Planting a reformed baptist church if there's already a reformed presbyterian church?

[Pergamum]

But there are various shades of Presbyterian micro-denominations and they all promote their church-planting using terms of "need" when - in reality - true churches are not lacking but merely churches of their small denominations.

Not just the micros. The ARP church plant in Dallas is in an area served by 4 Anglophone PCA churches of varying sizes and worship styles, and the PCA and OPC are planting churches not far from each other in Southwest Dallas (but with different target groups). And I can come up with several instances where the PCA has planted a new work very near an established congregation.

That being said, I'm not sure that I'm still on board with the model of sending middle class westerners around the world to plant churches.

I agree and disagree. As hard as it is for even me to believe, there are areas of the US, particularly down south where I am that have NO Reformed congregations at all. Prime example - this weekend I went to help my little sister move out of her college dorm and into an apartment in the same city. While there I paid attention to the churches (as I always do) and was struck by how... off the theology of this city was by church number and size. I even googled it, there are churches within an hour that are reformed(and in another city), but not within 30 minutes. This city was nothing but Church of Christ, AoG, Free Will Baptist, Wesleyan Pentecostal, etc. There were only two non FWB Baptist churches which were tiny and one of them is way way Arminian based on their sign. So there is a real need in some areas for reformed churches.

In my own area, which is out in the boonies in the south there are reformed churches, but predominantly PCUSA with women pastors or very liberal - OR a church where many of the members don't even believe the doctrines of grace! At a PCA Church in fact! Also, I am all for missions and things like that in other countries - they are important. That being said, I am getting very tired of being made to feel bad for being a working/middle class white male. I cannot control how God in his sovreignty created me, and I also feel that I was created the way I am and placed where I am geographically is so that I can minister where I am. Believe me, there is still great need where I am and I am completely surrounded by this semi-pelagian form of "Christianity" that drives me nuts. To find a good confessional church for me is a 45 minute drive.
As a side note, those of you with multiple confessional churches nearby count your blessings.

Grace and Peace,
Hyatt

You wrote:

I am getting very tired of being made to feel bad for being a working/middle class white male

There is no reason for you to feel bad if your private calling as a Christian does not compel you to take the Gospel out to other regions of the world. The obligation is there. But it is not to you - but rests upon the collective Church as a whole.

If the Church as a whole is failing to intentionally take the Gospel out to those that do not have it, then they should feel bad. But individual Christians who are not called to go needn't put themselves under false guilt, nor should they resent those who try to remind the Church that there are still peoples in this world without a single chapter of Scripture or any viable Gospel witness.

The Church as a collective is an international body and therefore does not rely solely on Westerners to "do" missions. I think we are probably doing more mission work now than we have in the history of the world. With the spread of the internet, the Bible being translated into more and more languages, etc. the church is expanding rapidly. That being said, not all of the growth is positive, with much of it being pentecostal and/or charismatic. If there was harshness in my reply I apologize I had just recently read an article by an "evangelical" who said that the Holy Spirit had left behind us Western Christians who think that we are the center of the world and was moving to other people. I just get tired of a culture that looks down on white western males because of who we are, I got enough of that in college and I fear it may be creeping into the church. Not that any of you personally may think that. I do not resent people who remind the Church, but it is frustrating when many of those people (not necessarily you) act as though NOTHING is being done when it is. For those of us who aren't called to a "mission field", though I believe all of the world is a mission field, we typically give quite a bit to aid those who are called. Once again, I apologize for any unwarranted frustration in my response.

Grace and Peace,
Hyatt

The body of Christ does not rely SOLEY on Westerners to do the work of missions. But it would certainly seem amiss if the country which publishes the most Gospel materials and commentaries and hosts the most seminaries would lag behind the rest of the world. Brazil and Korea are also big missions-senders as well.

If you are concerned about the doctrinal integrity of those missionaries being sent, the solution would not be to leave the task to Third World pastors, but to make greater efforts to send doctrinally sound missionaries ourselves.

All the world is not equally the mission field. There are places where the Gospel will not just naturally flow into by means of movement and immigration or travel. Some places need intentional strategizing and deployment of resources to reach.

In my experience, most missionaries do not act as if NOTHING is being done - but we do act as if NOT ENOUGH is being done.

 

[Josh Williamson]

The problem with this entire thread, is that with the greatest respect, most of the participants do not understand the circumstances in the UK, let alone Scotland.

Inasmuch as we discuss pure principles, well and good, but it is how they apply to British circumstances which is the issue. As you (JJ) have mentioned GBP Scotland, I do suggest that you get in touch with them for a discussion at the very least.

I agree with Jonathan. I would encourage you to contact Grace Baptist Partnership - Scotland. Ali is a godly man with a passion for planting RB churches throughout Scotland. He would be worth talking to.

 

[Tripel]

I believe resources are probably put to more effective use when nationals are trained and do the actual church planting.

Most church-planting missionaries I know (even the western middle class ones), try to prioritize the training of nationals.

This is my experience also. It's the nationals that we train and support as church-planters, and actually being on the ground with them is important.


As to the OP, it depends on the context. In a small, rural town, I would probably not favor such a church plant. And the same reasoning can be applied to a particular district within a large city.