The Assemblies of God are starting a new aggressive campaign called MX9 aimed at planting 1,000 new churches in the USA. The venues of the new plants will include an innovative variety of locations like movie theaters, schools, coffee houses, homes, and even satellite sites. All with an emphasis of reaching the unchurched in America.
Steve Pike, director of church planting for Assemblies of God, made the following comment:
“We have to overcome the thinking that everyone in America has been presented with the gospel. There are millions of people who are isolated from any meaningful contact with the body of Christ,”
Comments: This sounds like positive direction for the AG Church in America. The emphasis on evangelism in the USA is long over due. The possibilities of ministries reaching out in non traditional ways and locations is also a direction that I believe the Holy Spirit is leading right now.
AG has been tremendously successful in world missions because they have been faithful in prayer and following the lead of The Spirit. If they begin to view and treat America as a new mission field, rather than doing Church as usual, the results could be rather dramatic and Biblical as in the Book of Acts. *Top
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I don’t know, sounds a lot like another Decade of Harvest. Can evangelism ever arise because headquarters decided to launch a new program?
Programs have never birthed a move of God! While I applaud the effort, most churches will have a hard time STAYING planted and flourish until we change our territorial attitude toward the planting of new churches!
In some areas of the country, they can be planted, as long as it’s not in our neighborhood!
(I’m going to get in trouble…)
Really, this is a great idea….
I was afraid to say anything, but the previous two commenters stole my thunder and calmed my fears.
I’ve heard it said- “If you want to make God laugh, lay out your plans.” The “Acts” pattern seems to be Churches which are birthed or planted as a result of a move of the Spirit, not based on schemes and big ideas. No use being hasty and missing the Way.
well, i just think that planting a church is more like planting our own selves out in the so called mission field of life…according to God’s program.
Amen!
If they stay out of the “traditional ways” of church it could be awesome. Especially the young people.
Thanks,
Richard
Thanks everyone for your comments. I must say I do agree with all of your points. If AG lets this become another bureaucratized ‘denominational’ program then little will be accomplished.
However, if they merely respond to helping those who the Spirit has led to take action then much could come of it.