Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. ~ Matthew 5:16 (KJV)
READING: Matthew 5:14-16
Over several long years, my first church plant, Emmanuel Baptist Church, slowly grew from a small home fellowship to a body of believers large enough to require its own building. Growth was slow and went all but unnoticed by our community. In fact, about that time my long-time mentor came to town and eagerly tried to look me up. Unfortunately, he had lost my phone number and only came with the name of our church to go by.
He asked around. To his surprise, it seemed that no one knew who we were! We were not listed in the phone book or newspaper and our existence was unknown by most of the people in town. Needless to say, when he finally found me I was in for a bit of a scolding. I had forgotten the “Magnet Principle,” and it was evident by our lack of presence in the very community we wanted to impact.
Seven years later when we began our second church plant, I had learned from my mistake. We called thousands of people, put ads in the newspaper, went door to door, and did everything we could to let people know what was happening. As a result, the launching of our first service was attended by over 200 people and was able to touch many more lives!
By spreading the word of our work in humble and culturally appropriate ways, we will see God reach the greatest number possible.
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for your blessings that you have given us and remind us of the many ways you have shown us favor. Please give us wisdom to know how to properly share these blessings with others and boldness to make the most of every opportunity. Amen.
Dynamic Church Planting International (DCPI) “Equips Leaders to Plant 5 Million Churches Worldwide.” Learn more
