Planting Biblically Separated, Culturally Sensitive Churches

Baptist World Mission’s emphasis on “planting churches worldwide” is more than a slogan; it encapsulates our understanding of mission theology and praxis in the New Testament. It is the outworking of the Great Commission, as demonstrated by the apostle Paul’s tireless efforts to plant and mature churches on the mission field. But how can the…

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When Is a Church Plant Finished?

Church planting seems pretty simple. Just evangelize and find a place to meet. Right? Actually, there is an important element still missing from this equation. A key component of a successful church plant is the training and appointing of leaders who can shepherd the church and carry out the Great Commission when the church planter…

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They’re Saved. They’re Baptized. Now What?

I sat on a colorful straw mat and looked around at the faces of thirteen newly-baptized believers eagerly waiting for me to lead them the next step toward becoming a fully-functioning church. Life in the provincial town of Pursat in 2006 was still hard for these first-generation Cambodian Christians. Most were uneducated. Although we were…

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The Challenge of Not Fainting in God’s Work

In 2 Corinthians 4:1 the apostle Paul declared under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, “Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not.” The overall ministry of Paul was one of reconciliation. We read in 2 Corinthians 5:19, “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto…

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Come over to New York and help us!

The state of New York has been on the news, both in Christian circles and in the general media. The recent headlines about the new abortion law passed by the newly-elected government caught the attention of many, but there is more to come. The government’s agenda includes abortion expansion, anti-discrimination of transgenderism, a ban on…

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Why We are in Manhattan

Background and Burden Matt Recker Manhattan, New York, is an island where one can reach the world within just 22.83 square miles of space. One of the five boroughs of New York City, Manhattan is the second smallest county in the United States. Conversely with its 1.6 million people, Manhattan is the most densely populated…

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Two Coffee Shops

A Parable for Pastors Once upon a time there were two brothers, Al and Zack. Al liked making coffee. He served it in his kitchen. “This is delicious,” people said, and they invited others. Soon the group outgrew Al’s kitchen. He set up chairs in the living room. Al liked people — liked knowing their…

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Plant Now!

A 21st Century Challenge Dave Barba Why Re-seed? When I was a kid, I liked missionaries and their slide shows. A missionary was a mud-hut guy who carried water from the river, ate bugs with a smile, and preached in the jungle. He displayed snakeskins and shrunken heads. He was a real missionary, and he…

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Home Missions: Interview with Bob Thompson of BHM (3)

Don Johnson Recently, I sat down with Bob Thompson, director of Baptist Home Missions, a small independent Baptist mission board devoted to church planting in North America. This aspect of mission work is often overlooked by the attention given to foreign missions, but it is vital for the church to replicate itself both on the…

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