Top 10 Reasons to Plant Churches

Taken from: David T. Olson, The American Church in Crisis, 155-156.

10. New Churches lower the age profile of the American church, increase its multi-ethnicity, and better position the whole church for future changes.

9. New churches provide synergistic benefits to established churches. Research shows that denominations that plant many strong churches have more healthy, growing, established churches than those who plant few churches.

8. The continued growth of new churches will extend up to 40 years after their start.

7. New churches provide a channel to express the energy and ideas of passionate, innovative young pastors.

6. New churches are the research and development unit of God's kingdom. Healthy cultural adaptations and theological vitality occur more often in a denomination that excels at church planting, because the ferment of new ideas and ministry solutions is more robust.

5. New churches are the test laboratory for lay leadership development. In new church plants that do well, most lay members report that being part of the beginning of the new church was one of the defining spiritual events in their life.

4. New churches are historically the best method for reaching each emerging new generation.

3. New churches are the only truly effective means to reach the growing ethnic populations coming to America. Church planting can effectively create both ethnic-specific and multi-ethnic congregations.

2. New churches are more effective than established churches at conversion growth. Studies show that new churches have three to four times the conversion rate per attendee than established churches.

1. Because the large majority of Americans do not attend a local church, many more new churches are needed. In 2005, 17.5% of Americans attended a local church on any given Sunday. The best and most effective way for the Christian church to keep up with populations growth is to start new churches.