The Need for Church Planting

[James Nored]

“The single most effective evangelistic methodology under heaven is planting new churches.” --Peter Wagner

Research studies confirm Peter Wagner's assertion that church planting is an effective evangelistic method.
Churches under 3 years of age win an average of 10 people/year for every 100 members
Churches 3-15 years of age win an average of 5/year for every 100 members
Churches over 15 years win an average of 3/year for every 100 members

As a church ages, it is easy for the church to rely on out dated methods, or it becomes inward focused. Church planting begins with a clear purpose of reaching lost people, and all of the efforts and resources are focused around this goal. There are also no entrenched ways of thinking and no structural hurdles to overcome, so needed changes are made easily. While we have often recognized the need for starting new churches overseas, the need for church planting in the United States is great. Consider these numbers:
1900 - 28 churches for every 10,000 Americans
2004 – 11 churches for every 10,000 Americans
Number of unchurched in US has doubled from 1991 to 2004

The United States is the fifth largest mission field in the world Weekly church attendance is 18-23% in the US and plummeting. The need for church planting is as great.


Why do you think that church plants are more successful in reaching non-Christians than most established churches?