Rationale

New churches best reach the unchurched.

Dozens of studies* from many major denominations have confirmed that the average new church gains most of its members (60-80%) from among people outside any worshiping community, while churches over 20 years old gain most of their new members from people moving from other congregations. New churches are critical if we are to draw new people into the Body of Christ.

In addition, new churches best reach new residents, new generations and new people groups. Newcomers do not need years of tenure before they can gain real leadership and influence in the church. New and younger generations are found in large numbers in new churches because there is greater openness to new ministry approaches and to new leadership. Finally, newly arrived people groups are found in new congregations because of a contextualized approach to evangelism, worship and discipleship.

Church-planting is the biblical model for evangelism.

Research is helpful, it only serves to emphasize what has already been told to us in God’s Word. Jesus’ Great Commission (Mt. 28) is not just a call to share the faith, to teach and make disciples, but also to baptize. Baptism in the New Testament meant incorporating new believers into the worshiping community where there would be teaching, administration of the sacraments and accountability.

In addition, the Apostle Paul’s strategy was to plant churches. Paul went to the largest cities and planted churches. In his writings, we can see that Paul had two assumptions with regards to starting new churches: 1) That the way to most permanently influence a country was through its chief cities, and 2) the way to most permanently influence a city was to plant churches in it.

Nothing will have the consistent impact that dynamic, extensive church planting will have in spreading the gospel.

*Lyle Schaller quoted in D.McGarvran and G. Hunter Church Growth: Strategies that Work