In 2023, while praying for the family of churches that I help to lead (Catalyst), I sensed a clear call from the Lord: train 1,000 church planters. The moment felt significant—not unlike when, during the COVID-19 pandemic, I stood in my garden and felt prompted to raise £100,000 in three weeks. What unfolded then surpassed all expectations: we raised over £650,000, providing immense relief to people worldwide.

But this new calling to train 1,000 church planters? It felt even bigger. It wasn’t something I could pursue alone. It was going to require the entire Catalyst family that I help to lead.

This weekend we had the UK launch of Train 1000 - the outworking of that vision. I had the vision but now Martin Tibbert and others have taken it and brought it to life.

I thought I’d share some parts of the message I brought to the over 200 people gathered as I know it will resonate with you who want to make disciples.

Why Train 1,000 Church Planters?

Before we do anything we have to understand why.

Simon Sinek writes, “If we want to feel an undying passion for our work…we all need to know our WHY.” For us, the why is deeply rooted in God’s purposes for the Church.

To unpack the why of training 1000 church planters, let’s turn to Ephesians 2:11-22, but first, some context.

For centuries, Jewish worship centered around the Temple in Jerusalem. This awe-inspiring structure—built with massive stone blocks, lined with cedar and gold—symbolized humanity’s connection to God. Decorated with palm trees and pomegranates, the Temple evoked the Garden of Eden, the place where humanity once walked with God.

Yet the Temple was also a place of separation. The Holy of Holies, where God’s presence dwelled, was accessible only to the high priest once a year. The outer courts were divided into spaces for Jews and Gentiles, marked by walls with inscriptions warning Gentiles not to cross—or face death.

The Temple represented both connection and disconnection: God’s holiness and humanity’s sinfulness.

Then Jesus entered the scene. Walking through the Temple, He declared, “Destroy this temple, and in three days, I will raise it up” (John 2:19). His words pointed to a new reality: the physical Temple was no longer the meeting place between God and humanity. Jesus Himself would become the new Temple.

From Separation to Belonging

Paul, writing to the Gentile church in Ephesus, reminds them of their starting point:

“Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12).

This separation wasn’t just physical or cultural; it was spiritual. Gentiles were outsiders to God’s promises, alienated and without hope.

Hopelessness is something many of us have encountered. For me, it hit hard at 19 when late one night I sat and listened to a drunk man on the streets of Exeter late one Friday night and lived for a few moments in his shoes as he wept and shared his hopelessness.

Paul’s words remind us: apart from Christ, we all carry a deep, underlying brokenness. Some hide it behind success, wealth, or busyness, but the reality remains. Without Christ, we are separated, alienated, and hopeless.

But then comes the good news:

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13).

Through Jesus, the dividing walls—between Jew and Gentile, humanity and God—are torn down. His death reconciles us to God and to one another, creating a new family, a new humanity.

Building a New Temple

Paul goes on:

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:19-20).

This new family isn’t confined to a physical structure. We, as believers, are now God’s temple. The Spirit dwells in us, and together, we are being built into a dwelling place for God.

This changes everything. The old Temple was static—you had to go to it. The new Temple is portable, embodied by believers who bring God’s presence wherever they go.

It’s also inclusive. The old Temple kept people out—Gentiles, women, the unclean. But Jesus modeled something different. He touched lepers, welcomed sinners, and embraced outsiders. The new Temple is a place where all can meet God.

Why Plant Churches?

So why train 1,000 church planters? Because the Church, when it’s functioning as God intended, is the hope of the world. It’s where people who were once far off are brought near. It’s where the hopeless find hope, the broken find healing, and the outsider finds belonging.

Churches embody the new Temple, demonstrating God’s reconciling power in diverse communities. That’s why we need church planters of every background, colour, ability, and gender.

Tim Keller writes, “Dozens of denominational studies have confirmed that the average new church gains most of its new members (60–80 percent) from the ranks of people who are not attending any worshiping body, while churches over ten to fifteen years of age gain 80–90 percent of new members by transfer from other congregations. This means the average new congregation will bring six to eight times more new people into the life of the body of Christ than an older congregation of the same size.

Although established congregations provide many things that newer churches often cannot, older churches in general will never be able to match the effectiveness of new bodies in reaching people for the kingdom.

Additionally, new churches best reach new generations, new residents, and new people groups.

First, younger adults have always been disproportionately found in newer congregations. Long-established congregations develop traditions (such as time of worship, length of service, level of emotional responsiveness, sermon topics, leadership style, etc.) that reflect the sensibilities of longtime leaders from the older generations who have the influence and money to control church life. The automatic maintenance of such habits does not reach younger generations effectively.

Second, new residents are almost always reached better by new congregations. Older congregations may require a tenure of ten years before someone is allowed into places of leadership and influence, but in a new church, new residents tend to have equal power with longtime area residents.

Third, new sociocultural groups in a community are always reached better by new congregations.

It’s a big vision. It’s going to take all of those who are part of Catalyst to achieve it. But as we step out in faith, just as we did when raising funds during COVID, I believe we’ll see God move in extraordinary ways.

The task is urgent. As missionary Amy Carmichael once said, “We will have all eternity to celebrate the victories, but only a few hours before sunset to win them.”

I hope that’s both informed and inspired you about what God’s doing among us who are part of Catalyst. Even if you’re not part of that, though, I hope it inspires you in your situation to not just believe God for disciples who make disciples but for those new disciples to be built together into new churches, expressions of the new Temple, as we reach people everywhere with this good news of Jesus.

If you want more information check out https://catalystnetwork.org/church-planting/