NOTE: A significant ministry initiative planned for Crestview in 2025 is the replanting of McIntosh Baptist Church. Over three weeks, I am devoting this weekly article to answer questions related to this initiative:

Last Week: Replanting: Why? Why is this a worthy effort?

Today: Replanting: How? How will McIntosh be rebirthed?

Jan 20: Replanting: Who? From where will the members of this new church come?

How will those involved carry out the replanting of McIntosh Baptist Church? How will it be rebirthed?

With Reliance on the Lord

Scripture reveals that the Lord establishes and strengthens his church for his glory and purposes in the world. After Peter confesses Jesus' Lordship, Jesus declares, "I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matt 16:18). Jesus, therefore, promises to expand and guard his church. Paul teaches the church in Ephesus that "Through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places” (Eph 3:10). God’s wisdom, then, shows forth in the world through local churches. Paul instructs Timothy that the local church is the Lord’s priority: “I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth” (1 Tim 3:14-15). The local church protects and proclaims the truth the living Lord has revealed. The Lord highly regards his church and has given birth to it for his glory.

Most fundamentally, then, the replanting of McIntosh Baptist Church must be the Lord’s work carried out through his people. He must bless, build, and sustain it. It is our responsibility, then, to rely upon him by utilizing his ordained means for this work. We must pray. Will you pray daily for this effort to honor the Lord and thrive? We must diligently follow Scripture, employ sound doctrine, and apply wisdom. We must keep in step with the Holy Spirit. Then, we must give time, money, service, and members to this work. After all, Jesus warned, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

With a Clarity about the Nature of the Church

One potential hindrance to replanting can be fuzziness about what a local church is. A local church is not established by having a building, a website, a worship service, evangelism, or even a crowd—as vital as these may be. A church is formed when believers intentionally covenant together before the Lord to practice what the Lord reveals a church to be. They promise to rightly practice the ordinances and truly proclaim the word. They promise to love and encourage one another’s discipleship. Together, then, they carry out the Lord’s purposes for his church: worship, fellowship, evangelism, disciple-making, and mission. Throughout the process of replanting McIntosh, there will be clarity about the nature of the church.

With Cooperation from Multiple Churches

Replanting McIntosh will be the united effort of many Baptist churches united in the gospel. Primarily, the forty-five churches of the Flint River Baptist Associational Network are leading the way. We also expect other churches from outside our immediate area to support the work. All these churches will contribute in varied ways according to their abilities. The initial members of the new McIntosh will, likewise, come from these cooperating churches. A few will be sent from here and a few from there. My prayer is that the church will covenant in September with fifty initial members commissioned from sister churches in the region.

With a Purposeful Process

The replanting effort will follow a purposeful process that, Lord willing, will birth a new McIntosh Baptist Church this September.

INTEREST MEETINGS: From January to March, Daniel Sanderson, McIntosh's new pastor, will conduct interest meetings for anyone interested in learning more. At these meetings, he will describe the vision and process of the replant. These interest meetings will be the primary season for recruiting potential members.

PLANT TEAM FORMATION: From April to August, Daniel will begin meeting regularly with those who have the most interest in potentially joining the new church. Together, this group will start considering what it means to be a church together.

COVENANTING: In September, those in the plant team who desire to be initial members of the church will covenant together to be the new McIntosh Baptist Church.

PUBLIC GATHERINGS: The Sunday following covenanting, the church will start public worship gatherings and functioning as a church.

To learn more about Daniel and the replanting process, check out the McIntosh Replant Site.

As McIntosh Baptist Church is replanted, our aim is to rely upon the Lord, remain clear about the nature of the church, cooperate with sister churches, and follow a purposeful process. As we do, our aim is that all our churches will show forth the manifold wisdom of God.

For His Glory,

Pastor Thomas