If you are interested in learning more about things spoken of in the episode today, consider listening to the sermons below. There are eight messages, six preached by Dr. Caldwell and two by Daron Roberts. As these godly men diligently exposit the Word of God, may their sermons equip and encourage the saints for the work of ministry.
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Five Sermons to Preach to Ourselves from Psalm 103: • Psalm 103 | Daron Roberts
What is church planting? Why plant a church? Is there a specific model or way that church planting ought to take place?
Founders Baptist Church of Spring, Texas, of which Dr. Richard Caldwell is the pastor, has begun the process of a church plant. They aim to establish this new body of believers in Katy, Texas, in February 2022. So today, on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Josh Philpot sits down with Dr. Caldwell to talk about church planting. Dr. Philpot asks Dr. Caldwell to share what the impetus is for the church planting effort. He also asks him to talk a little about the process. Then additionally, he asks Dr. Caldwell to share what he would like to see happening in church planting efforts, not only by Founders Baptist but across the country.
Dr. Caldwell tells us that the impetus for church planting is evangelism and discipleship. It is fulfilling the great commission by obeying the instructions of our Savior. So the zeal that Founders Baptist has to plant a church comes from the desire to advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the way that He commissioned us. Founders Baptist Church believes that it should be churches that plant churches, not individuals or organizations. Looking at the New Testament and observing how churches came into existence is the model for how the church is to replicate or give birth to other churches.
He tells us that another motivation that fuels the desire to plant churches is knowledge of the need. Dr. Caldwell gives a brief explanation of the greater Houston area. He shares that Houston does not have many churches that represent what Founders Baptist would love to see in local churches. These things include but are not limited to expository preaching, a high view of church membership, and the discipline of church members.
Dr. Caldwell speaks about the importance of the planting pastor needing to have a firm commitment to the New Testament concept of the church. He explains this man must understand that the church planting process will be difficult. Both he and his family must be prepared for that as it will not be easy. By holding to and being committed to a New Testament concept of the church, the effort most likely will not explode overnight. The process includes vetting persons regarding their confession of salvation because Baptists believe only saved people should be church members. Dr. Caldwell shares some of the things that will need to take place in the planting process. He explains that before the church plant can stand on its own, it needs to be under the authority of a church with a plurality of elders and mature leaders. They will need to submit themselves to a healthy mature congregation that will oversee the process from the outset. He shares further that there are all sorts of issues that make it a long-term project. Therefore, whoever the planting pastor is, he will need to be prepared for a very patient process and embrace all these things from his heart.
Other questions Dr. Philpot asks include: What did Dr. Caldwell do to see the church plant he was part of grow? What did their small group do, and how did they go about doing what they did?
Dr. Caldwell answers both in saying that they did just what Founders Baptist is doing now and shares some examples. He says they were not great strategists and did not have a great church planting strategy. They aimed to practice what they saw regarding New Testament church ministry, and the Lord blessed it. That, he says, is the focus of the church plant that Founders is doing now. Dr. Caldwell shares that Daron Roberts will be the planting pastor for the church in Katy, Texas. He tells us that Daron is a man called by God and evidences that with gifting. He has a heart for ministry that is vibrant and zealous. By God’s grace and will, Founders will surround him with men who match him with that same kind of calling and giftedness, but not for the same role. Dr. Caldwell says that in time the Lord will grow that church the way He means to, and we will be satisfied and thankful with that.