MINNESOTA BAPTIST ASSOCIATION

Plant Now!

by Dave Barba of Press On! Ministries

Why Re-Seed? - For Missions

We Must Rebuild Our USA Missionary Support Base

Historically, America has been the worldwide base for sending missionaries to the foreign field. As the number of fundamental Baptist churches shrinks, however, that base is drying up. If we fail to re-seed our land with churches, it will continue to disappear.

Dr. David Cummins, deputation director for Baptist World Missions, once said to me, "We have exhausted ow local church support base for foreign missionaries. We need to plant more churches in the USA if we are to continue to send missionaries around the world. Starting churches in the USA is a foreign missions project."

If we fail to reach our Jerusalem, the United States, we will not reach Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth. Plant a church. That church will support foreign missionaries, challenge young people to consider mission work, and plant more churches here in America. Those churches will support more foreign missionaries, plant more churches, etc.

In 1974, my wife and I started Falls Baptist Church in Menomonee Falls, WI. We started with one famiIy and no missionaries. Falls Baptist now supports over 80 missionaries worldwide. In 1995, our family moved to Franklin, TN, to plant Trinity Baptist Church. We started with one couple and no missionaries. That church now supports nine missionary families. Among others, we have helped start Faith Baptist in Folsom, CA, and College Park Baptist in Cary, NC. Though less than five years old, these two churches together support almost 20 missionaries!

In 1980, Dr. Tim Valentine planted Trinity Baptist Church in Concord, NH. The church is now 25 years old. Under the leadership of Dr. Chuck Phelps, pastor since 1989, Trinity has helped start at least six churches in New England. Trinity and her daughter churches support many missionaries around the world. This church is now beginning an internship program to train, mentor, and assist church planters in re-seeding New England.

We must keep Jerusalem strong to reach Judea and send the gospel around the world.