Consider listening to the sample of sermons we’ve selected from those Dr. Caldwell has exposited from the book of 1 Corinthians. What's Wrong With Corinth?: https://youtu.be/En39UpZ4BuY Keys To Church Unity: https://youtu.be/yySyESELG-M How The Gospel Is To Be Proclaimed: https://youtu.be/uV9Tk2p1HbY Christian Decision Making: https://youtu.be/HqiciWf6icM Relational Exhortations: https://youtu.be/YUp0Igzt7a0 Lessons on Love: https://youtu.be/OgJ7dv9mj7Q This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot discuss the topics of church planting and church reforming. While both actions share the same goal of a God-glorifying church being established where it does not exist, there are crucial differences. Both have pros and cons, and both will have their challenges and advantages. Church planting involves beginning a new church in an area that needs a healthy church. Church reformation or revitalization is the process of restoring healthy spiritual life to a declining or failing church. Dr. Caldwell has been involved in church planting and bringing reformation to an existing church body. Having participated in both of these, Dr. Philpot asks him to share some strengths and weaknesses of each approach. Dr. Caldwell shares that the beauty of a church plant is that there is no need to overcome a long history of tradition. This is the opposite of bringing reform to an existing body of believers. A church with long-standing traditions is a challenge calling for a lot of patience as you deal with a settled congregation that has been in place for a long time. That congregation deserves respect because they have been around for some time. They have fought the battles and all the rest that explains their existence. But if their history has not been as biblically and spiritually healthy as it should be, bringing change can be like trying to turn a ship without a rudder. In this sense, church planting is easier. A difficulty that church planting comes with is that they usually start out with a smaller group of people at the beginning. Additionally, there is usually a lack of facilities and land. Often there are financial difficulties as well. All of these things and more contribute to some instability. A church plant will not have a track record, so the community often doesn’t know anything about its witness since it's new. The advantages, though, are that there is no need to overcome history and tradition. The disadvantages are usually in the realm of finances, facilities, and longevity of testimony. With reformation, there is the blessing of an established congregation. Usually, there are the facilities and the finances that make things easier. Difficulties that have to be overcome in this situation are belief systems, sometimes involving those that are not sound. This can go on for an extended amount of time, thus requiring great patience, prayer, and loving people well while guiding them through it until minds and hearts change. Are there perhaps men that are better suited for one versus the other? Dr. Caldwell says maybe. He doesn’t necessarily think that every man is made for what he sees as 'missionary work' - church planting, that is. Not every man finds that his gift mix is made for that. But having said that, he says it’s also important to say that the principles for shepherding never change. Prayer, ministry of the Word, caring for souls and having a faithful character and track record are all part of being a pastor. These remain the same whether you are planting a church, seeking to reform/revitalize an existing church, or just entering a healthy church as its new pastor. In his time as a pastor, Dr. Caldwell has seen some unhealthy trends pop up and come to pass in church planting and church revitalizing. Following are a few mistakes he sees taking place in these areas. Church Planting Mistakes – A guy going out on his own without the blessing of elders and a local church. He has no strength or support of a local church standing behind him and the work of church planting. Having a mindset that the principles need to be different at the beginning then they will be down the road. Maybe tempted with an attractional view of growing an organization. Starting a church with a group of people who are wounded. The focus tends to be not on what we are here to be but more on what we don’t want to be. Reforming/Revitalizing Mistakes - The number one mistake is moving too quickly. Everything does not need to change right away. Some issues may need to be addressed before taking the position and even before the man goes there. But still, time and space will be needed for the Lord to change hearts. The pastor/shepherd coming in will need to build up trust points. Dr. Caldwell describes this as sort of like a bank account, making deposits for later withdrawals, having something that can be accessed later on.