Churches are Shrinking, Why Plant?
By Adrian Dixon
In 2001, as I was beginning to share my calling to plant a church, I would often be asked “why?” Often times, I wouldn’t get a chance to respond before hearing all the reasons why I shouldn’t plant:
- There are already enough churches without pastors, why start another one?
- Church planting is hard and often times, church plants don’t make it.
- Church planting is too expensive.
Those are all legitimate concerns, but let me give you some reasons why we as a denomination need to pray for and work toward a church planting movement:
- When we funnel those called to plant into churches that need a pastor, it is like using artificial sweetener: it can work, but it’s not ideal.
- Churches are like people. They have lifecycles, beginnings and endings. Some churches live a long, long time and some churches have a shorter life span. Regardless of how long a church does or doesn’t live shouldn’t keep us on the sidelines of church planting. We may very well see churches started that don’t make it for the long term; in fact, I know we will have that experience. But we will also see churches that, Lord willing, are reaching their communities and multiplying up and until the Lord returns.
- Church planting can be expensive. But, for the last 50 years, it has also proven to be the single most effective way to bring people into a relationship with Jesus. When it comes to our earthly resources and the impact church planting can have in people lives and in their communities, we can’t afford not to plant.
A vigorous and continuous approach to church planting is the only way to guarantee an increase in the number of believers, and is one of the best ways to renew the whole body of Christ. ~ Tim Keller