People Spots
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Produced by James W.
Moss, Sr., and Church Consultants
Provided as a service by New Life Ministries
Contrasting Church Renewal and Church Planting, Part 2 - Church Planting
by James W. Moss, Sr.
Fairview Church had been averaging about 200 for a number of years. They mothered a new congregation. Over a period of years the daughter church grew to about 175. The daughter mothered a new church, which in a short period of time grew to 200. There is an average attendance of 575 between the mother, daughter, and granddaughter where there were 200 before the daughter came along. I recently traveled through citrus country in Florida. Every so often we would see a field where all the old trees were cut and new young trees were planted. The old trees had passed their best production. Now the new trees in a few short years would be producing fruit as well. In the last issue I described renewal in a pre-existing church. This issue will strive to describe planting as a contrasting endeavor.
1. It has long been accepted that beginning new churches is a requirement for long-term numerical growth for a regional body. This is a simple truth that can be born out by study after study. Regional bodies that start more churches than they close tend to be growing. Regional bodies that close more churches than they start will tend to decline. This translates to the local church in this way. A local church that starts more small groups than it discontinues will tend to grow. A local church that discontinues more small groups than it starts will tend to decline. (Sunday school classes, care groups, support groups, task groups, and athletic teams are five kinds of small groups.)
2. The buck stops with the pastor in a church plant. If the plant doesn’t go well, the pastor can’t hide or blame anyone else. Unfortunately, a heavy load rests on the planter.
3. The new church must begin with aggressive action. There is only a short window of time for the church to emerge as a full-time free standing congregation. There is no choice but for the planter and supporters to go on the attack. Things have to happen quickly.
4. The birthing of a new church normally involves a great deal of celebration. It is a lot of fun. Just as with new babies, there is a lot of hard work and constant attention is required. There will also occasionally be messy diapers to clean or those difficult moments. One major exception to this fact may be when the new church is the result of a split. Then the plant may look more like a renewal project because of the pain and hurt involved.
5. There is no choice: initial efforts must bear significant results. A number of the things a church does must work for them. Critical mass must be achieved quickly. A church has critical mass when enough people are together that a novice looks at the group and thinks this is viable. That number is somewhere above 35 in a traditional service and somewhere above fifty in a contemporary service. By its very nature, a contemporary service requires more people to look viable.
6. The immediate goal for a new church is many new people. Lots of new people have to walk through the door quickly. If a new church is to be averaging 100 by the end of year one, more than 1,000 people will have had to visit at least once. Getting people to walk through the door at least once is the result of effective promotion. Getting people to return is a different issue.
7. Excellence is important to getting people to return. The quality and style of the service is important in getting people to return. The service must be comfortable for those who attend if they are to come back. The new church must pay particular attention to the people touches. It begins with greeters in the parking lot and continues to greeters in the building to participants moving among the new people and presenting a welcoming atmosphere. Then follow-up for absentees begins immediately with one absence.
8. It will probably take a while to develop a significant giving pattern. This is particularly true for people who have come from an unchurched background. It will take them a while to understand giving and tithing. It is important for the pastor and core group to tithe to provide a solid financial base. A person who is reluctant to ask for money probably shouldn’t start a new church.
9. Quick reactions on the part of the pastor and people will be required as the climate changes. Flexibility is a key. Are we willing to make significant changes as new situations develop?
10. A church plant is looking to add families consistently. Three Sundays in a row without a returning visitor is cause for concern. A plant that has not reached its attendance goals before the visitors stop coming is probably in trouble. The people of the new church need to be inviting new people as of Day One. There is no grace period on this issue.
11. A regional body interested in planting churches can’t be afraid to start small churches or to fail. Very few people set out to start small churches. Yet sometimes that happens. And once in a while a new church starts that doesn’t make it.
12. There is much resistance to planting because pastors of existing churches have three inalienable rights. They feel entitled to a salary, people, and turf. Church planting infringes on all those rights.
A church planting movement frequently fosters renewal in existing churches.
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Also see:
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Read the first part of this two-part article at Contrasting Church Renewal and Church Planting, Part 1 - Church Renewal |
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For more on church planting, see Where to Find What: Church Planting |
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Read about Jim's seminars and books.
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January 12, 2001. Volume 4, Issue 1. People Spots Online is prepared by James W. Moss, Sr., and Church Consultants. It is provided as a service by New Life Ministries, www.NewLifeMinistries-NLM.org. Articles may be duplicated and reproduced in any way. A new article is produced about every two weeks. To be added to a list to receive these messages directly by e-mail, send a request to churchconsultants@yahoo.com.