Unashamed to Be a Church-Planter in China

I. The problem of the one-third commission

A. Christ’s final words before he left were the great commission

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2. , We can combine all these into a basic pattern We are to go and preach the Gospel We are to baptize believers We are to disciple believers Sadly, many ministries focus only on the first part It is part of the great commission, but only one-third of it It is the exciting part It is the easier part You cannot fulfill the great commission without a church Yes, you can see people saved But into where do you baptize and into what? How do you disciple? Why China? The past Christianity has been in China but it really hasn’t taken hold Any growth tends to end with persecution Now, the government has virtually erased religious thought The present There are 1.4 billion Chinese Less than 5% Christian All virtually united by one language The future China is growing - 40 years ago in poverty China is moving -1billion in cities by 2035 China is changing Why plant churches in China? You cannot fulfill the Great Commission in China without planting churches Many, if not most, of ministry in China is separated from a local church Everyone gets excited over the newest, most creative Gospel scheme A Chinese person gets saved and is told to find a church The need in China is for church-planting Many churches in China fall into two categories: cult or charismatic Chinese people are people: they need discipleship Only planted churches are a long-term strategy “But you cannot plant a church in China” The Great Commission is not a circumstance-based command Churches have been and are being planted in China, right now

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B. We can combine all these into a basic pattern

1. We are to go and preach the Gospel

2. We are to baptize believers

3. We are to disciple believers

C. Sadly, many ministries focus only on the first part

1. It is part of the great commission, but only one-third of it

2. It is the exciting part

3. It is the easier part

D. You cannot fulfill the great commission without a church

1. Yes, you can see people saved

2. But where do you baptize and into what?

3. How do you disciple?

II. Why China?

A. The past

1. Christianity has been in China but it really hasn’t taken hold

2. Any growth tends to end with persecution

3. Now, the government has virtually erased religious thought

Now, the government has virtually erased religious thought The present There are 1.4 billion Chinese Less than 5% Christian All virtually united by one language The future China is growing - 40 years ago in poverty China is moving -1billion in cities by 2035 China is changing Why plant churches in China? You cannot fulfill the Great Commission in China without planting churches Many, if not most, of ministry in China is separated from a local church Everyone gets excited over the newest, most creative Gospel scheme A Chinese person gets saved and is told to find a church The need in China is for church-planting Many churches in China fall into two categories: cult or charismatic Chinese people are people: they need discipleship Only planted churches are a long-term strategy “But you cannot plant a church in China” The Great Commission is not a circumstance-based command Churches have been and are being planted in China, right now

B. The present

1. There are 1.4 billion Chinese

2. Less than 5% Christian

3. All virtually united by one language

C. The future

1. China is growing - 40 years ago in poverty

2. China is moving - 1 billion in cities by 2035

3. China is changing

III. Why plant churches in China?

A. You cannot fulfill the Great Commission in China without planting churches

1. Many, if not most, of ministry in China is separated from a local church

2. Everyone gets excited over the newest, most creative Gospel scheme

3. A Chinese person gets saved and is told to find a church

B. The need in China is for church-planting

1. Many churches in China fall into two categories: cult or charismatic

2. Chinese people are people: they need discipleship

3. Only planted churches are a long-term strategy

C. “But you cannot plant a church in China”

1. The Great Commission is not a circumstance-based command

2. Churches have been and are being planted in China, right now