“The vigorous, continual planting of new congregations is the single most crucial strategy for 1) the numerical growth of the Body of Christ in any city, and 2) the continual corporate renewal and revival of the existing churches in a city. Nothing else–not crusades, outreach programs, para-church ministries, growing mega-churches, congregational consulting, nor church renewal processes–will have the consistent impact of dynamic, extensive church planting. This is an eyebrow raising statement. But to those who have done any study at all, it is not even controversial.” -Tim Keller
Local Partnerships
Commonwealth Church Planting Network
The Commonwealth Church Planting Network exists to equip men and their families to be a part of leading and planting Gospel-centered missional churches both locally and globally.
We believe the local church is God’s chosen mechanism to proclaim and manifest the good news of Jesus to the ends of the earth. But in order to accomplish this mission, leaders and planters need robust theological training and hands-on practical mentoring that prepares them to lead and serve in a way that honors Christ.
Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia
The Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia is a fellowship of Southern Baptist Convention churches cooperating to assist local congregations in their task of fulfilling the Great Commission as commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ.
What does this mean? The SBC of Virginia is a grouping of more than 500 local churches from across the Commonwealth of Virginia. We seek to have a global impact through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For more information click Here.
National Partnerships
Aletheia Network
The Aletheia Network exists as the catalyst for a college-church planting movement that is sweeping across the nation. Our goal is to one day see a church planted at every major college and university in America, and hopefully the world.
Our mission is to develop churches and strategic partnerships that target colleges and universities, using a Biblical model which combines relevancy and orthodoxy, in order to spiritually mobilize a generation for Christ.
International Partnerships
International Mission Board
The Southern Baptist Convention was formed in 1845 mainly to create two mission boards – the Foreign Mission Board and the Domestic Mission Board (now North American Mission Board). This was precipitated by controversy with northern Baptists over appointing slave owners as missionaries. The Foreign Mission Board, in Richmond, Va., held its first commissioning service in 1846. Since then more than 20,000 missionaries have been appointed.
After Southern Baptists assumed support for some missionaries in China, the denomination’s missionary efforts grew slowly. The Civil War and the South’s agrarian economy made support difficult, and the board often was hampered by debt between 1861 and 1943. Significant growth in the board’s overseas work did not occur until after World War II.
Empowered by the support of the Cooperative Program, founded in 1925, and an enlarged worldview, Southern Baptists answered the call, reaching 1,000 missionaries in 1955. Under the 25-year leadership of Baker James Cauthen, global expansion continued, reaching 3,000-plus missionaries in 94 countries by 1980.
In 1976 Bold Mission Thrust was begun as a Southern Baptist effort to evangelize the world by A.D. 2000. From 1981 to 1992, Keith Parks led the IMB to adopt new, innovative strategies to reach restricted nations and unreached peoples.
The Missionary Associate Program in 1961 was created for those not qualified for career appointment. The Journeyman Program, for young college graduates, was begun in 1965 and later expanded into the International Service Corps. Also, the number of IMB volunteers soared far beyond the 1,200 who went out in 1975.
How has God used these efforts to plant with passion? In 2006 alone, IMB workers and their Baptist partners overseas reported 23,486 new churches. And 475,072 people stirred the waters of baptism overseas!
