Planting the Future

Editorial by David Klinedinst

From the beginning, the early New Testament church and the early Adventist church were church planting movements. Members took the commission to “go into all the world” seriously. They understood they had a special mission to take the gospel to the dark areas of the world. Both the apostles and the early pioneers went to unentered cities, raised up churches and trained leaders, then moved on to the next unentered city. It was this method of ministry, blessed by the Holy Spirit, that enabled them to grow so rapidly and turn their world upside down (see John 17:6). This, too, is the calling of the 21st century church.

The Chesapeake Conference territory is a vast mission field of seven million people spread out over urban and rural communities, stretching from West Virginia to Baltimore to the Eastern Shore. Chesapeake has engaged in a bold initiative to reach the unentered parts of our territory that have no Adventist presence. In order to establish an Adventist church for every 50,000 people, we need to plant 50 churches, in places like Baltimore, Randallstown, Bel Air, Wilmington, Newark, Towson and beyond.

We cannot be content to just maintain what we already have; we must move forward to penetrate these unentered areas filled with people longing for hope. We must give them Jesus!

Has God placed a desire in your heart to plant a church, conduct a Bible study, form a small group or begin a Branch Sabbath School in an unentered city near you? Christ is looking for laborers. How will you answer the call?

David Klinedinst serves as director of Evangelism & Church Growth for the Chesapeake Conference.