Many in the ancient world shared a common view that the mountains were pillars, which served as buttresses to hold up the atmospheric canopy above. If those mountains were removed, the skies would come crashing to earth in a great deluge.
When Solomon constructed the temple—designed and provided for largely by his father, David—a great deal of focus was given to the large pillars, which held the structure together. After all, the temple was the dwelling place of God, where heaven and earth met. If the temple was destroyed, great chaos indeed would come to earth.
However, in the new covenant, the temple—the dwelling place of God—is the local church (1 Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 2:19–22; 1 Peter 2:9–10; etc.). Small wonder that Paul refers to the local church as “a pillar and buttress of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15).
As the local church faithfully upholds the gospel truth, the dwelling place of God grows from glory to glory. As local churches—gospel faithful local churches—multiply, the world benefits as more and more of heaven comes to earth. In other words, gospel faithful local churches are good for the world. The world needs more and more churches serving as strong and immovable pillars, buttressing the gospel of God. It is with this in mind that, several years ago, a few pastors in the United States began what is now called the Pillar Network, a network that Brackenhurst Baptist Church has recently been invited to join.
Pillar Network exists for the purpose of encouraging the partnership of gospel-faithful local churches (of a Reformed Baptist flavour) in a global desire for the planting of churches. It is not a mission agency; it is not a denomination; it is, rather, likeminded local churches partnering together through fellowship (relational) and finances (resources including training) to plant other likeminded local churches. Think of it as a global Sola 5.
There are currently over three hundred local churches that are a part of this network, most of them, at this point, in the United States, but with a growing international flavour. Liam Garvie, associate pastor at Charlotte Chapel in Edinburgh, Scotland, is its international director. Liam visited BBC a few months ago and met with several of the elders to discuss BBC partnering with them. Currently, the network has one church in Ethiopia, while one in Kenya and another in Zambia are considering being a part of this. Pillar Network, with our elders, believe that our partnership with them will be strategic for church planting on our own soil as well as throughout the continent and beyond.
Having looked in depth at who they are, we, the elders, are both excited and encouraged that this would be a strategic partnership for Brackenhurst Baptist Church. It is for this reason that we are proposing that our congregation commit a monthly amount (R2,500 per month) of our missions budget to support this partnership.
Because this is a congregational decision, we want you to be informed before our next Quarterly Members Meeting, where we will vote on the proposed 2024 budget.
The elders encourage the members of BBC to visit the Pillar Network website at to familiarise ourselves with this ministry. We also invite you to engage with us if you need further information or if you have any concerns or questions.
Thank you,
Doug, on behalf of the eldership