is a living organism. According to the
English word, church derived its meaning from the Greek Ekklesia meaning Assembly. We can say that the
church is the assembly of the called out. It is a divine force that originated from the Lord’s love for humanity
and fellowship.

The church is referred to as an association of professing Christians, it is the body of Christ, bought by the blood
of Jesus Christ. For example, Christ appoints Peter as the rock on which He will build His Church Matthew
16:18 “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build My church, and the gates of Hades
shall not prevail against it.”

Historically, the church did not come into existence until after Christ’s death and resurrection which is at
Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended on the people. The Church, therefore, is God’s agent on earth.

Church planting is the gathering together of believers in a place for worship, self-edification and to carry on the
works or the commandment of Jesus to His disciples. Matthew 28: 19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of
all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to
observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

The mission is the first step to planting a church, when an evangelist goes on mission work to Evangelism or
wining of soul in a particular place after witnessing the good news and people accepting Christ as their Lord
and personal savior. He needs to transform this new convert into a local congregation by gathering them all
together as one body in Christ to disciples the new convert so that God’s name is glorified, God’s Kingdom is
established on earth and the sinner, or the new convert is reconciled to God.

Analysis of the foundational elements of Church planting

Biblical: Church planting is biblical, In Act 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come
upon you, and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the
earth.” This means that they will be given the power to witness Jesus to all the earth and this is a biblical
mandate to plant churches. In the New Testament, Paul was a model church planter, He was called to ministry
and the signs were evident. Church planting expands the mission of God. Matthew 28:18-20 (The great
Student’s I.D: 20221291
Student Name: Elizabeth Owolabi
Course Code: THE 101
Course: Church Planting
Professor: Dr. Funmi Ebiwonjumi

commission). Church Planting empowers the people of God, 2Coritians 5:20(Christians are Ambassadors of
God) and 1cor3:4-7 (Church planters’ partner with God).

Theological: Reaching the people with the gospel of Jesus is the most important element of church planting. We
all know that Christ is the cornerstone of the Church’s Foundation Eph 2:20-22 “20 having been built on the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21in whom the whole
building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22in whom you also are being built
together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

The theological understanding of God, His nature, redemptive activity, and missionary nature motivate church
planting. Theology also believes in missionary, outreach, evangelism, and teaching of the gospel of Jesus in all
nations of the world as a way of church planting strategies. which is about God’s activity and towards his
creation to preach the gospel to all creation.

Missiological: This is another element of planting the Church, mission is God callings a way of evangelism
which is the great commission. Commission means an authority given to a person to enforce a special task like
in Act 1:8 Mark 16:15 “Go into the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.” The work (commission) is
to preach only the gospel, not personal feelings, or church creed. Like in Homiletic class we learn to only
preach the undiluted word of God 2 timothy 4:2 “2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of
season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.”

I learn that when it comes to mission work, the command is “Go Ye”, I also understand that sitting in the church
or at home expecting sinners to come is disobedience to God. Preaching of the word has no distinction or
barriers, either of sex, nationality, race, politics or religious difference.

Practical: Prayer and fasting are the first practical elements of planting a church, John 15:16 “You did not
choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should
remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” Another element of church planting is
the approach we take practically, by organizing meetings, and programs that will encourage the new convert by
organizing retreats, it could be prayer retreats or revival meetings to have efficient soul-winning.
Student’s I.D: 20221291
Student Name: Elizabeth Owolabi
Course Code: THE 101
Course: Church Planting
Professor: Dr. Funmi Ebiwonjumi

Another practical way is to start as a home cell group which you can use different approaches like a member of
the same household, neighbors, and friends within the same community or age group approach. This approach
encourages the needs and welfare of the people.

Effective principles to be followed in planting a church with a note on possible obstacles to avoid

1. Close personal relationship with God

2. Hearing from God directly to go plant a church
3. Clear vision of the task, the strategy, and the objectives to be achieved
4. Care preparation and Training
5. Obedience or total submission to God
6. Walking in the power of the Holy Spirit
7. Adequate knowledge of the area and 1the people, this includes understanding the language, culture,
beliefs, and history of the people
8. Spiritual and leadership aspects of planning essentials
9. Spiritual Activities within the body of Christ also include
10. prayer and fasting on God’s direction
11. Serving: Stephen and some disciple show examples of good and reputable service in Acts 6:1-7
12. Teaching: Heb 5:12-14
13. Encouraging and Leadership

Some hindrance to all these principles to effective church planting includes a Lack of knowledge and
Education: understanding that God can use both learned and unearned for his work, what matters to God is a
sweet fellowship with Him. Act 4:13 “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that
they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.”

Lack of communication ability: Understanding that god will put His word in his servant’s mouth, no excuses
for not doing God’s work we can see that in Exodus 4:10-12 “10Then Moses said to the LORD, “O my Lord,
I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant, but I am slow of speech and slow

1
Student’s I.D: 20221291
Student Name: Elizabeth Owolabi
Course Code: THE 101
Course: Church Planting
Professor: Dr. Funmi Ebiwonjumi

of tongue.” 11 So the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the
seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD? 12Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you
what you shall say.”

Sometimes we face the obstacle of not having enough experience and lack of equipment and resources to
support the planting of the church, resources like the cost, forgetting that God can do much with little, and
everything with nothing. Example 1samuel 17:40-51

Sometimes when the planter does not see anyone to encourage and strengthen him to plant a church there is
always a setback, words of encouragement can go a long way. This problem is seen in our so-called leaders of
nowadays no follow-up of any means, and competition of churches in the same area can cause hindrances to
church planting.

Discussion of the different phases of church planting

Seeding phase: This is where everyone is involved in prayer and the team leader is confirmed.

Sowing phase: This is a way of engaging the lost with the gospel and understanding ways to share the gospel
with either individuals or as a group.

Seedling phase: discipline a small group of new believers and help them reach their friends, help the team to
reach out to the community

Young Plant: This is the gathering of believers together and developing identity as a church where the believers
work to grow the group and where the group develops a mutual commitment to each other, doing this they grow
together in faith. Heb 10:35

Fruit Bearing: developing and equipping local leaders like developing evangelists, shepherds ordaining Elders.

Establishing new churches: The team helps the church start other churches and leaves to initiate other church
plants.

Possible ways to facilitate a church are:

Modality model: this is a starting house fellowship in different geographic areas. By having multiple -
congregational churches of different ethnic groups and multiple campus models.
Student’s I.D: 20221291
Student Name: Elizabeth Owolabi
Course Code: THE 101
Course: Church Planting
Professor: Dr. Funmi Ebiwonjumi

Sodality Models: through a mission either recruiting or supporting financially by sponsoring. Or through
catalytic Church planter, independent church planter, and apostolic church planter.

Conclusions

Generally planting a church, you must hear that calling from God, when He calls, He will supply all your needs
including spiritual needs, and physical needs like locations, housing, food, and every material thing. And most
especially the one called must exercise great faith in Him.

We are at the end time where people now call themselves, but God has a way of exposing all fake pastors and
prophets coming in the name of God.

Matthew 25: 13 says “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” Just keep obeying
the commandment of God and God will surely rise for your sake. I strive to take my Glory at the second coming
of Jesus. Halleluiah!

2
References
1. Holy Bible (New King James Version)
2. RCCG Church and Home cell group planting Vol 1 by Pastor Adeboye
3. Dr. Funmi Ebiwonjumi Church Planting Manual