The second chapter of Acts records what happened on the day of Pentecost when Jesus’ disciples received the Holy Spirit. They and God-fearing Jews from all over the world bore witness to the birth of the global Church.
Two significant things had happened between Pentecost and the Resurrection fifty days earlier. First, Jesus presented himself to the disciples and many others, providing convincing proof that he was alive again. As a result, the message of love and forgiveness through Jesus’ death and resurrection could be proclaimed with clarity and conviction. Jesus preaching about the Kingdom of God also focused the disciples on what was important, unifying, and eternal. Second, in the ten days after Jesus’ ascension, the disciples had been praying in unity and anticipation of the coming of the promised Holy Spirit.
If Pentecost marks the birth of the church, why not use this also as a day to celebrate the life, ministry, and growth of the body of Christ? Why not set aside this day as one on which the global Church could prioritize and think strategically about church planting? Might this give us a greater sense of unified vision, purpose, and priority – and point us to opportunities for collaboration with one other?
Global Church Planting Day will be May 29, 2022. Because the day of Pentecost varies from year to year, May 29 was selected with strategic input from World Evangelical Alliance.
Global Church Planting day is a vision to celebrate the birth of Jesus’ bride by inspiring and equipping churches to start new churches and groups among people who do not have one. This doesn’t mean that we only multiply disciples and churches one day of the year. Rather, we can use such a day – and the time between Easter and Pentecost – to refocus the body on preaching the Good News, training disciple-makers and church planters, and concerted global prayer. Then, on the Global Church Planting Day, each church plants at least one church.
Circumstances may hinder some churches from starting new churches or groups on that day or week, but we can pray and hope that many churches would. You can imagine how many churches could be planted around the world even if 10 percent of local churches were able to implement this vision. Moreover, to ensure growth, sustainability, and multiplication of the newly started churches and groups, continuous evangelism, discipleship, and coaching of church planters would need to continue beyond that special day.
May 29 also perfectly aligns with the vision and activities of the GO Movement and the GO Decade to mobilize believers globally to share the Good News with people around us. In a sense, the Global Church Planting Day will be a culmination of all the evangelistic activities done in the month of May, and it will enable us to integrate evangelism, discipleship, and church planting.