I'm a missionary

There seems to be a lot of discussion about missionaries vs. church planters vs. missions vs. church plants.

Church planters are quick to point out that the word, "mission" is not found in the Bible. To that, I reply, neither is church planting. We go, make disciples, and churches are organized as a result of that effort... or as Bro. Crocker said, "Paul wrote, 'I have planted, Apollos watered.' The seed that was planted was the Gospel."

Now, before I go any further, I do not have any objection to the church planting method. To be honest, I don't really have a problem at all. I just don't want to see us wasting time and energy on arguments over word choice that will ultimately turn up to be meaningless.

Those who want to replace the term missionary with church planter usually want to do so as a backlash against the tendency of missions to stay at mission status for 10-20 years before organizing into a church... all for the sake of paying off a building. I understand the frustration. If it had taken Paul 20 years to organize a church in Salamis, we probably would not have the Gospel in America today.

So, as a result, brethren in our associated work are researching and trying ways to get churches organized faster. As we move boldly forward into this new frontier, may we not be guilty of throwing the proverbial baby out with the bath water. There is still room for missionaries and missions.

Missionary - A person sent on a religious mission, especially to promote Christianity.

Mission - An important assignment carried out for ... religious ... purposes. (Online dictionary)

I am a missionary. I am sent by Rocky Springs MBC of Jacksonville, TX to carry out the Great Commission (Discipling, Baptizing and Teaching) in Brownwood, TX and the surrounding areas. My mission is to organize at least one New Testament church there. Those who are first reached become part of that mission... to organize at least one New Testament church. When the membership is there, the church will be organized.

We have several missionaries in our work who are working on a similar mission. We have church planters who are doing the same. If your technique is different than mine, so be it. That does not bother me.

You want to be called a church planter? I'll honor and respect that and pray for you, because I believe God has called you to a great work. Do you want to be known as a missionary? I'll honor that all the same.

Let's not get so bogged down in a war of words that we fail to spread the Word.