Ed Stetzer

Church planting follows a biblical pattern.

When we look throughout the New Testament, we see church planting as an established pattern. I will be the first to tell you the Bible never mentions church planting. It never comes out and says, "Plant churches," but it's clearly assumed. It's the first thing the disciples did when they responded to the commissions of Jesus. They planted churches.

Most of the churches recorded in the New Testament were involved in sending people in some form or another to start other churches. Ironically, the Jerusalem Church was an exception. They sent people out to check up on the new churches and to make sure they weren't getting too crazy.

We've got too many Jerusalem churches today. The only time they're heard from is when they believe someone is doing something wrong. We've got to change that truth. Church planting is an overwhelmingly Biblical passion and we need to support it. We were all started at some point. Let's model that spirit again and start more churches.

Church planting is essential for survival.

For any movement to thrive, it has to plant churches. Statistically speaking, if a population just wants to "break even," it has to plant at least at a three percent level—a denomination of 100 churches has to plant 3 to stay even considering attrition. A five percent increase is needed to grow. Ten percent is needed to thrive.

If we honestly believe our movement is the place to land theologically, then we need to support it by planting churches.

Form Healthy Relationships

Church planters and plants, perhaps more so than any other pastor and church, need to form healthy relationships with other churches – including established churches who can help them and others that they can help.

Many church planters are young men fresh out of seminary or youth ministry without much, if any pastoral experience. They need the wisdom and leadership of older men who have walked the road ahead of them, and these church partnerships are the perfect place to find it.

If unchecked, the needed passion for their plant can result in a myopic approach to ministry from the planter. They can forget there is a whole world outside their doors. There is local and global mission. There are other local churches looking for partners in ministry. Helping to keep the vision in check is another way a healthy established church partner can play a vital role in a new church.

Continue the Momentum

Church plants are the new default form of evangelism for a reason. They are working. There are churches making disciples in places where there were no churches a few years ago. And many of those are planting more churches in similar areas. There are a few steps church planters and leaders can do to keep the progress moving.

Find and equip the right leaders. One of the greatest causes of church planting failure are the failures of the church plant leader. It is imperative that the church planter is wired and gifted as a church planter, as well as having the necessary spiritual and emotional health.

Once you have identified the right leaders, help them discern the right place to plant. Follow the direction of the Spirit together, but take note of the places where there are few churches. Though obviously not the only place where a church plant can be effective, the Northeast, the Northwest, and cities are prime places for planting in the U.S.

1. Pattern of Ministry Initiation

If the first thing you want to start is a church, that's not a good idea. That's not a good way to test if you are, indeed, a "starter."

Rather, there should be a pattern of ministry initiation, which may include starting Bible studies, compassion-based ministries, etc. Is there a consistent flow of "launch" in your ministry life? Starting other ministries can help you figure out if God wants you to plant a church.

Launching things is difficult but a great learning process. There is a Biblical principle that says those who are faithful with a little will be given more to steward. If you have never started a ministry, it is highly unlikely that God would ask you to plant a church.

2. Pattern of Ministry Multiplication

Are you able to train others in an area of ministry and then let them go to lead that area? Or are you more likely to just do it yourself—so it can be done "right"? If howsomething is done is always more important to you than who is doing it, church planting will be a very difficult ministry path for you.

If you have a pattern of connecting people to ministry roles and then releasing them to grow into those roles, then you have a key characteristic that is essential in church planting.

I love church planters—and so does LifeWay. Our primary goal at LifeWay is to provide biblical solutions for life.

As a result, we at LifeWay want to help new church planters by providing them with four key resources: some curriculum, a website, leadership development tools, and free printed LifeWay materials. Church planters who have planted churches within the last two years, regardless of denomination, may receive the following four resources:

1. Bible Study Groups (6 months of digital curriculum for all ages)

Bible study curriculum is one of the foundational parts of ministry for many churches, and LifeWay wants to give church planters a head start by providing six months of free digital curriculum for all age levels.

2. Free Church Website Design and 1 Year of Hosting

Having a website designed from scratch can cost a lot of money. Most church planters don't have enough money to hire out a web designer to whip up a fancy website. LifeWay values the online presence of the church and wants to provide new church planters with a free website and a year of hosting.

I have planted a number of churches over the years, and I definitely am not skilled in building websites, so I know that this would be helpful for me.

3. Leadership Development with Ministry Grid

LifeWay has just launched a new ministry training tool: Ministry Grid. Training church volunteers in a room for six hours on a Saturday afternoon is becoming increasingly difficult, but with Ministry Grid, training ministry volunteers is easy. Ministry Grid has over 2,000 online training videos you cannot find anywhere else. From the parking lot to the pulpit, Ministry Grid has videos for every ministry in your church.

LifeWay is offering a free year of Ministry Grid to new church planters—an invaluable resource. Volunteer training has never been more efficient or comprehensive.