Barriers to Planting Churches
Typical Response
1. PLANTING WILL HURT THE PARENT CHURCH
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Seldom true - in fact the opposite is often the case.
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Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Luke 6:38
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Ralph Winter - "Israel wanted to be blessed but didn't want to be a blessing.”
2. PLANTING HURTS EXISTING CHURCHES
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Again, the opposite often happens.
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New churches set new standards and raise the quality of ministry in a community.
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New churches seek to reach the unchurched. In most communities this is well over half the population. Many more churches are needed to reach them!
3. PLANTING USUALLY FAILS
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The Bad News: Estimates are that four out of five new churches fail and only one in ten sustain at larger than 100 people in worship.
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The Good News: The success rate increases to nine of ten when the new church takes advantage of training and coaching from experienced planters.
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Key is leveraging the wisdom of experienced planters.
4. WE'RE TOO SMALL TO PLANT
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Small churches have successfully started new churches.
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Several small churches can partner in starting a new church.
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Large churches sometimes have a more difficult time persuading people to leave than do medium-sized churches.
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More important than size in ability to plant, is the health of the church and the vision of the people.
5. PLANTING BREAKS CHURCHES APART
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Only in the cases of church splits (unhealthy church planting)
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If there is a kingdom vision, the parenting church blesses those leaving to join the new church and greatly values the sacrifice made by those who leave.
6. NEW CHURCH ENDS UPS REPLACING EXISTING CHURCH
7. CHURCH PLANTING CREATES A LEADERSHIP DRAIN
Source: Woodale Center, Minneapolis, MN
