Bible Verses About Church Planting

"And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

"And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed."

"I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase."

"Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."

"Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation."

"As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away."

"For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee."

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."

"And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily."

"Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth."

What does the Bible say about church planting?

The early church grew through bold planting — apostles traveled, preached, and established new communities of believers wherever they went. Church planting remains a vital strategy for reaching the lost and expanding God's kingdom. Key King James Version passages include Matthew 16:18, Acts 14:23, 1 Corinthians 3:6. This page collects 10 KJV verses about church planting, each quoted in full.

What is church planting?

Church planting is the process of establishing new local congregations of believers. It was the primary strategy of the apostle Paul, who planted churches throughout the Roman Empire.

Is church planting biblical?

Yes. The book of Acts records the planting of many churches by the apostles. Paul, Barnabas, Timothy, and Titus were all involved in establishing and strengthening new churches.