WHY PLANT NEW CHURCHES?
(Adapted from “Why Plant Churches?” by Pastor Tim Keller)
THE NEED FOR NEW CHURCHES
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Between 50 and 75 U.S. churches close their doors every week.
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More than 80% of the churches in the U.S. have plateaued or are declining.
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In the United States alone, there are over 200 million unchurched people, making the United States the third largest mission field in the world.
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Since 1991, the number of adults in the U.S. who do not attend church has nearly doubled.
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9 million people in the U.S. between the ages of 20-38 are not connected with the existing churches (Gallup Poll)*
* Unless otherwise noted, these statistics are used with permission from Barna Research Online.
We do not need more of the same type of church, but we do need new churches! As Pastor Rick Warren says, “We need all kinds of churches to reach all kinds of people.”
THE BENEFITS OF NEW CHURCHES
NEW CHURCHES REACH THE UNCHURCHED
In the first seven years of a church’s life, 80% of the people who become members come from people who have not been going to church. After seven years it begins to flip. At fourteen years, 80% of the people who join a church come by transfer from another church. The average new church plant will bring 6-8 times more new people into the body of Christ than an older congregation that is the same size.
NEW CHURCHES REACH NEW GENERATIONS, NEW RESIDENTS, AND NEW PEOPLE GROUPS
New congregations empower new people more quickly than older congregations; thus reaching them with greater effectiveness. Younger adults have always been disproportionately found in new, less traditional congregations. New residents are almost always reached better by new congregations because it is easier to enter into a leadership role. New socio-economic and racial groups are also better reached by new churches that are able to quickly respond to different people and their needs.
PLANTING CHURCHES RENEWS THE WHOLE BODY OF CHRIST
Planting new churches is one of the best ways to renew older churches. New churches bring new ideas to the whole body. New churches surface young, creative, strong leaders who are often entrepreneurial individuals. New churches challenge the status quo of older churches, encouraging them to examine what they do and why they do it. New churches become evangelistic feeders for the whole Christian community.
NEW CHURCHES HAVE THE MOTIVATION AND FREEDOM TO EXPERIMENT
New churches are not handcuffed with tradition and ways of doing things that take time and consensus to change therefore they can experiment and adapt much more quickly.
NEW CHURCHES BROADEN THE BASE OF LEADERSHIP IN THE KINGDOM
New churches create opportunities for more people to be in leadership roles without waiting for the established leadership to move out.
CHURCH PLANTING IS AN EXERCISE IN KINGDOM-MINDEDNESS