Why Plant New Churches? (Part 2)

Here is a great article on why the Vineyard is a Church Planting Movement. It's taken from Steve Nicholson, the Vineyard USA National Director of Church Planting.

1. Church planting is biblical (Acts 14:23).
Trace the expansion of the Church through the Book of Acts from Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria and to the uttermost parts of the earth and you will see that church planters led the way. Church planting is one of the key kingdom activities. It’s endorsed by God. And we can see its importance by how fiercely the devil tries to stop it. Every new church planter is tested by evil, undisciplined people, attacks on marriages, sickness, or depression. If church planting wasn’t so important, why would the devil put up such a fuss about it?

2. Church planting is the most effective form of evangelism

3. There are many people not being reached by current churches
Each generation must be reached on its own terms, culturally and stylistically. “Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the Law I became like one under the Law (though I myself am not under the Law), ,so as to win those under the Law. To those not having the Law I became like one not having the Law (though I am not free from God’s Law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the Law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some" (1 Co 9:19-22). Even in saturated areas, there may be large percentages of people who are disconnected.
We need to reach the new culture, worship, and language that evolves over time.

4. We need new churches in new areas
The goal is self-reproducing churches in order to have exponential growth. Without churches, there is no conservation of the harvest and without new, vital churches, an area becomes hardened.

5. The very nature of the church directs us to church planting

6. New churches often exhibit more life than older churches
“It’s easier to have babies than to raise the dead.” – Peter Wagner

• New churches grow better than old ones
• Usually more visionary
• Easier to experiment and innovate
• Higher participation, “ownership”
• Easier to “take in” new converts

7. Church planting develops new leadership
In taking the best people from the mother church, it makes room for new leaders to emerge.

8. To reach the unchurched, we need to offer them a variety of options.
There are many not being reached!

• Among specific ethnic and immigrant groups
• Among younger generations
• In the cities
• On the mission field

9. Churches that die need to be replaced
Currently the church in America is in trouble.

• The culture has changed. 71% of Americans do not believe in absolute truth (1992).
• Of the approximately 350,000 churches in America, four out of five either have reached a plateau or are in decline.
• 3,500 to 4,000 churches die every year. One study estimated that in the 1990’s, about 100,000 of churches closed their doors.
• Despite the growth of some churches, there has been no increase overall in people becoming Christians (Barna).
• The majority of people are unchurched. Only 37% of Americans attend services in a given week. That represents only 31% of baby-boomers and 34% of baby-busters.

Do you think these are viable reasons? Can you think of any other benefits of planting new churches?