• The power of lay-ministry leadership is not being adequately tapped.


• Bi-vocational or two-career ministry is not encouraged. • Non-English language ministers usually do not have the same educational opportunities as English-speaking candidates do; therefore, leadership for highly diverse urban areas is often inadequate.


Second, not enough money is made available to start numerous con- gregations per year. Financial resources are generally being focused on maintaining the status quo. The church needs to intentionally designate funds for church planting and encourage an entrepre- neurial approach involving innovative and effective means of starting new congregations without the high initial costs of prop- erty and a building.


Third, church planting must not be based on a top-down approach in which the denominational head- quarters initiates most of the new congregations, and then tries to get states or regions to go along with the effort. There must be a deliberate partnership of the denominational headquarters, states and regions, and existing local churches. To move beyond the current level of new church plants, denominational structures must become permission giving. This calls for a transition in think- ing for many denominational and congregational leaders who tend to wait on the permission or direction of the denomination before attempting a church plant. Fourth, there needs to be a pas- sionate vision for reaching the lost. Many new congregations are started by individuals who split from an existing congregation. Other church plants are the adop-


tion of non-English-language congregations that spring up and are looking for a denominational home. There is no passionate vision for reaching unchurched people.


Fifth, there are not enough local church sponsors for church plants. Congregations need to be taught how and challenged to sponsor or parent new congregations. Many existing churches are even resistant to a new congregation starting within five miles of their location. This resistance is often based on fear and guilt about their own lack of transformational ministry. They are afraid that if a new congregation is successful, it might reflect badly on their ministry and might even attract some of their members to the new church. Sixth, there are not enough successful models. While new congre- gations have been started, many still struggle after several years


of existence with financial instability, spiritual battles, leadership problems, and membership and attendance issues. Some question the wisdom of starting additional small, struggling congregations. Successful models do exist, but this is where leaders must not be myopic and look only at the congregations started within our own denomination. It might be necessary to look outside our denomination to find successful models that can be appropriately emulated or whose principles can be adopted for use.


What Is Our Commitment?


Overcoming the barriers listed above cannot happen over- night. However, these barriers can be overcome through the power of the Holy Spirit.


Planting life-giving churches is a core value of the Church of God. The Minutes of the Interna- tional General Assembly state our commitment to church planting:


We commit ourselves to identifying, training, and resourcing God-called church planters and to intentionally planting new life-giving church- es. This commitment will be demonstrated by


• focusing designated resources of the local church, state/ regional offices, and the inter- national offices for planting new churches


• starting the number of church plants equal to a minimum of 3 percent of the total number of churches in a state/region/ nation annually


• developing a certified training program in our Evangelism and Home Missions Depart- ment and educational institu- tions for church planters and home missions


• emphasizing the health and viability of new church plants as well as the number of churches planted


• affirming the different models of church planting for different situations


• recognizing church planting as an apostolic ministry for our day (Matthew 16:18; John 4:35; Acts 2:47; 14:23; Ephesians 5:25-28).


It has been said, “Methods may change, but the message must remain the same.” This statement illustrates how each new gen- eration must identify methods that fit their place in time. Church planting is a constant, and is one of the most time-proven meth- ods to build the Kingdom worldwide. It remains a missional prior- ity of the Church of God.


EVANGEL • AUG 2010 7


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