I walked into Praise Chapel Rancho Cucamonga in November 2002. Shortly after committing my life to Jesus, like every Praise Chapel new convert, I began to be discipled. I was not only taught that local evangelism is critical to the local community and church, but that was just one part of the biblical mandate of reaching the lost. Our fellowship shares a vision that world missions and church planting is crucial to the life of the local church.
In 2004, I answered the call to join the mission field. I quit my job, put college on hold and moved to China. I saw first hand the move of God in a communist country and the need for laborers in a very ripe harvest field. In 2012, my beautiful wife Andrea and I shared a season in church planting in the Venice Beach/Santa Monica area. All of these life events in my walk with the Lord has revealed some things of why it’s important to give to church planting and world missions.
1. Collaboration: God sets the foundations for world missions and church planting through the Word of God by commanding believers to spread the Gospel all over the world (Matthew 28:16-20). By working along side missionaries and church plants we are able to share the gospel in places where it is unknown.
2. Connectivity: World missions brings us closer to God. Jesus spent much of his time preaching God’s word and simultaneously connecting Himself closer to the Father’s will. By involving ourselves with world missions, the church builds a closer relationship with God. This is the same example demonstrated by Jesus. When we align ourselves with God’s will, the mission work of the church will bear fruit. That is the history of Praise Chapel, bearing long lasting fruit in over 3,000 church plants.
3. Globality: In Romans 10, Paul shares that preachers were needed to carry the gospel. Who will go preach? Paul makes obvious those called to ministry should preach. Then Paul smacks us with the question of, “Who will preach?” and, “Who will send them?” Praise Chapel as a fellowship holds the responsibility to support those who are going into the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Whether it’s a missionary or new church plant, we are to reach people for Christ: anywhere, anytime and anyplace… at any cost. This is why we plant churches, not just locally but, globally.
Godspeed,
