Oops…I’m A Church Planter
By: Pete Carlson
During my first 19 years of life, I lived a lukewarm, nominal pseudo-Christian lifestyle…and then Jesus saved me. Church planting was never on my radar. And now, two years later as a 21 year-old, I am beginning to discern the call to be a church planter.
The GO 1-Year Gospel Leader residency has transformed my uneducated “that-sounds-kinda-interesting” inclination toward church planting into an authentic, constantly growing passion for Jesus and His Church, and as a result an increasing passion for church planting.
Through my local church, GO has equipped and trained me, triggering a deeper affection for Jesus, a more biblical understanding of the Great Commission and a greater love for the local church. I have become increasingly aware of my purpose as a believer. Jesus says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20). Jesus gives His followers this commission, and then the book of Acts happens. For some reason, after reading the Great Commission, I forgot to look to Scripture to see what happened next. Well, church planting happens. I have learned that the Great Commission is not some unstructured, independent objective that I begrudgingly undertake as a believer. But instead, it is a joy-filled, cohesive mission that flows centrifugally from the local church as this body of believers is on mission together to advance the gospel by telling people about Jesus and plant church by the power of the Spirit. My desire to plant churches has been urged on by an increasing understanding of what the Church means to Jesus – a people “which he obtained with his own blood” (Acts 20:28).
The Gospel Leader Residency has led me through a comprehensive study of Acts as well as Paul’s letters, enhancing not only my biblical knowledge, but equipping me as a potential church planter and connecting this biblical concept of the Great Commission to the work of church planting. Through GO and its use of BILD material and our cohort discussions, I have learned that God builds His church through the church. I have been swayed from thinking that the Great Commission is an individualistic pursuit. Instead, I see that the Great Commission is fulfilled in and through the local church. And I have found that all of this is done to the glory of God. And whether or not God calls me to be a lead planter, I plan on helping my local church plant churches and make disciples in whatever role He calls me to.