At the beginning of the 20th century missiologist Roland Allen published a seminal work entitled Missionary Methods: St. Pauls or Ours? In it the author posed the question: Do modern approaches to missions match the New Testament pattern set for us by the Apostle Paul? Allen drew the conclusion that much of what passes for Great Commission ministry today is a far cry from the apostolic pattern. Why? Because too much of what contemporary missions is concerned with is not what occupied the time and attention of Paulthe planting and formation of New Testament churches.

In Missionary Methods, Allen further argues that Pauls sole approach was to preach the gospel, evangelize, then organize new converts into New Testament congregations. Having instilled in these Christians a love for Jesus and the priority of sharing Him with a lost world, he turned them loose to evangelize their communities and the world.

In this way Paul could systematically move through the Greco-Roman world, leaving new churches behind him, and relying on their fruitfulness to continue the job of fulfilling the Great Commission.

For the Apostle to the Gentiles, the New Testament church was Gods mission agency.

If planted and discipled biblically, congregations of local believers were to be the vanguard for world mission. Thats why he wrote the fellowship at Thessalonica: The Lords message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything (1 Thessalonians1:8).

One of the most encouraging developments on the world evangelism scene is the explosive growth of evangelical churches. Some estimates place the growth at thousands of new fellowships per month. According to the Current News Summary of Religion Today (February 2000) evangelical Christianity was identified as the worlds fastest growing religion with more than 600 million adherents.

The essence of the church as being Jesus Christs primary mission organism is one of the key reasons that the North American Mission Board puts such great stress on church planting. It expresses a genuinely biblical mission practice. Last year Southern Baptists planted well over 1,700 churchesthats almost four per day! Combined with our church planting focus are evangelism and soul-winning training.

If North America is to be reached for Christ, church planting and evangelism must be at the forefront of the strategy just like it was with Paul.

Notably the first mention of the church came from the lips of Jesus (Matthew 16:18). The first quality expressed about His called out ones is that the gates of hell would not be able to resist her growth and prosperity. The church alive and well and growing and evangelizing is the church that Jesus promised He would build. It is not a defensive structure under attack and besieged. Rather it is to be on the move for Gods glory.

The great 19th century London Baptist pastor Charles Spurgeon wrote eloquently of this fact.

We may view converted persons gathered into church membership as so much wheat in the granary. God be thanked that it is there, and that so far the harvest has rewarded the sower; but far more soul-inspiring is the view when we regard those believers as each one likely to be made a living center for the extension of the kingdom of Jews, for then we see them sowing the fertile valleys of our land, and promising ere long to bring forth some thirty, some forty, some fifty and some a hundredfold.

If we, whom Christ is pleased to use as His seed corn, were only all scattered and sown as we ought to be, and were all to sprout and bring forth the green blade and the corn in the ear, what a harvest there would be! (C.H. Spurgeon, The Soul Winner).

Phil Roberts provides insights into theology and spirituality in todays culture.