Plant Churches for the Glory of God

Creation and the Fall

How does God's Creation display His glory? Genesis 1:1, 27–28

• All creation was made for God's glory — “by your will they existed and were created” Rev 4:11.
• At the crown of creation, God made man in His own image and commanded them to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it — that His glory might shine across the earth Gen 1:27–28.

How do we know His glory continues after the Fall? Genesis 3:15

• Adam and Eve exchanged God's glory for a created thing, and the image we were made to reflect became marred.
• Yet God promised to save through the offspring of the woman, who would crush the serpent's head — His glory will still be displayed Gen 3:15.

“God made us like finely polished mirrors — and sin left us shattered.”

Deliverance of Israel — Exodus & Exile

Why does God deliver His people from Egypt? Exodus 14:4

• His people had multiplied Ex 1:7 yet were enslaved. They cried out, God heard Ex 2:24, and raised up Moses.
• God triumphed “that the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD” Ex 14:4. God saves for the glory of His name.

How is His glory displayed in the exile? Ezekiel 36:22–32

• Israel persisted in sin — idols Jer 2:11, oppression Amos 2:7, rejecting His word Jer 9:26 — so the God who loves them disciplined them Heb 12:6.
• Even there He promised a new heart and a new spirit Ezek 36:24–27 — and twice said why: “not for your sake… but for the sake of My holy name” Ezek 36:22, 32. God saves us for our benefit, but not for our sake — for His glory.

Salvation through Jesus Christ

How was God glorified through His Son? John 1:14; 17:1–5

• “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory” John 1:14 — glory swaddled in a manger.
• Jesus prayed, “glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you” John 17:1. At the cross He was glorified in the most surprising way, then risen — the image of the invisible God Col 1:15, the radiance of God's glory Heb 1:3, obedient even to death Phil 2:8.

How is God glorified through the Great Commission? Matthew 28:18–20

• Jesus commands us to go, make disciples, baptize and teach them — the church is embedded in the commission itself. Obedience means multiplying the body of Christ, the Church.

The Church — God's display of His glory

How did the apostles obey the Great Commission? Acts 9:26–31

• They planted churches — from Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria to the ends of the earth. Acts is, at root, a book of church planting.
• The church is the vessel of God's manifold wisdom, displayed even to rulers and authorities Eph 3:10 — “to God be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus” Eph 3:21. It was bought with Christ's own blood Acts 20:28.
• Luke sums up the result in one verse — Acts 9:31 — which becomes our hinge for Steps 2 and 3.

“The church is the prongs of the diamond that hold up the diamond of the gospel for the whole world to see.”

God's People in the New Creation

How are God's people described in the new Creation? Revelation 21:2–3, 23

• Christ promised, “I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail” Matt 16:18.
• The church appears as a bride; God dwells with His people; the city needs no sun, “for the glory of God gives it its light, and its lamp is the Lamb” Rev 21:2–3, 23.

“The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” Habakkuk 2:14

✗Comfort — “there are already enough churches”

• It's always easier not to plant than to plant; we're biased toward comfort. Even a spark of desire to plant is a gift of God's Spirit — thank Him for it. And there is no such thing as an unplanted church.

• Singapore is in a church deficit — yet also a God-given opportunity, “the Antioch of Asia.” Like the young Thessalonian church, from whom “the word of the Lord sounded forth” 1 Thess 1:7–8, we can be gospel exporters. (And faithful starts don't guarantee faithful finishes — Revelation 2–3.)

✗Conflict — planting as a disguised split

• Divisions, factions, and rivalry grieve the Spirit. “Healthy churches multiply; fractured churches divide.” Splits happen fast; a healthy plant grows slowly — in the womb of a mother church until it's time for delivery. We walk slowly so we can walk together.

✗Brand-building — planting to enlarge our name

• “Churches can either build Christ's Kingdom or build their brand — there is no in between.” Brand-builders start a campus tied to the mothership, sending leaders but never releasing authority. A New Testament church is an autonomous local congregation — one assembly, in one place, at one time.

John Piper, on why God's glory must be our strongest motivation: “Because this desire [to see God glorified] should drive everything. ‘Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God’ (1 Cor. 10:31). ‘Whatever’ includes everything, and everything includes church planting. Further, the church is the theater for putting on display the glory of God's wisdom. Finally, because God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him, and the church is the place where the corporate experience of joyful satisfaction reaches its crescendo.” — written to GBC for this sermon

1 · “Why plant when our own church still has needs?”

Affirm the concern — then frame it as both/and, not either/or.

“That's a fair concern. A healthy church should care for its own body. But health in Acts 9:31 includes being built up and multiplying. The question is not whether we ignore needs here, but whether we believe gospel health can overflow outward.”

2 · “Are we just splitting the church?”

Distinguish clearly between a split and a plant.

“A split is usually driven by conflict, impatience, or rivalry. A healthy plant is prayerful, elder-led, unified, and sent with blessing. One thing we should pray for is that GBC never multiplies out of frustration or pride, but out of love for Christ and the lost.”

3 · “Will this weaken GBC?”

Do not dismiss the cost.

“Yes, sending people can be costly. It may affect friendships, CGs, serving teams, and comfort. But Christian mission has always involved costly sending. The real question is: what kind of sacrifice would be faithful, wise, and loving?”

4 · “Who will go? Are we expected to go?”

Lower the anxiety.

“I don't think tonight is about identifying who goes. It's about preparing our hearts to be open-handed. Some may go, some may stay and send, and both matter.”

5 · “Why do we need more churches in Singapore?”

Avoid sounding like you are despising other churches.

“We thank God for faithful churches here. But there are still many who do not know Christ, and not every church is healthy or gospel-clear. Church planting is not saying other churches are useless. It is saying the harvest is still plentiful.”

6 · “Is this just GBC trying to build its brand?”

Take the warning seriously.

“That would be a bad motivation. The series itself warned us against brand-building. A faithful plant should aim to release authority, raise leaders, and serve Christ's kingdom — not enlarge GBC's name.”

7 · “What happens to our relationships if people leave?”

Name the grief.

“That could be genuinely painful. We shouldn't spiritualize that away. Sending can feel like loss. But in the New Testament, gospel partnership often stretches relationships across distance. We can pray that if sending happens, it deepens love rather than weakens it.”

8 · “What if leadership gets this wrong?”

Don't become defensive.

“That's something we can pray about honestly. Our elders need wisdom, humility, courage, and patience. As members, we can ask good questions, avoid gossip, and encourage a process marked by Scripture, prayer, and unity.”

9 · “Shouldn't we focus on evangelism instead of church planting?”

Connect them.

“Church planting is not meant to replace evangelism. It is one way evangelism becomes embodied in a local church: disciples are made, baptized, taught, gathered, shepherded, and sent.”

10 · “What does this have to do with Revelation?”

Bridge the themes.

“Revelation shows the end: Christ gathering His people, God dwelling with them, the nations worshiping. Church planting is one ordinary means by which churches witness until that day.”