Church planting is a term referring to the process (mostly in Protestant frameworks) that results in a new local Christian congregation being established.
It should be distinguished from church development, where a new service, worship center or fresh expression is created that is integrated into an already established congregation.
For a local church to be planted, it must eventually have a separate life of its own and be able to function without its parent body, even if it continues to stay in relationship denominationally or through being part of a network.
As Germanic kings conquered areas of the Roman Empire, many of them converted to Christianity to gain the support of their new subjects.
For Southern Baptists, church planting, with its focus on establishing new and independent congregations, is a logical outcome of their theology.
[10] However, not all SBC/IMB members agree with the general theory of church planting movements and think much of it is, detrimentally, man- and method- focused rather than centered on God.
Gisbertus Voetius, a Dutch Reformer, viewed the purpose of Christian missions as threefold: conversion, church planting, and the glorification of God's grace.
[20] The Church of England has begun its Fresh Expressions initiative, which is seeking to encourage the development of new congregations even when they are across parish boundaries, for the sake of mission, under the bishop's permission.
The recent Anglican conference GAFCON contained a broad hint that it would consider offering oversight to churches that have been planted without authorization from the local bishops.
[21] In a missiological context, church planting may be defined as "initiating reproductive fellowships who reflect the kingdom of God in the world.
[26] According to One Magazine, the official organ of the National Association of Free Will Baptists, such tactics were used successfully in Cuba in the 1940s by Tom and Mabel Willey; in the 1950s in North India Carlisle and Marie Hanna; and in the 1960s in Ivory Coast by LaVerne Miley.
[33] One popular interrelated element with T4T is called OBD (Obedience Based Discipleship) but it has not met with acceptance from certain church planters.