# how much of an effort is Church planting by the PCA and OPC?



## ReformedWretch (Aug 26, 2008)

As we all know there is a serious need for solid churches in this Country! I get frustrated because my Church is nearly an hour from me and if we move to Wabash Indiana there is a church an hour North and another an hour South. While I know many here travel long distances to church, with today's gas prices that's just so difficult today. There are purpose driven, charismatic, word of faith, Methodist, Wesleyan, PCUSA, etc. Churches everywhere but so little PCA/OPC choices. Besides my Church there are NONE within 200 miles of where I live now. How crazy is that?

As for reformed baptist churches, do they even have a directory? How do you know if a Baptist church is "reformed" or not? Do they plant churches? How does a baptist church become "reformed"? Does it depend on the pastor that's there?

I get frustrated with this issue often.


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## matt01 (Aug 26, 2008)

PuritanBouncer said:


> As for reformed baptist churches, do they even have a directory? How do you know if a Baptist church is "reformed" or not? Do they plant churches? How does a baptist church become "reformed"? Does it depend on the pastor that's there?
> 
> I get frustrated with this issue often.



You can locate some Reformed Baptist churches here: Reformed Baptist Church Directory. It is not a perfect site, there isn't really a check done to see how much the churches follow/adhere to the LBC, but it is pretty good.

Some RB churches do plant churches, others might either not have the means or the desire.

I am not sure how a baptist church would go about becoming reformed. I would imagine that the church, or the elders, would determine to follow the bible, and later subscribe to a confession. Then they waive the magic stick, and pronounce the words...walla they are reformed.


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## ColdSilverMoon (Aug 26, 2008)

PCA churches, at least those I've been involved with, are very active in planting churches. Just haven't quite gotten to your area yet I guess. Have you checked the PCA directory?


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## Seb (Aug 26, 2008)

PuritanBouncer said:


> As for reformed baptist churches, do they even have a directory? How do you know if a Baptist church is "reformed" or not? Do they plant churches? How does a baptist church become "reformed"? Does it depend on the pastor that's there?



Here's three directories of Reformed Baptist Churches. I hope one of them is close to you.

Founders Ministries | FAQ

Reformed Baptist Church Directory

ARBCA Homepage


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## ReformedWretch (Aug 26, 2008)

I've been all over the PCA and OPC directories. Thanks for the baptists links! There is one in Marion Indiana which is about 20-25 minutes from Wabash!


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## toddpedlar (Aug 26, 2008)

Hi Adam -

Hence my frustration, often. Hence our membership at a CCCC church - good, but not truly reformed. Not the PCA or OPC where we'd be most comfortable, 'cause they just aren't around here (and we're lucky - the nearby ones are an hour and a half from us. In Alaska, if I'm not mistaken, there's one OPC/PCA in the whole state. Wyoming is likewise blessed)

Todd


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## ReformedWretch (Aug 26, 2008)

but why is it like this?


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## Gloria (Aug 26, 2008)

Just this Sunday, our evening prayers included petitions to the Lord to get 5 new churches added to our presbytery. Our associate pastor was going to a town over an hour away from us weekly for nearly a year to conduct a Bible study in someone's home that we hope will eventually turn into a church plant. I'd say efforts are being made in my neck of the woods.


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## Contra_Mundum (Aug 26, 2008)

We just don't have the right scale of time. We tend to have a strong desire to see the best church planted (or already in existence) right where we are. But we forget that a church is a living thing, which takes time to grow.

How do you plant hundreds of churches at a time, when you have almost no resources? Sure, Jesus owns the cattle on a thousand hills, but he doesn't always trust his most faithful people with excess wealth. So, we wait and watch as he does his own miraculous things with our meager offerings, and he gets all the glory. And we have to be like the man who plants and waits, Mk 4:26-29. And remember, not all soil is good soil, Mk. 4:3-20.

The OPC is a miracle. The PCA is a different kind of miracle. They are children in the same family. Do you want to see more OPC and PCA churches (or ARP, RPC, URC, PRC, etc)? Pray for them, and try to see if one can begin in your area. To get a church going requires certain basic things, and all besides a church-planting pastor. The most important might be: a core group of people with unity, hope/vision, and Spiritual motivation. You could be the beginning of something like that in your new area, if God wills.

Starting a confessional presbyterian church from scratch, that is with literally nothing and nobody, is impossible. I mean it--impossible, from the human standpoint. Jesus can do anything, but just expecting him to work a certain way because we want it, is a way to be severely disappointed. Do you realize that when Paul began his herculean efforts in the first century, God had already provided ready-made core groups of elder-material all over the Roman empire? They were the kind of people you found in Berea.

But many of us mobile-Americans will not get to be part of a "big-strong" church for many years of our lives. We can expect (in this day and age) to be shuttled from one small, struggling group to another. And only our children or grandchildren will see the results.

We keep wanting Christ to repeat the last, or one of the last, revivals. But he always does it differently, as to the look and feel of it. We just need to keep to his Word, and wait on him. And look to do the hard, patient work of planting, wherever the soil seems good.


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## JBaldwin (Aug 26, 2008)

I would also agree that in the PCA church planting is important, but it also has to do with the presbytery and the people in the presbytery. Our church plant was in the prayer stages for 10 years before the Lord opened the way up for it to start. Just this past week at our Bible study, the pastor reminded us that even though we are less than a year old, we should keep our hearts fixed on planting new churches.


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## Casey (Aug 26, 2008)

Adam,

The closest OP church I found to Roaring Spring, PA, is in Hollidaysburg (church website) which, according to Google, is 16 minutes. In terms of the OPC, you may want to see this contact page. Send them a note. It may be that there are already families in your area wanting to start a church or, perhaps, families from an existing congregation that drive and could form part of a core group for a new congregation.


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## ReformedWretch (Aug 27, 2008)

The Holidaysburg Church is my church (lol), I moved from Roaring Springs 

Bruce, great answer but I still find it shocking there are so few OPC/PCA churches. I mean a litle is one thing, soooo few is another.


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Aug 27, 2008)

There is an RPCNA Church in Kokomo, IN which is 45 min. away.


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## Casey (Aug 27, 2008)

PuritanBouncer said:


> The Holidaysburg Church is my church (lol), I moved from Roaring Springs


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## jwithnell (Aug 27, 2008)

My husband and I, before we were married, had both been involved in PCA plants and count those years as among the best in our lives. We've also delighted in lending what support we could to an OPC church plant near us here. We all must be asking ourselves if God would use us as a seed in a "new" area ...


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## toddpedlar (Aug 27, 2008)

PuritanBouncer said:


> The Holidaysburg Church is my church (lol), I moved from Roaring Springs
> 
> Bruce, great answer but I still find it shocking there are so few OPC/PCA churches. I mean a litle is one thing, soooo few is another.



I guess I'm surprised you're surprised - but then if I had grown up and spent most of my life within 10 hours of the East Coast, I suppose I would be shocked as you are. 

Most of the country is extremely sparsely populated with sound reformed churches. The East Coast and in particular the south have a goodly number, but if you look at any congregation map, you'll see that the overwhelming majority of reformed churches in this country (solid denominations) are east of the Mississippi, and the density increases as you approach the Gulf and the Atlantic. Out here in the midwest and beyond, further west, forget assuming that you'll find a good reformed church. 

This isn't unexpected - there just isn't a solid history of such churches out west (and by out west I DO mean Ohio and west). Historically speaking churches followed populations, and there aren't too many particular areas (northwest washington state, northwest Iowa) where large populations from countries with solid reformed churches moved. 

So what to do? Of course the PCA/OPC/RPCNA, etc, need to do their work of planting in areas where there is a dearth of churches (which is everywhere). Naturally speaking, if you are to plant churches in a GOOD way, you're going to do it fairly nearby already established churches. The "spore" model, of launching churches that are completely isolated from others is really not a good one - churches do best if they grow more like an ivy than a plot of mushrooms. 

You also need pastors - and young men come overwhelmingly from the denominations in which they grew up, and seek ordination in those or related denominations. Given the tiny fraction of solid reformed denominations, one shouldn't be surprised that the fraction of solid reformed pastors prepared to plant new churches, out of all the newly ordained pastors produced in a given year is also tiny. 

I lament the fact that PCA/OPC/RPCNA/URC churches are so scattered - but am not surprised. 

So, again, what to do? Pray. Seek likeminded individuals for study and concerted prayer. Contact the denominational representatives in your area and see whether they know of other individuals in your area who are looking for reformed opportunities. It takes a LONG time to prepare the ground and plant and grow a church. Be patient. This is what we've resigned ourselves to - and meanwhile we are working for reform in our on congregation.


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## jaybird0827 (Aug 27, 2008)

What about the RPCNA; is that just not an option for you?

This directory lists 5 or 6 congregations in IN. Are any of these near Wabash?


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Aug 27, 2008)

See Above Post


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## jaybird0827 (Aug 27, 2008)

Backwoods Presbyterian said:


> See Above Post


 
I just realized I buzzed right past your prior post. You certainly answered my question - thanks!


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Aug 27, 2008)

No Problem...


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## Marrow Man (Aug 27, 2008)

Backwoods Presbyterian said:


> There is an RPCNA Church in Kokomo, IN which is 45 min. away.



We actually have a Purdue student who is a member of the RPCNA church in Kokomo staying with us at present!


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## ReformedWretch (Aug 27, 2008)

Kokomo might be doable


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Aug 27, 2008)

"Everybody knows, a little place like Kokomo..."


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Aug 27, 2008)

Aruba, Montego...


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## Grace Alone (Aug 27, 2008)

Our first PCA church plant was started by a small group who were dissatisfied with the liberal PCUSA. So if there are PCUSA churches there, I can almost guarantee there would be at least a few people who would love a more conservative option. After a couple of years, we called a pastor and became a mission church. We had oversight from a PCA church in a nearby town.

We are now members of an ARP church plant that has been around a couple of years. It was unusual in that a very old ARP church in a nearby town decided to plant a church for their 250th (or was it 275th?) anniversary. Our pastor left a growing church in a desirable area in faith to come start the church. There are now about 50 people in regular attendance.

As others have said, these denominations generally don't just go build buildings ("build it and they will come"). It usually starts with the Lord gathering a group of people who desire a biblical church. Maybe this will be your calling!


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## Semper Fidelis (Aug 27, 2008)

Contra_Mundum said:


> We just don't have the right scale of time. We tend to have a strong desire to see the best church planted (or already in existence) right where we are. But we forget that a church is a living thing, which takes time to grow.
> 
> How do you plant hundreds of churches at a time, when you have almost no resources? Sure, Jesus owns the cattle on a thousand hills, but he doesn't always trust his most faithful people with excess wealth. So, we wait and watch as he does his own miraculous things with our meager offerings, and he gets all the glory. And we have to be like the man who plants and waits, Mk 4:26-29. And remember, not all soil is good soil, Mk. 4:3-20.
> 
> ...



Very well stated.

I don't want this to sound like a cop out but, if there's one thing I've learned, it's that religion that makes men comfortable is resource-rich and spreads very quickly. It really doesn't require much in the way of soil tending to grow weeds.

It is a tremendous amount of work to be Biblically faithful. You can see this pattern throughout the Scriptures. The Prophets were certainly never in the majority so much that Elijah had to be told by God that there were at least 7000 that had never bent the knee to the Baals.

One of the reasons I'm reticent to jump on the "...why do Calvinists seem to have such little heart for the lost like the Arminians..." bandwagon is because the Arminians (and other groups) have numbers and deep pockets. Ministers can manage to attend some denomination Seminaries virtually for free given the large number of Churches that contribute toward that end. Some of the mainline denominations, for instance, have massive endowments that ensure they will be well provided for the forseeable future. I think it's a shame, in fact, that some people carp on some of the Reformed Seminaries as if they chose to be distinct in a land where they would surely get very little money given how small the landscape of Reformed Churches is in this country.

Talk about "effort" then, consider the fact that a Reformed minister is probably willing to go into significant debt simply to equip himself in the ministry.

Further, you need to remember that the OPC and the PCA have regional folks that work toward the end of Church planting but that process is very glacial. A Church I am a member of in Temecula, CA finally particularized after 9 years. Why? Because the Church didn't rush into laying hands on men were not qualified. Had they simply had the attitude that it was somebody's "turn" to be an Elder they could have moved on long ago and more Churches might have been planted.

I'm probably rambling but Truth is a hard thing to hold the line on. It's extremely hard and that's why it's in short supply. I know, for a fact, that the Reformed denominations are trying to spread but they're at a significant disadvantage that they are standing for Truth in a landscape of a man-center gospels that are no Gospel at all.


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## ReformedWretch (Aug 28, 2008)

Ok, lets spin this convo in a slightly different direction. What could I do to begin the process of having a Presbyterian Church planted where I live? Talk to the closest pastor? Something else?

Thoughts?


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## jwithnell (Aug 28, 2008)

Many presbyteries have someone designated to work with new churches. Also, you could do something as simple as placing an ad in a local paper with a contact phone number for yourself to see if there are others who are like-minded in your area.


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## Josiah (Aug 28, 2008)

jwithnell said:


> Many presbyteries have someone designated to work with new churches. Also, you could do something as simple as placing an ad in a local paper with a contact phone number for yourself to see if there are others who are like-minded in your area.





Also, have you checked out the committee on home missions yet? They have some great stuff to read on starting a churchplant.


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