Process for Churches Exploring the Possibility of Establishing New Congregations

Process

Bring together 6-12 key leaders in your church and go through the following discernment/planning steps. Also encourage your whole congregation to bathe this process in prayer.

In addition, contact your district superintendent about the vision you are exploring and the possibilities you are considering. Establishing a new United Methodist Church requires the consent of the bishop and cabinet.* Their responsibility is to see how your vision connects with ministry across the annual conference. Contacting your district superintendent early in the process will allow them to provide you with their prayers, support, and counsel. (*The Book of Discipline, ¶259)

Steps

A. Why establish a new congregation?

1. It's biblical.
   • Nearly the entire book of Acts describes the establishment of new faith communities.
   • Jesus talks about building his church. (Matt. 16:18)
2. It's efficient.
   • "New congregations afford the best vehicles for helping individuals and faith communities onto effective and meaningful spiritual journeys."^[1]
   • "Church planting continues to be the most effective means of evangelism."^[2]
   • "The single most effective evangelistic methodology under heaven is planting new churches."^[3]
3. It's natural. Healthy churches naturally reproduce.
   • "Reproduction is a basic function of any organization that is alive."^[4]
   • "Hardly anything demonstrates the health of a congregation as much as the willingness--and ability!--to give birth to new congregations."^[5]
4. It's needed. The United States is under-churched and the most effective way to reach the unchurched and non-believers is through a new-church plant.
   • For every 900 people in the U.S. there is only one church and it averages only 75 in worship.^[6]
   • A new church helps build "the spiritual values of their communities."^[7]
5. It's necessary. If a denominational movement is to continue it must establish new congregations.
   • "Without church planting a denomination can't survive."^[8]

QUESTION:

1. Why is your church considering establishing a new congregation? If it's to extend the life of the church, prayerfully review the mission of the church (e.g. Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 12: 29-31, Luke 4:18-19).

B. When to consider it?

Certainly an ideal time to establish a new congregation is when your church is experiencing numerical and spiritual growth. However, many plateaued and declining churches would also benefit from establishing a new congregation because doing so would cause the church to focus beyond itself.^[9]

As Gary Carter points out, "...when a church has not seen recent growth, it may be a signal that it is time to prune--by planting a daughter church. Such a move is likely to stimulate the church to new heights by breaking in on established relationships and patterns in a positive way."^[10]

Yet, the most important time to establishing a church is when God calls a church to do so. The fact that you're interested enough to be reading this may be a sign that God is inviting your church to seriously consider such an opportunity.

QUESTION:

2. Does God seem be inviting your church to consider such an effort? Describe.

C. Who and where?

In order to proceed, your church needs to identify as specifically as possible who this new congregation will reach and disciple and where these people live.

1. Who.
   • Consider what types of people God seems to already be bringing to your church (Sunday mornings, weekdays: childcare, kid's club, outside groups, etc., and special occasions: weddings, funerals, etc.). If they don't seem to relate well with the existing congregation's mode of worship, small groups, and existing ministries, then maybe establishing a new congregation for them is needed.
   • Consider the groups of people God has surrounded your church with or God has brought to your attention that are absent in your church (e.g. those living in a nearby mobile home community, apartment building, retirement community, or immediate neighborhood).
   • Once you identify the target group it is helpful to construct a personal profile (e.g. Saddleback Community's Saddleback Sam and Willow Creek's Unchurched Harry). Then determine the kind of church necessary to reach them.^[11]
2. Where. Your best prospects will live within a 15-20 minute commute from your ministry's location. To determine the best location for your ministry, identify where your target group lives. Then confirm your initial hunches with demographic studies.

   Here are some sources for such information:

   • Check with your local schools, city/county planning offices, and Chamber of Commerce.
   • U.S. Census Bureau.
   • Demographic data is available from the NIC on the population living around a church. Data is updated annually. The cost is $25 for up to three study area. Request your demographic study.

QUESTIONS:

3. If God seems to be inviting your church to consider such an effort, who is it that God's seems to be calling you to reach? Where do they live? Describe your target group and area. What kind of ministry would they need?
4. Do demographic studies support your choice of target group and area?
5. Do you have some anecdotal evidence that supports the need to reach this group? Describe.

D. How should we do it?

Should we birth a new congregation through establishing a new worship service (or a new off-site ministry), a satellite site (second campus), or a stand-alone church?

In all three approaches, especially the second and third, it is critical that the senior pastor of your church has a strong enough ego that they will not feel threatened by the leader/leadership team that leads the effort. Also, the senior pastor's leadership style must be that of an empowerer and not that of a controller.

1. New Worship Service or Off-site Ministry (e.g. out-post Sunday school, home Bible study, backyard VBS, etc.): Advantages
   • It takes less time and effort than a satellite or stand-alone church.
   • It can draw on existing resources (leadership, equipment, funds, relational network).
   • It can create a healthier Christian community within the existing congregation by making it more diverse and providing it with a greater degree of synergy. It may, thus, become a better representation of the Kingdom of God.
2. Satellite Site (off-site or second campus): Advantages
   • It can provide more independence to the new congregation, which will stimulate greater growth.
   • It can draw the resources (leadership, equipment, funds, relational network) of the "mother" church. As a result, it probably will require fewer additional resources than a stand-alone church and will be able to attain high-quality ministry quicker.
   • It can gain more credibility in the eyes of the community being connected with an existing church than a stand-alone church can.^[12]
   • It can use existing programs at the mother church to compliment its initial ministry offerings.^[13]
   • It can be located in closer proximity to the target group and/or in a more strategic location than the mother church.
3. Stand-alone Church: Advantages
   • It can more effectively reach a target group of people different from the people already connected with the existing congregation."^[14]
   • It tends to grow more both qualitatively and quantitatively.^[15]
   • It doesn't have to worry about the long-term cultural values and traditions of an established congregation."^[16]. It doesn't already have defined personality characteristics that "cater only to a segment of the population."^[17]
   • It can be located in closer proximity to the target group and/or in a more strategic location.
   • It allows for local control, which younger adults in particular tend to demand.^[18]
   • By the time it is birthed and the planter leaves the staff of the mother church, the mother church will have had some time to grow (financially) an additional staff position.

QUESTIONS:

6. Which approach will best facilitate your church in effectively reaching its target group?
7. To what degree do your church members embrace this model? How might you build greater consensus? (For example, share the stories of other churches that have successfully used that model, have an outside consultant provide confirmation, etc.)
8. Do you anticipate inviting other congregations to join you in this effort? If so, to what degree will should they be involved in the planning?

E. How big?

1. Larger than 200

   There are a number of powerful reasons why a church should envision starting a new congregation that will eventually average more than 200 in average weekly worship.

   • Most born after 1965 expect a church to a) excel in presenting the Gospel in relevant terms, b) have high quality in every aspect of its ministry, and c) provide a broad range of attractive choices. Larger churches are more readily able to meet these expectations.^[19]
   • A congregation started with the image of a close-knit extended family will not likely grow beyond a one-cell size (50-120) even if God had envisioned it reaching more people.^[20]
   • Reaching more people in most cases is a good stewardship of resources.^[21]
   • Such a size can financially support a facilities and paid staff.^[22]
2. Smaller than 200

   There are a number of reasons why a church may need to envision starting a new congregation that will eventually average fewer than 200 in average weekly worship.

   • The target population group is small (e.g. rural or small-town community, resort or leisure community, a multifamily housing community, deaf or hearing impaired, senior adult community or institution, or a non-English language or immigrant group).^[23]
   • The target population group is a lower socioeconomic group which prefers to gather in smaller numbers.^[24]

QUESTIONS:

9. How large do you envision this new congregation becoming? How large might God be envisioning it to be?
10. What would be its optimum size given your target group?

F. What type of leadership is needed?

The type of leadership needed depends on who your church is trying to reach. In any case, a leadership team will typically succeed better than a single person.

1. Key Factors.
   • The leader/leadership team's cultural background should match the target group's. If it doesn't, the leader/leadership team will need to be trained in doing cross-cultural ministry.
   • The leader/leadership team will most likely attract people of a similar age and educational level.
   • The leader's leadership style needs to be appropriate for the target group. For example, reaching a low-income target group probably will require a more authoritative leadership style; whereas, reaching a higher-income target group will require a more participatory leadership style.^[25]
   • The leader of a satellite or stand-alone church should have the following qualities: a) the spiritual gifts of leadership, faith, evangelism, and preaching (apostleship in the case of cross-cultural situations), b) a passion for the lost and the unchurched lost in particular, c) a sense of God's calling to do this, d) a high D and/or I on the DISC Personal Profile, e) a strong E and N on the Myers-Briggs Temperament Inventory, ENTP would be an ideal temperament, f) a implementer or implementer/visionary pastoral role; has a history of successfully building something from nothing and being a self-starter, g) a supportive spouse and family.^[26] Those working with a team can rely on team members to provide some of these needed qualities.
2. Types.
   • Credentials: a) Non-appointed leaders--lay persons or lay speakers. b) Appointed or assigned leaders--local pastors, diaconal ministers, deacons, elders, or missionaries.
   • Education: high school, high school plus some college, undergraduate, graduate, or seminary trained.
   • Employment: a) fully employed outside the church, helping establish a new congregation as a volunteer; b) bi-vocational, employed outside the church but paid part-time to help establish the new congregation; c) tent-maker, income is from employment outside the church, however, primary vocation is church planting; d) employment is strictly with the church.
   • Recruitment: a) from within your church, b) from within your community, c) from within the conference, d) from outside the conference, e) from outside the denomination.

QUESTIONS:

11. Considering your target group, to what degree should your church utilize a "team" to lead the effort to establish a new congregation?
12. What type of cultural background must the leadership have in order to effective reach the target group? What amount of education? What would be the ideal age?
13. Is there someone from within the congregation who could provide effective leadership? Will you need to seek an appointment from the Bishop? (If the answer is "possibly," begin talking right away with your district superintendent about your need.)
14. In the case of establishing stand-alone church, do you want the effort's leader to serve for two (or so) years as a staff member of your church? Is your church's senior pastor supportive of this? Is your church willing to give them the freedom not only to provide staff support to your church in a couple specific areas (e.g. small groups) but also to focus on developing the new church and forming a core group from existing constituents?

G. Financing

Some key ideas regarding funding the establishment of a new church includes:

1. A clear, God-led vision tends to attract resources, including money. Thus, the more defined your church's plan to establish a new congregation is, the more easily it will attract the necessary funds.
2. The healthiest congregations, including those reaching low-income populations, are not dependent on outside funding sources after the first few years. Most should require no more than 20-30 months of financial help. Congregations targeting some ethnic groups and special groups, such as cults and other religions, may require a longer period of outside funding.^[27]
3. Givers tend to provide funds most readily for facilities and necessary equipment (Bibles, sound and lighting systems, etc.), not salaries, mortgages, utility bills, and the general budget.^[28]
4. Provide all givers with a regular update on your efforts progress.
5. Funding sources could include the following:
   1. a. Your church (and any other church that has joined yours in birthing the new congregation).
      • A one-time gift.
      • Support from your church's missions budget.
      • Pledges of support from individual members.
   2. The core group that will serve as the nucleus of the new congregation. In the case of establishing a stand-alone church, this core may come from the mother church/es. Their giving, at least the final six months before they leave, can be set aside for the new congregation.
   3. Friends and acquaintances of the leader/leadership team. The degree to which they give will reflect in part the perceived competency of the leader/leadership team.
   4. Leader/leadership team. Rely on the funds raised through the outside employment of the leader, his/her spouse, and/or the leadership team.
   5. The district, conference, and denomination. These typically come with "strings" attached.
      • Church Development loans or grants. (Call: 800-783-5138 or e-mail ed@nicumc.org for details.)
      • Conference Foundation loans or grants. (Call: 800-783-5138 for details.)
      • District funds.
      • Advance Special gifts from other churches. (Call: 800-783-5138 or e-mail ed@nicumc.org for details as to how to get Advance Special status for your effort.)
      • General conference agencies' loans and grants. (Call: 800-783-5138 or e-mail ed@nicumc.org for details.)
   6. Local, regional, state, and government loans or grants.^[29]

QUESTIONS:

15. Which funding sources are appropriate and available for your church's effort?
16. If this effort will rely, at least in part, on your church for funding, how long should/will your church commit funds?
17. In the case of establishing a stand-alone church, is the church willing to give up a number of families and their gifts to become a part of the new church's core? If so, how many families? At what point will their contributions to your church be set aside for the new church? (Note: in most cases, a church's attendance and giving will recover within a year or so after sending families to the new church.^[30])

H. Setting your new congregation's DNA

1. Philosophy of Ministry. The leadership will need to develop its philosophy of ministry. This philosophy should include the following:
   • A succinct mission statement--our purpose.
   • A vision statement--a picture of where we're going--for example: a) target group (describe), b) indigenous worship (describe), c) discipleship through small groups, everyone is called to ministry, d) prayer powered (describe), e) community impacting (describe), f) future church planting.
   • A list of core values--our beliefs that support our vision.
2. Core Group. The leadership will then need to develop a core group to help establish the new congregation. Here are some guidelines:
   • The best people to recruit are those who already trust and respect the leadership.
   • Those coming from the mother church (or other churches) should decide to join the effort permanently (no short-term missionaries).
   • They should match your target group's profile pretty closely.
   • They should be healthy people. A congregation started initially with dysfunctional people generally produces a dysfunctional congregation. Once established the congregation can begin to reach and bring wholeness to dysfunctional people.
   • If your goal is to establish a congregation with a weekly worship attendance greater than 200, you will need to have at least 50 people in the core group before going public.^[31]
3. Other Initial Steps. The following may be appropriate steps depending on your strategy.
   • Enlist prayer partners from the mother church as well as churches throughout the district or conference. Keep them informed on a regular basis.
   • Have the leadership commissioned by the conference leadership at a service that includes other district/conference churches.
   • At the appropriate time, have the mother church or district sponsor a baby shower for the new congregation. Items might include office equipment, tables and chairs, nursery equipment, children's curriculum, etc.
   • Begin setting aside financial gifts (e.g. from offerings) from day one for missions beyond the local church. For example, consider giving away your entire first worship offering to another church that's just being planted.
   • Consider establishing a new congregation overseas at the same time that you're establishing the new congregation.

^[1] George W. Bullard, Jr., "At What Level Should Denominations Be Involved in Starting New Congregations?", Net Results, September 1999, p. 23.

^[2] Robert E. Logan, "A Revolution in Church Planting," Ministry Advantage, Vol. 7, No. 4, Fall 1997.

^[3] C. Peter Wagner, Church Planting for a Greater Harvest, Ventura, CA: Regal, 1990, p. 11.

^[4] Charles L. Chaney, Net Results, Sept. 1994, p. 11.

^[5] Christian A. Schwarz, Natural Church Development, British Columbia, Canada: International Centre for Leadership Development and Evangelism, 1996, p. 16.

^[6] Ralph Moore, "Discovery Advanced Church Planting,".

^[7] George W. Bullard, Jr., "At What Level Should Denominations Be Involved in Starting New Congregations?", Net Results, September 1999, p. 23.

^[8] C. Peter Wagner, "How to Plant a Church," Pasadena, CA: Fuller Institute, 1985 (seminar tape).

^[9] Aubrey Malphurs, Planting Growing Churches for the 21st Century, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1992, p. 350.

^[10] Dean Merrill, "Mothering a New Church," Leadership, Winter 1985, p. 105.

^[11] Aubrey Malphurs, Planting Growing Curches for the 21st Century, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1992, p. 352.

^[12] Ibid, p. 347.

^[13] Ibid, p. 348.

^[14] George W. Bullard, Jr., "At What Level Should Denominations Be Involved in Starting New Congregations?", Net Results, September 1999, p. 23.

^[15] Ibid, p. 23.

^[16] Ibid, p. 23.

^[17] Carl F. George, "Multiply Your Ministry: Plant a Church," Ministry Advantage, Nov./Dec. 1994.

^[18] Dennis Bulwalda, "Churches Planting Churches Seminar," Jan. 20, 2001.

^[19] Lyle Schaller, The Very Large Church, Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2000, pp.16, 31.

^[20] George W. Bullard, "Seven Reasons to Only Start Congregations that will Have at Least 200 in Attendance," The Bullard Journal, Nov./Dec. 2000, p. 1.

^[21] Ibid, p. 1.

^[22] Ibid, p. 9.

^[23] George W. Bullard, "More Types of Congregations to Start That May Never Have 200 in Attendance," The Bullard Journal, Nov./Dec. 2000, p. 11.

^[24] Ibid, p. 11.

^[25] C. Peter Wagner, "How to Plant a Church," Pasadena, CA: Fuller Institute, 1985 (seminar tape).

^[26] Aubrey Malphurs, Planting Growing Churches for the 21st Century, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1992, pp. 88-104.

^[27] Ibid, p. 356.

^[28] Dennis Buwalda, "Churches Planting Churches Seminar," Jan. 20, 2001.

^[29] Aubrey Malphurs, Planting Growing Churches for the 21st Century, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1992, pp. 49-51.

^[30] Dennis Buwalda, "Churches Planting Churches Seminar," Jan. 20, 2001.

^[31] C. Peter Wagner, Church Planting for a Greater Harvest (Ventura, CA: Regal, 1990), pp. 119-20.