What has Gibraltor got to do with new church starts?

Last year I had the priviledge to speak in what I have been told, the oldest Methodist Church in Europe, Gibraltor! It was planted by one of John Wesley's converts, a solider from England, some 241 years ago.

It was very sobering to read the names on a wooden board inside the church building of the Pastors, Leaders, ministers and their wives. Some came and lived only a few months before a sickness took them, some were there for many years! What an amazing history.

This fires me up...WHY? Because for 241 years a group of people have been faithfully ministring in that community. We are not talking about a one off crusade, concert or conference, which by the way are all valid, but they NEVER replace a new church beginning. Week in & week out, year after year, decade after decade, come difficulties, problems, deaths, heartaches, celebrations, birthdays, marriages, God's word and God's people have been able to continue to speak into that community, encourage and support oneanother, pray for oneanother and Gibraltor and beyond. This for me is another proof, that Christianity works and His Church will absolutely previal. The Pastor and Church have influence to not only the Christian communty, but also to the governers and leaders of Gibraltor. Today it is still a healthy, vibrant, caring, evangelistic Church.

I wonder if indeed John Wesley, let alone the people who began the church had it in there mind the legacy they have left, well over 2 centuries later!! We are not talking about a large church either, but one that certainly has a large influence! The power of the Church...Wow! I want to say it again, but with a twist, "truely church planting is the BEST long term continuous method of evangelism under God's Heaven..."

This really hits home for me, as I was brought up in the Methodist Church in NZ...and I first realized the call of God in my life there, in fact I can still take you to the building & exact spot where this happened. Also I became a Christian in that church.

It's still true, of course with Jesus as the center, as Bill Hybels so firmly states, "the church is the hope of the world..."

Multiplication: Church Planting:

The multipling of churches needs to happen for Europe to be reached for Christ. In fact I say the multiplication of networks / movements must take place if we are serious about reaching Europe with the Gospel of Jesus! Addition is good, for eg: 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 12; BUT what about 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 = 81. Muliplication is great!! Actually Jesus spoke about mulitpication in relation to forgiveness 70 x 7. What about when Jesus mentions 30 60 100 times!! The feeding of the 5000 men is a story of multiplication.

Look at the way Elephants reproduce themselves: The are only fertile 4 times a year. One baby per pregnancy. 22 month gestation period. sexual maturity 18 years. Maximum growth potential in 3 years...2 elephants to 3!

Now lets look at Rabbits: Almost continuously fertile. Average of 7 babies per pregnancy. 1 month gestation period. Sexual maturity = 4 months. Maximum growth potential in 3 years...from 2 rabbits to 476 million!!

We can count the apples on an apple tree, but it would be difficult to count the seeds in each apple from that tree. And it would be difficult to count the trees that could be planted from each apple tree...let alone the apples...I hope you can follow that!!! It's simply called multiplication!