What is Church Planting

Last Sunday, I kicked off a four-week class at Parkview Church called Church Planting 101 by answering two important questions. Interestingly, neither of them is “How are we going to plant a church?” That question will be addressed in the weeks to come. Before we get to the "how," we need to answer the "what" and "why” questions.

What Is Church Planting?

First, consider that planting is one of Jesus' favorite word pictures. In Matthew 13:31, Jesus said,

“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”

In the early stages of planting a church, everything feels very small. But like seeds buried underground, church plants are packed with life that will eventually break through the surface and grow until others (like the birds in Jesus’ image) can find life, safety, and a place to launch from. Right now, New City Church is a church underground. Our responsibility is to keep plowing the ground, scattering seed, supplying water—and waiting for the harvest.

Here’s a helpful definition of church planting:

“It’s reproducing a new church from a healthy church wherever we find the soil of lostness.”

Some courageous church planters have launched out on their own in what has become known as “parachute church planting.” In fact, that’s how Pastor Greg and Denise Peters planted Parkview Church 28 years ago. They’ll be the first to tell you that, however beautiful it was, it was also brutal. In Greg’s words, “It was ‘brutiful’.”

That’s why I’m committed to building a core group of church planters to come with me from Parkview to plant New City Church. If you been nourished by the ministries of a healthy church you should consider paying it forward to help reproduce another healthy church where it is needed.

Why Plant Churches?

You may be thinking, “Why do we need another church? I drive past a dozen churches on my way to Parkview every Sunday. Shouldn’t we get those churches filled before we plant another one? Why not revitalize those churches first?”

What you may not realize is that many of those churches died long ago—they just haven’t had the funeral. Sadly, some churches have stopped preaching the gospel, gotten distracted by secondary pursuits, or become little more than social gatherings for good people. But they no longer meet the standard of a healthy church marked by God’s presence and the faithful proclamation of His Word. As a result, Jesus has removed their lampstand (Revelation 2:5), and those who still attend either haven’t noticed or don’t care enough to cry out for help.

In reality, church planting is one of the best ways to revitalize existing churches. When new churches are planted in a community, other churches take notice.

Pastor Tim Keller wrote:

“New churches challenge other churches to self-examination. The ‘success’ of new churches often challenges older congregations in general to evaluate themselves in substantial ways. Sometimes it is only in contrast with a new church that older churches can finally define their own vision, specialties, and identity.”

There is a great need for new churches. Church planting strategist Clint Clifton summarized it this way:

“Every year in America about 4,000 evangelical churches begin. Of those, 35% close before their fifth anniversary, leaving about 2,600 new churches planted annually. Meanwhile, approximately 7,000 churches close their doors forever each year. All things considered, the number of churches in the U.S. is decreasing by about 4,400 churches per year, while our population is growing by about three million people annually.”

In 2013, The Huffington Post observed:

“This Sunday morning, when you go to church, about 135 fewer American churches will be gathering than did at the same time last week. That’s 600 churches disbanding every month and 7,000 churches closing under the heat of an increasingly secular society each year.”

David Olson adds:

“A net gain of 3,205 churches is needed each year for the American church to keep up with population growth—far more than the actual yearly gain.”

Church planting is the most effective form of evangelism and discipleship. Even many parachurch ministries—who report large numbers of “decisions for Christ”—now acknowledge that without these new believers connecting to a church, the long-term effect of their decisions is minimal. Churches are where disciples are made, equipped, and deployed.

New churches reach unchurched people at a rate six to eight times higher than existing churches of the same size. Ed Stetzer’s research shows that new churches average 16 conversions per 100 attendees in their first year, compared to just 3 per 100 in churches over 15 years old.

In his book Planting Missional Churches, he documents that church plants typically see 60–80% of their growth from previously unchurched people, while established churches average only 20–40%.

That’s Why We’re Planting a Church!

But I’m not jumping into it alone, with or without a parachute. We are building a core team who will commit to do it together. Would you pray God will call out his special forces to make an impact. 

If you live near St. Augustine or Palm Coast, Florida you can join me for Week 2 of Church planting 101 by registering below. 

This Sunday at 9am, we will address the following questions:

• Is church planting biblical?

• Who plants churches?

• What are the stages of church planting?

• Why are we planting New City Church here, now?

I hope you’ll join us.  If you haven’t already registered, you can do so here.