Ever since the church began on the Day of Pentecost, the followers of Christ have been planting churches all over the world. Author Larry Pate shows us the value of having the direction of the Holy Spirit in planning strategy for the founding of new churches. The Bible gives the principles and purposes that are the guidelines to planting the church in every culture and people group.

This lesson will give you God’s plan for the beginning of His church. It will help you understand more clearly God’s plan for the church, and appreciate more fully the work of the Holy Spirit in the mission of the church.

In this lesson you will learn how God used the apostles to establish the principles which guide the mission of the church. The New Testament provides some good examples of these principles and you will see how they can be applied today.

When a group of people has responded to the gospel and become believers in Christ, the next important step is to bring them into the body of Christ in the form of a local church. This lesson will discuss the principles of forming a local church that is able to govern itself and continue to grow and fulfill its ministry of evangelism and teaching.

When a group has been formed into a self-governing local church, its responsibility does not stop there. As part of the body of Christ, the church must learn that its mission is to plant other churches. This lesson will guide you in the steps that will teach new believers how they themselves can have a part in starting new churches.

This lesson will help you understand the concept of self-support and the blessing associated with giving to the work of the Lord.

If you are now working with a growing church or plan to in the future, this lesson will help you understand methods of developing leaders who can take responsibilities in the church.

This lesson gives the true stories of churches that grew in very difficult circumstances. As you study this lesson, try to find the principles that worked for each church. These principles can be applied in any situation.

God wants every local church to be alive and working to win souls to Christ, and He has a plan that will make this possible. As you study this lesson let the Holy Spirit help you discover His plan for you to use so that your church may become a multiplying church.