Church Planting: A Missional Priority T
HIS GENERATION is experiencing the largest increase in population since the beginning of time. More people are alive today than have lived in the entire combined history of humanity! As world population continues to explode, life on earth will become increasingly metropolitan. The number of world-class cities (those with a population greater than 5 mil- lion) mushroomed from 7 in 1950 to 40 in 2010. By the year 2025, it is estimated the total will reach 93.
The implications of these statistics are staggering. Already 50 percent of the world’s people live in cities (up from 33 percent in 1970). From now on, at least seven out of every eight people born will spend their whole lives as part of an urban sprawl. For Christ’s Great Commission to be fulfilled, future churches must be where the people are. Metro-area churches will become increas- ingly important.
Present models for church planting have been marginally effective and are inadequate for the opportunities that are com- ing our way. If the Church of God is to receive the harvest of souls that we believe God is sending, we must intentionally train, fund, and release 21st-century church planters to plant healthy, relevant churches.
Why Do We Need to Plant Churches? There are three primary reasons, though others could be
added.
First, church planting is the single most effective strategy for win- ning lost people. New church plants reach more people better, faster, and cheaper than existing churches.
Second, church planting is the most effective way of sustaining a denomination’s relevance and ethos. George Bullard, noted church consultant, says the denomination that does not annually start a number of new congregations equal to at least 1 percent of the number of churches it currently has will likely decline in number of congregations, attendance, and membership. Within 80 years, it will cease to be a viable, organized, relevant denomination.
6 EVANGEL • AUG 2010
Rather than focusing on new congregations, such a denomina- tion will turn to social-justice issues, inclusiveness, and building an endowment to be sure that the denomination’s ethos is sus- tained throughout the 21st century.
Conversely, the denomination that annually starts new congregations equal to at least 3 percent of its current congrega- tions will likely experience steady growth, a strong and positive spiritual movement, increases in all its vital statistics, and will be focused on fulfilling the Great Commission in the spirit of the Great Commandment.
Third, church planting is the only way to fulfill the Great Commis-
sion. The net gain in new churches in the United States is less than one-tenth of what’s needed just to keep up with the population growth. Here are the current figures: • 3,000 churches close every year. • 3,800 new church starts survive. • Net annual gain: 800 new churches
• Net annual gain needed to keep up with population growth: 10,000 new churches
What Are the Barriers to Church Planting? First, there is a shortage of ministers who want to plant new church-
es. Many wait for a pastorate to be vacated because of retirement, moral failure, or death rather than make the sacrifices necessary to start a new church. In addition, the following realities affect the recruitment of church planters:
• Little is being done to “call out the called” in our worship services. Challenging our people to hear and respond to the call of God to full- or part-time ministry needs to be an integral aspect of our worship services and discipleship efforts. • The theological education and credentialing processes have got- ten more complicated, cost more and take longer to complete, discour- aging many potential ministers from even trying to obtain credentials. • Many denominational educational institutions do not offer specialized tracks in church planting.
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