The World Olivet Assembly (WOA) Department of Mission has cast a vision of church plant multiplication for the year 2024. All the churches within the global WOA network will strive to plant 3 additional churches in the coming year.
This ambitious vision to plant the seed of mission in more places is grounded in a deep commitment to the principles of the transformative power the local church holds for God's Kingdom and the earnest desire to contribute to the fulfillment of the Great Commission that Jesus entrusted to his disciples after his resurrection.
"The reason why we are focusing on planting churches this year is not only because it brings great joy and glory to God or because Christians must live a life of obedience to the Great Commission, but also because the local church is the most important place for evangelism and discipleship. The Apostle Paul also based his mission strategy on setting up urban churches," the WOA Department of Missions director commented.
The great missiologist C. Peter Wagner wrote, "The single most effective evangelistic methodology under heaven is planting new churches." Newly planted churches have the greatest potential to see the fruit of evangelism within a short amount of time, and they can also reproduce and plant other churches more easily. As born-again Christians begin the journey of discipleship and sanctification, the local church community takes on an important role as a space of encouragement, support, and inspiration.
In recent years and decades, the statistics have shown the continuous decline of the number of churches in the Western world with a simultaneous increase in the Southern Hemisphere. Evidence of some of the new dynamics in world mission is the fact the 21st century gave rise to over 420,000 missionaries, only 12-15 percent of whom were from the West.
However, regardless of whether in declining or reviving regions, planting new churches is critical for the continuous growth of the Kingdom of God. Oftentimes, new congregations empower newer or younger people more quickly and readily than some of the older churches. Church planting is thus needed not only in what would be considered the frontier missions or unreached places, but also for historically Christian countries to renew their faith and trust in God.
"And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." Matthew 16:18
WOA Vision Casting for 2024: A Year of Rapid Church Planting
