Why Global Church Planting Day?
The birth of the global church in the book of Acts marked a significant moment in history, where the disciples of Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit, witnessed the birth of a new community of believers. Prior to this event, two important things occurred during the 50 days between the Resurrection and Pentecost.
Firstly, Jesus spent 40 days after His resurrection demonstrating His victory over death and proclaiming repentance and forgiveness of sins. He emphasized the kingdom of God, redirecting His disciples’ focus towards what truly mattered—unity and eternal purpose. Secondly, during the ten days following Jesus’ ascension, the disciples fervently prayed in anticipation of the promised Holy Spirit.
In light of this, what if the global body of Christ dedicated a day similar to that described in Acts 2 as a Global Day of Church Planting? This wouldn’t mean restricting church planting activities to that particular day, but rather setting aside a day to prioritize and strategically focus on church planting, fostering a sense of unified vision, purpose, and collaboration among believers.
Thus, the Global Church Planting Day aims to celebrate the birth of the Church and inspire churches to initiate new church plants and groups among communities and people who currently lack them. It proposes utilizing the 50 days between the Resurrection and Pentecost in a similar manner to Jesus’ approach—40 days of focusing on God’s kingdom, preaching the Good News, and training church planters, followed by 10 days of global concerted prayer. Finally, on the Global Church Planting Day, each church is encouraged to plant at least one new church.
While circumstances may prevent some churches from starting new church plants or missional communities on that specific day or week, the hope is that many churches will participate. Even if only 10 percent of local churches embrace this vision, the potential for global church multiplication is significant. To ensure the growth, sustainability, and multiplication of these newly established churches and groups, continuous evangelism, discipleship, and coaching of church planters must extend beyond the designated day.
The upcoming Global Church Planting Day for 2022 is set for May 29, which aligns with the last Sunday of May each year. This date coincides perfectly with the vision and activities of the GO Movement and the GO Decade, which mobilize believers globally to share the Good News with people around them. The Global Church Planting Day serves as the culmination of evangelistic efforts throughout May and allows for the integration of evangelism, discipleship, and church planting.
In our preparation for the Global Church Planting Day, it is crucial to leverage existing platforms and events that can facilitate and accelerate our work. These include the examples of unity, prayer, and anticipation demonstrated by the disciples in Acts 1:12-26, Jesus’ emphasis on the kingdom of God during the 40 days after His resurrection (Acts 1:1-3), the growing unity and collaboration within the body of Christ, the increased church attendance during Easter weekend that can be harnessed for starting new churches, and the global prayer movements from Passover to Pentecost that inspire and connect millions of believers in intercession for world evangelization.
As we embrace the vision of the Global Church Planting Day, let us pray, plan, and prepare to make a lasting impact on the growth of the Church worldwide. Together, we can celebrate the birth of the Church and mobilize for action, bringing the Good News to those who have yet to hear it.
