Multiplying ChurchesMultiplying Churches

• The

• Local Church

• is the only HOPE

• For the world!

• The creation of new bodies of believers is implicitly understood as a normal expression of New Testament Missiology.

Percent of US Population Attending Church

Source: The American Church in Crisis, David T. Olson

Churches Opened and Closed Each Year

Sources: The American Church in Crisis by David T. Olson andViral Churches: Helping Church Planters Become Movement Makers by Ed Stetzer and Warren Bird

1990-2000 2000-2005 Current

Churches Opened 3,660

Churches Closed

Net Gain

Percentage Growth

Population Growth

Churches Needed

Churches Opened and Closed Each Year

Sources: The American Church in Crisis by David T. Olson andViral Churches: Helping Church Planters Become Movement Makers by Ed Stetzer and Warren Bird

1990-2000 2000-2005 Current

Churches Opened 3,660

Churches Closed 3,200

Net Gain

Percentage Growth

Population Growth

Churches Needed

Churches Opened and Closed Each Year

Sources: The American Church in Crisis by David T. Olson andViral Churches: Helping Church Planters Become Movement Makers by Ed Stetzer and Warren Bird

1990-2000 2000-2005 Current

Churches Opened 3,660

Churches Closed 3,200

Net Gain 460

Percentage Growth

Population Growth

Churches Needed

Churches Opened and Closed Each Year

Sources: The American Church in Crisis by David T. Olson andViral Churches: Helping Church Planters Become Movement Makers by Ed Stetzer and Warren Bird

1990-2000 2000-2005 Current

Churches Opened 3,660

Churches Closed 3,200

Net Gain 460

Percentage Growth 0.15%

Population Growth

Churches Needed

Churches Opened and Closed Each Year

Sources: The American Church in Crisis by David T. Olson andViral Churches: Helping Church Planters Become Movement Makers by Ed Stetzer and Warren Bird

1990-2000 2000-2005 Current

Churches Opened 3,660

Churches Closed 3,200

Net Gain 460

Percentage Growth 0.15%

Population Growth 1.21%

Churches Needed

Churches Opened and Closed Each Year

Sources: The American Church in Crisis by David T. Olson andViral Churches: Helping Church Planters Become Movement Makers by Ed Stetzer and Warren Bird

1990-2000 2000-2005 Current

Churches Opened 3,660

Churches Closed 3,200

Net Gain 460

Percentage Growth 0.15%

Population Growth 1.21%

Churches Needed 3,880

Churches Opened and Closed Each Year

Sources: The American Church in Crisis by David T. Olson andViral Churches: Helping Church Planters Become Movement Makers by Ed Stetzer and Warren Bird

1990-2000 2000-2005 Current

Churches Opened 3,660 4,009

Churches Closed 3,200 3,707

Net Gain 460 302

Percentage Growth 0.15% 0.09%

Population Growth 1.21% 0.98%

Churches Needed 3,880 3,205

Churches Opened and Closed Each Year

Sources: The American Church in Crisis by David T. Olson andViral Churches: Helping Church Planters Become Movement Makers by Ed Stetzer and Warren Bird

1990-2000 2000-2005 Current

Churches Opened 3,660 4,009 4,000

Churches Closed 3,200 3,707 3,500

Net Gain 460 302 500

Percentage Growth 0.15% 0.09% 0.15%

Population Growth 1.21% 0.98% 0.98%

Churches Needed 3,880 3,205 3,131

Growth Rates for Evangelical Churches by Age

Source: The American Church in Crisis, David T. Olson

Why do you think the Church is in this present

crisis?

Why multiply rather than Why multiply rather than just plant?just plant?

• Because Jesus’ goal was not a single healthy church, but a movement.

• Church multiplication (planting) is an effective evangelistic methodology.

• Church multiplication necessitates an outward focus.

• Church multiplication is the natural result of a growing, healthy church.

• Jesus had no desire for one healthy church, but his vision was a movement of churches

• What are barriers to multiplying churches?

Two Barriers to Church Multiplication

1.Fear of loss.

• Loss of…

• Members• Money• Mud (parts of the community)• Momentum

•It is NOT a resource issue, it is an issue of the heart!”

The Heart of the Matter

• It is not the size of the church that matters, but the size of the church’s HEART that makes all the difference!

2. Corporate selfishness-it is all about us.

• Church Multiplication is a spiritual decision of a local church to put the needs of a desperate world before self-preservation.

How can we keep up?How can we keep up?

•Churches plant churches not Churches plant churches not Denominations or Conferences. Why?Denominations or Conferences. Why?

1.1. DonDon’’t have the resourcest have the resources

2.2. DonDon’’t have the right leadership pipelinet have the right leadership pipeline

3.3. DonDon’’t have the contextual relationships.t have the contextual relationships.

DenominationsConferences

Churches

Big Question: HOW?

•Three typical ways:

• Hive off

• Internships

• Intentional small group development

• Permission Giving.

Now What?• Pray for God’s spirit and presence

• Cast vision for a movement

• Identify those God may be calling

• Study your community

• Schedule training

• Promote missional communities - (TKP)

• Pick your twelve.

25

What it takes to start a What it takes to start a movement.movement.

What it takes to start a What it takes to start a movement.movement.

“Want to”

Vision

Knowledge

Passion

“Want to”

Vision

Knowledge

PassionDesireDesire

26

What it takes to start a What it takes to start a movement.movement.

What it takes to start a What it takes to start a movement.movement.

“Want to”

Vision

Knowledge

Passion

“Want to”

Vision

Knowledge

Passion Resources ResourcesDesireDesire

“How to”

Personnel

Training

Finances

“How to”

Personnel

Training

Finances

27

What it takes to start a What it takes to start a movement.movement.

What it takes to start a What it takes to start a movement.movement.

“Want to”

Vision

Knowledge

Passion

“Want to”

Vision

Knowledge

Passion Resources Resources

ClimateClimate

DesireDesire

“How to”

Personnel

Training

Finances

“How to”

Personnel

Training

Finances

“Get to”

Interdependence

Strategy

Harmony

“Get to”

Interdependence

Strategy

Harmony

3. 3. The right climate3. 3. The right climate

A positive and prevailing attitude, held by a majority of pastors and lay leaders that church multiplication is our goal.

A positive and prevailing attitude, held by a majority of pastors and lay leaders that church multiplication is our goal.

29

What it takes to start a What it takes to start a movement.movement.

What it takes to start a What it takes to start a movement.movement.

“Want to”

Vision

Knowledge

Passion

“Want to”

Vision

Knowledge

Passion Resources Resources

ClimateClimate

DesireDesire

“How to”

Personnel

Training

Finances

“How to”

Personnel

Training

Finances

Effective Church Planting Movement

“Get to”

Interdependence

Strategy

Harmony

“Get to”

Interdependence

Strategy

Harmony

Frustration

Fruitlessness

Futility

Movements are never Movements are never clean, safe, or clean, safe, or predictable. They must predictable. They must be dangerous to be be dangerous to be effective. They are effective. They are always unsafe, messy always unsafe, messy and risky.and risky.

Where are you in the Circles?