Kingdom Builders, or Earth Fillers?

 "Then God blessed them, and God said to them, be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it;" Genesis 1:28

As I think about the future of our Fellowship, I am reminded that, whatever direction we take going forward, there are certain eternal truths are are non-negotiable. This has to do with our purpose in discipleship and church planting.

Our goal in discipleship and church planting is not bigger buildings or bigger crowds of people on Sunday morning. It is still to spread the gospel throughout the whole world, letting God provide the way and the means to do this. Not supporting everyone all the time from home. Not paying for everything from home.

We will always be called to be earth fillers, not kingdom builders. 

"And they said, come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth." Genesis 11:4

However God gives us the means to do this, and however God chooses to provide for us to do this, earth filling remains our primary goal.

I have noticed, as a layman, that bigger, older churches do not plant as many churches as smaller, younger churches do. You just have to be big enough to have the money to plant someone. That will be different from place to place. We can adjust to do what needs to be done where we are. 

Are we in the nickels, noise, and noses group? Or are we still in the how will they preach unless they are sent group? Does God have to confuse our language to get us to scatter all over the world? Or will we continue to make disciples and to plant churches all over the world?

"At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles." Acts 8:1

There seems to be a pattern of spreading out, with a central core of leaders whose job is to oversee and respond to needs in the field.  A kind of clearing house of resources or workers. There is something here to think about.