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Church Planters (Home and Foreign Missionaries)

Church Planters  in New Testament Times

In New Testament times, churches were started in several ways. The church at Antioch was started as a result of the scattering of the Jerusalem church during a time of persecution (Acts 11:19-21). The church in Samaria was started as a result of the evangelistic preaching of Phillip (Acts 8:5-13). Churches were also started by missionary church planters, such as the Twelve and Paul (Apostles with a big "A"), and Barnabas, Timothy, Titus, Silas, and Epaphras (apostles or missionaries with a little "a").

The word apostle, transliterated from the Greek word apostolos, simply means someone who is sent forth with orders, as in a delegate or messenger. Since the English word missionary draws it's etymology from the Latin word missio, meaning "sending away," it may sometimes function as a good English translation of the Greek word apostolos. 

It is a mistake to think of missionaries only as people sent by God to foreign countries. There can be native or home missionaries, too. The Twelve Apostles first ministered in their own country, as home missionaries:

Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power after the Holy Spirit is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

Paul and Barnabas were foreign missionaries:

Galations 2:9 and when James, Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go unto the heathen and they unto the Circumcision.

 Sometimes the apostles worked alone (Acts 17:16), but usually traveled with other brethren  (Acts 13:13, 10:23, 13:59-40). Usually, one member of the church planting team, such as Peter or Paul, was the spiritual  leader of the team. Even in the case of the churches in Antioch and Samaria, which were not founded by church planters, church planters were usually called in to assist the churches in their development (Acts 8:14, 11:18) . A church plant was not considered complete until elders had been ordained (Titus 1:5, Acts 14:21-23). Even after this, church planters would assist, encourage and counsel when needed. Although it is certainly possible to start a successful church without a church planter, disorganization, controversy, false doctrine, and a lack of clear direction are more likely to occur when there is a vacuum of called and qualified leadership in the foundational stages.

Although in some respects, they have roles similar to the apostles of the New Testament, it would be unwise (and ego inflating as well) to give modern day church planters or missionaries the title of "apostle", since some might mistakenly equate their role with that of the Twelve or Paul.  In support of this, only once is anyone besides Jesus (Hebrews 3:1), the Twelve, and Paul conclusively and directly referred to in the New Testament as an apostle (Acts 14:14). That person was Barnabas (who possibly wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews). In all of the other instances, the reference is indirect (compare Acts 13:50 and 14:4; 1 Cor 9:5 and 9:6; 1Th 1:1 and 2:6) or inconclusive (Romans 16:7, I Cor 15:7, Gal 1:19). We should imitate the New Testament by avoiding using the term apostle (with a little "a") as a direct title to refer to modern missionary workers, although like the NT, is can sometimes be used as an indirect reference to refer to their function. These indirect references in the New Testament establish, however, that there were some similarities and commonalities between missionary workers like Titus and Timothy and the Apostles with a big "A." They too were sent by God to evangelize, make disciples, and organize new churches. Because of this, modern church planters can find wonderful guidance in the letters Paul wrote to Titus and Timothy. Reading these letters, we see that Titus and Timothy had roles similar to those of modern day single pastors in the foundational stages of a fledgling church. Although Timothy and Titus were likely younger than many of the men they appointed as elders, the Apostle Paul nevertheless left the pastoral oversight of these churches in their hands until elders had been ordained and/or false doctrines were silenced. He therefore advised Timothy, 

1Ti 4:12 Let no one think slightingly of you because you are a young man; but in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, be an example for your fellow Christians to imitate.

The Temporary Pastoral Role of Church Planters

Because Titus and Timothy temporarily had roles similar to modern day pastors, some mistakenly think of Titus and Timothy as permanent head pastors, and therefore call the epistles of Titus, I Timothy, and II Timothy, "The Pastoral Epistles". But read the instructions Paul gave to both of them after their work was accomplished:

Titus 3:12 When I shall send Artemas unto thee, or Tychicus, be diligent to come unto me to Nicopolis: for I have determined there to winter.

II Timothy 4:21 Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren.

These Epistles should more correctly be called "The Missionary Epistles". If a church planter did remain in a church after it was established, he would function as a fellow elder, unless needed for guidance or assistance (such as to mediate controversies or help with other problems). It is for this reason that both Peter and John, who  referred to themselves as elders in their Epistles:

1Pe 5:1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:

2Jo 1:1 The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth;

3Jo 1:1 The elder unto the well beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth

The Planting of Christ Home Fellowship

Christ Home Fellowship began meeting in the fall of 2005 in the home of Marshall "Rusty"  and Julie Entrekin. Rusty and Julie have seven children. (Their family ministry website is BeNotConformed.org.) Rusty is a theology graduate of Louisiana College (SBC), where he was an active preacher on the Baptist Student Union preaching  team. Afterwards, he served as the founding pastor of an SBC mission church in Riverside, LA, and on the staff of a non-denominational church in Louisiana. Since then, he has been a co-leader in several teams that have planted house churches in North Georgia. He is the founder and co-editor of an apologetics website called Thingstocome.org, a website devoted to defending orthodox eschatology against the heresy of full preterism. He is also the author of the short book, Bringing First Century Church Life Into the Twentieth Century and several articles regarding church life. Rusty is a "tentmaking" church planter, supporting his family through a computer networking, repair and webpage design business.  The constraints of his fulltime job and large family limit the time he has available, so if you become involved with our fellowship, please be mindful of this.

Rusty's goal as a church planter, is to facilitate and oversee the growth of Christ Home Fellowship (through evangelism, equipping, and outreach) into a network of co-operating home fellowships, to ordain a team of elders to oversee the church who meet the strict qualifications set forth in I Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9, and to ordain deacons to minister in our house church network and community.  If the Lord blesses these efforts, he plans to spearhead the formation of church planting teams that will reach out to other communities.