Those of you who read regularly know I love planting churches, after all it's what I did and I'm loving pastoring Grace Church. I'd love to be part of planting something again in the future. But just recently I've been wondering whether in some cases we would be better church seeding rather than church planting.
Seeding is where a small group of people join an existing church specifically to grow and engage with that church and its community. Instead of planting from scratch they look to join a church in the area/town/city they have a passion for and make it their church family. They intentionally go with the aim of encouraging the faithful preaching of God's word, supporting the churches mission and fully engaging in the community.
Why church seeding? Throughout the north of England there are countless small, faithful, struggling churches, led by faithful, God loving, Jesus following, Bible teaching elders and pastors. These men and their families don't need the discouragement of another church opening next to them what they need is more workers partnering with and encouraging them.
I remember the great encouragement it was for us when over a summer two young couples joined us as a small church. The impact of those two young couples was greater with us than it would have been in a large church because of the greater proportional impact they had in growing the church, encouraged the believers, and having an appetite for Christ centred bible teaching.
I can't help wondering at the impact such a seeding of churches would have on the gospel in the North of England. Small groups of people joining small faithful churches, committing to them, serving in them and encouraging good Bible teaching there. I think in a relatively small period of time churches would be turned round, leaders would be raised us and good Bible teaching would be multiplied and God's faithful servants in hard places encouraged.
So before we think of planting maybe we should have discussions about seeding?
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