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Why Church Planting

1. Our Gospel conviction

At the heart of Agape’s involvement in church planting is not a strategy but a love for the gospel. We believe the gospel is the power of God to awaken and enliven both believers and seekers. Our motivation begins with a deep conviction: gospel-centered churches are still few in Singapore, and God has called us to multiply them.

Building on our gospel conviction is the belief that God has placed us in this city to be a catalyst for gospel renewal—both in this city and beyond.

2. The Biblical Basis

We also recognise that the Bible provides us with a powerful impetus to plant churches.

  • The Great Commission (Matt 28:18–20): Jesus commands His disciples to “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them… and teaching them.” Baptism assumes entry into a visible community, and teaching assumes an ongoing life of worship, instruction, and accountability. In the New Testament, this always takes place in local churches (cf. Acts 2:41–42). While disciple-making can occur through para-church ministries or through a “megachurch” model, the full breadth of disciple-making—worship, sacraments, discipline, teaching, and fellowship—is designed to flourish in local churches. Therefore, planting churches is not only consistent with the Great Commission; it is the most effective way to fulfill it.
  • The Apostolic Pattern (Acts 13–14): When the Holy Spirit set apart Paul and Barnabas, their mission was not simply to preach but to establish new gospel communities. As they traveled, they proclaimed the gospel, gathered believers, and “appointed elders in every church” (Acts 14:23). The apostolic pattern is not one of mere evangelistic campaigns, but of evangelism that results in churches with local leadership and ongoing witness. This demonstrates that obedience to the Spirit’s leading in mission naturally issues in church planting.
  • Multiplying Churches: The church in Antioch, itself born out of church planting (Acts 11:19–26), became the sending base for further mission (Acts 13:1–3). This illustrates a multiplying dynamic: planted churches become planting churches. New churches are not endpoints but hubs for gospel expansion. In other words, the biblical vision of the church is not simply to “make disciples” in isolation, but to “make disciples who make disciples who make disciples”—and similarly to “plant churches that plant churches that plant churches.”
  • Implication: While the Bible doesn’t say, “Thou shalt plant churches,” the Great Commission, the apostolic practice, and the multiplying effect of Antioch all point in one direction: obedience to Christ’s mission necessarily results in new churches being formed. Gospel proclamation that makes disciples without forming churches would be incomplete and unsustainable. Thus, while church planting is not an explicit mandate, the biblical evidence provides us with a powerful impetus to pursue it as the most faithful and fruitful way of carrying out Christ’s command.

3. The Realities of Our City

As we look at our city, we also see a great cause for concern—and fresh reasons to invest in planting churches.

  • Stagnant Growth: Despite Singapore’s established church presence, many churches are experiencing stagnation. A 2022 study (“State of the Church 2023”) revealed that more churches reported a decrease in attendance (45%) than an increase (38%), indicating a net outflow of attendees. Notably, very large churches (>2,000 attendees) accounted for nearly three-quarters of this outflow, with an average loss of 17% of their congregation. 
  • Inward Orientation: The subsequent 2023 study (“State of the Church 2024”) alludes to a number of crises facing the church: not only a looming staff-replacement crisis, the urgent need to reorient ministries to serve an aging church, and an observable loss of younger people, but also the challenges that accompany the broader trends of secularism, postmodernity, and generational shifts. In order to deal with numerous “in-house” problems (both present and future), churches are increasingly turning inward—to the neglect of the larger city. 
  • Unmet Gospel Need: While Singapore’s population reached a record high of 6.11 million in June 2025, the growth in the number of churches has not kept pace with population growth since the 1979 revival. The proportion of Christians among Singaporeans has grown marginally from 18.3% in 2010 to 18.9% in 2020. Moreover, the reality is that only a minority of these churches self-identify as “gospel-centered.” Of this minority, only a handful of churches are committed to centering all of life and ministry on the gospel. There is an urgent need for not only churches but also “gospel-centered” churches to be planted—to reach a growing population. 
  • Geography and Accessibility: Despite Singapore’s small size, certain neighborhoods remain underserved by vibrant gospel communities. Certain neighbourhoods and demographics also face difficulties accessing a church (either due to distance or due to inclusivity). At the 2025 LoveSingapore Pastors Summit, an observation was made on the apparent correlation between the number of churches in a neighbourhood and the population of Christians in that neighbourhood (refer to diagram below). This necessitates churches to be planted not only in locations where there is a lack of churches but also for demographics that do not have a church ready to welcome them.

4. Why Church Planting

The process of planting churches is not merely about “adding congregations.” Church planting catalyzes renewal, pushes the church outward in mission, and embodies gospel generosity. Far from weakening existing churches, church planting often strengthens and expands the reach of the kingdom.

  • Church planting revitalizes both the mother and surrounding churches. Church planting has a renewing effect on both the “sending” church and the wider body of Christ. When new congregations are planted, established churches are often stirred to examine their own health and vitality. Many times this is because new plants bring fresh models of outreach, worship, and discipleship into the Christian landscape. Also, when new church plants flourish, other churches begin to take notice. If these churches find that “the gospel” is the reason for this flourishing, they may become more appreciative of gospel-centrality and experience a much deeper revitalisation. 
  • Plants are outward-facing by nature. New church plants carry an inherent urgency to reach people who are not yet part of any church. Because their survival and growth depend on it, they naturally prioritize evangelism, relationship-building, and community engagement. This outward posture makes them particularly effective at bringing the gospel into new social groups and neighborhoods where established churches may have limited reach.
  • Generosity and Mission. Church planting is an act of kingdom generosity: sending out people, resources, and leadership for the sake of the gospel. It resists the self-reliant desire to accumulate more resources for itself but calls churches to trust God’s abundance. Healthy church plants will themselves one day plant churches, creating a ripple effect of generosity and mission.

5. Practical Considerations

We have looked at the WHY of Agape’s church planting thrust. Now we want to look at the HOW—some overarching commitments that will govern the way we execute our first church plant. 

  • Model: We are leaning towards a core team model. This “core team” refers to a small group of around 10 intentionally selected members with a strong sense of investment in the upcoming church plant. Under the church planter’s leadership, they will contribute to the identity and mission of the church plant. They will also be given time to incubate within Agape until the church plant is ready for launch. We are adopting this approach for our first church plant, as it provides covering, prioritizes laying a healthy foundation, and allows Agape to closely journey with the church plant until it is ready to launch.
  • Membership & Commitment: Because we esteem church membership highly, we will not make broad appeals for members to leave. Instead, we will walk alongside individuals and families who sense God’s call to join the plant, discerning case by case, and ensuring that both the mother church and the new plant are strengthened in the process.
  • Leadership Pipeline: Church planting is costly in the short term, as it requires sending capable leaders out rather than retaining them. As such, a commitment to church planting necessitates investing in a pipeline for raising leaders that are gospel-centered, with a heart not only for the local church but for the city around them. Therefore, in the mid- and long-term, church planting actually multiplies leaders. For every church planter that is groomed in such a leadership pipeline, multiple other leaders are raised up simultaneously. In this way, planting is not just about new churches but about raising up new generations of quality leaders.
  • Financial Stewardship: Church planting teams will submit a budget proposal for elder approval, ensuring accountability and clarity. Agape will provide oversight and financial support in the early years, with the goal of moving the church plant toward sustainability and generosity in due time.

Conclusion

We are not planting out of convenience or ambition, but out of gospel conviction. Church planting is biblical, necessary, and strategic for gospel renewal in Singapore. Our prayer is that Agape will be generous and courageous—sending people, leaders, and resources for the sake of Christ’s kingdom, that many more might hear, believe, and be gathered into communities where the gospel is cherished and proclaimed.