The most obvious answer to this question is because it is Biblical. The entire New Testament is a record of Jesus working through his people to share the Gospel and plant churches. Because of this, church planting is the most effective means of world evangelization. It is a proven method of disciple-making. For example, the mission of our International Mission Board (IMB) and our North American Mission Board (NAMB) is not to simply create new and innovative ways to witness to people, but to plant new churches. The best tool for reaching lost people in our world is planting new, healthy, churches.

Our town is growing in population and our church is growing as well. Many churches will seek to get bigger by constructing worship centers, starting additional “satellite campuses”, or adding additional worship services. While God uses these methods, each of these require more administration and resource management. We believe the most effective long term method for making more disciples is to plant more churches. 

Absolutely! In 2015 the population of Putnam County was about 75,000 people; today it is approximately 85,000 people. In 2015 the population of Cookeville was about 32,000; today it is about 37,000. Conversely, over the same time span, the average church attendance of ALL Southern Baptist Churches in our Association has dropped from 5700 to 4600. Our city has grown by 12%, but our churches have declined by 19%. The solution to this is more evangelism and more healthy churches. 

There are many struggling churches in our town. Stevens Street would be pleased to assist another church if requested. However, it is very rare for a struggling church to request help from another church. For us to approach another church and offer help would be seen as intrusive and offensive. They would perceive it as a “take over”. In addition, very few are willing to leave a healthy church like Stevens Street in order to attend a struggling church. 

Our desire is to send out a group of 100 to 200 people from Stevens Street. This is an aggressive number because our goal is not just to send out a church planter but to raise up a church from within our church to become a new church. The goal is for this new church to represent the very best of Stevens Street and for it to be a multi-generational congregation from the beginning. No one is too old or too young to join this new congregation.

No. The name of the new church will be “Kingdom Community Church”. It will be a fully autonomous, Baptist Church with its own leadership and membership. We want them to be self-governing and self-supporting as soon as possible, but we will help them as needed and as requested.

It may feel counterintuitive to do something that could potentially make our church smaller. Especially since it seems that most churches are doing everything possible to get bigger. The mission of a church is not to get bigger. The mission of a church is to make disciples and to build the Kingdom. Discipleship always requires sacrifice. Our calling is to give of ourselves and pour ourselves out for the sake of the Kingdom.

Some may think that by sending out members our attendance, budget, and morale will go down. Last year Pastor Scott called the Tennessee Baptist Convention and requested the names of churches who have planted churches by sending out members from their congregation. Conversations were had with many pastors from various parts of our state and from various sizes of churches. ALL OF THEM said God blessed their church immensely because they planted a church, and that they continued to experience healthy growth.

We have opened a designated fund for members of Stevens Street to give as they feel led. We will add the new church to our GO OFFERING for 2024/2025. We will also add them as a mission partner in our budget for 2025. All of this will help to get them started. Once launched, the new church will quickly become financially independent by receiving its own tithes and offerings and establishing its own annual budget. In addition, there are other resources available to new churches through the Tennessee Baptist Convention and the North American Mission Board.

This is yet to be determined. We are currently exploring options to meet in schools or community centers or even in another church building if available. The long-term goal is for the new church to purchase its own permanent location when the time is right and as the Lord leads.

The tentative schedule is as follows: This fall we will be promoting the new church on Sunday mornings and in many other ways. Between September and December we will build a “Launch Team” of people from Stevens Street who will start the new church. In January and February of 2025, the Launch Team will undergo an 8-week training. Sometime in March of 2025 we will have a commissioning service for the new church. The church will launch the following week.