Because of their help, Maranatha reached a record of 55 in attendance before the church was six months old. Several other churches also helped by raising up prayer support. The United States today is a needy land, just as the Roman Empire was in Paul's day. More established churches need to catch a vision of the possibilities of planting churches in the next towns. The fifth principle of church planting we can glean from the ministry of the Apostle Paul is that while he knew there are some methods to be followed in planting churches, and he used many of them, he also knew that, most importantly, planting churches means reaching people.
Buildings are helpful.
Finances have their part. But the most important ingredient in church planting is people. The earnest church planter will quickly make that part of his thinking. This is another important lesson we can learn about church planting from the life and ministry of the greatest missionary who ever lived, the Apostle Paul.