Planting at the Intersection of Receptivity, Need, and Passion
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Where should we plant churches? With over four billion people on the planet who are not disciples of Jesus Christ, we have a responsibility to answer this question carefully. No one has helped me think through this question more than J.D. Payne, author of Discovering Church Planting.
![](https://www.dashhouse.com/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/41874vHOjVL.jpg)
Payne suggests that we plant at the intersection of receptivity and need:
- Receptivity — Where are people ready to hear the gospel? While there is a role for planting in areas with low receptivity, it is best to prioritize areas where people are receptive to the gospel.
- Need — Where do people need to hear the gospel? Where are there a high number of people who have never heard the gospel, in contrast to areas where there are a high percentage of believers? (See Payne’s recent post on Utica as an example. I would argue that Toronto is just as needy.)
Payne argues that we should prioritize areas of high need and receptivity as a matter of stewardship. While some may be called to areas of high need and low receptivity, this is not the norm.
As I think about this, I would add one more consideration:
- Passion — Where am I particularly suited and impassioned to serve?
This is probably worth its own post, but I have found that when God calls someone to do something, he usually also gives them a great passion or burden for that work.
We should therefore aim to plant churches at the intersection of receptivity, need, and passion.
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Thoughts? I’d love to hear them!
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