Do you know how your body grows? Mitosis, of course! Mitosis is your body’s natural process of duplicating its cells into more cells, thus growing and renewing your body. Amazingly, your body duplicates its smallest organism in order to make its greatest growth. To boot, Mitosis, which means “threads” (referring to the cell’s thread-like chromosomes), includes the duplication of the cell’s genetic information. You are welcome for this biology refresher…

Yet, the way a church grows is not much different than mitosis. Believers are called to grow the Kingdom of God through teaching the gospel, baptism, and discipleship (Matt 28:16-20). Throughout the NT (see Acts 13) we see a pattern of local churches, the smallest expression (read: organism) of God’s earthly kingdom, fulfilling this call through raising up and sending pastors to start new churches in new places (read: duplication). Sometime this happens via reaction (dispersing persecution or governmental force) but the NT pattern shows proactivity. Either way, these newly-duplicated churches are what we affectionately call a church plant (which I assume is from 1 Cor 3:5-8). So two questions arise: what are we duplicating in a church plant? By what means do we faithfully duplicate a church plant?

When we duplicate a church we are, in essence, duplicating its right beliefs and right loves. Right beliefs and right loves are the necessary genetic information for the church to glorify God and fulfill the Great Commission. The church’s DNA is not self-produced, but gleaned from Scripture. Thus, we are not duplicating GPBC’s worship style, by-laws, budget structure, or favorite ministries (though that may happen), but we are duplicating GPBC’s faithfulness to right doctrine and right loves as we put together the Lake Hopatcong Church Plant’s worship, documents, budget, ministries, and more.

How does the church faithfully duplicate itself? Three things come to mind, which do not serve as an exhaustive list but three things to meditate on and pray through. First, the church plants well when it is considers God’s sovereignty; not just the future “what will happen” sovereignty of God, but also His historic “what has happened” sovereignty (Throughout the OT authors often follow a ‘because God has done [this], I know God is being [this], and so I will do [this] or I will trust God will be or do [this] in the future. An example of this is in Exodus 15:1-21, Israel’s song of worship after escaping the Egyptian chariots). God has been, is being, and will be sovereign over you and GPBC and Lake Hopatcong for His glory and purpose. Consider His sovereignty as an encouragement to trust Him and follow His challenging commission. 

Second, the church plants well when it endeavors to preach and rely on God’s Word faithfully. Of course, faithful preaching shapes our right beliefs and loves and that automatically reinforces the spiritual DNA of the church. As the church grows it must grow out of a good, right, and true DNA. Scripture shapes our faith and our faith is expressed in the church gathered. 2 Tim 3:16-17 “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” The only source we can turn to for this fundamental need is the inspired Word of God. Consider the perfection of God’s inspired Word. What other hope do we have of faithfully planting a church apart from God and His Word?

Lastly, the church plants well when it relies on and shows off Christ’s love. John 13:34-35 “‘I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’” What is the hallmark of a faithful Christ-centered church of believers? It is Christlike love for one another. What is the greatest evangelistic reinforcement to the message of God’s loving gospel to unbelievers? It is a Christlike love for one another. Our love for God and others will distinguish us from the rest of the world, and it will show the rest of the world its need to be fixed to Christ. Consider the love of Christ for you through the gospel, what life without that love is like, and how we can share the love of Christ.

There is a great podcast on this topic but from a different angle – I encourage you to listen to Pastor Ed Moore’s encouragement to the Church Planting & Revitalization Conference.

Also, a few people have asked me if they should invite people who do not regularly attend Green Pond Bible Chapel but may be interested in the church plant. The answer to this is “Yes!” If you know of anyone that lives in or around the Lake Hopatcong area (or doesn’t) and would like to know more about the church plant, please invite them out on Sunday 21st, 2025 for our next interest meeting.

Thank you, God bless,
Pastor Josh