One of my main responsibilities at church is the launch of a new Sunday Night worship service this September. This service which is being birthed out of our current Tuesday night service Evolution is something that I am incredibly excited about. We are treating the launch of the this new worshiping community as a new church plant. We are building a core launch group, holding preview services, and most of all working to reconnect with the community.
It is this last part of the new service that is the most exciting and daunting. In researching church planting in the 21st century, you will find that methodologies are rapidly changing when it comes to engaging your community to build a church. For the past 30 years church planting has often resembled opening a franchise. A slick advertising campaign, calling local loyal customers and a big launch have dominated the movement. And often with great success, I might add. But there seems to be a shift taking place culturally that is rendering previous methodology less effective.
Take phone calls for instance. Remember when telemarketing was seemingly a national crisis. Now with Caller ID, so many people just using cell phones, and VOIP lines who answers their phone without knowing who is calling? A phone bank with 20,000 cold calls will probably result in very little return today. Before it was the basis of building critical mass. But, what will replace older methodology? How will new churches make their existence known and recruit a leadership base?
Church planting seems to be getting more relational and missional. Churches are often launching smaller, without a big event or huge group of people. Sometimes the launch of a church is nothing more than a Bible study in someone’s home for a year. Word of mouth seems to be the most powerful tool. Churches are using mission opportunities and service as ways to connect with the community, working side by side with them.
How will this change the nature of church planting and the churches that are birthed? I am not sure, but I imagine they will be more relational, smaller, more flexible, more authentic to their communities, less consumeristic and they will take longer to grown. Will this be good. Hopefully, but who knows, ten years from now we may be taking about how the iPhone revolutionized church planting.
Any thoughts about what it takes plant a church today?……
July 2, 2007 at 8:05 pm
For me it will require a wide variety of flip flops…to walk in the world among the multitude empowered by the Spirit of God. Who’s with me? Shay? Greg…you may need to put pedicures in the budget.
We’ll also need a large dose of humility, patience, no fear and something I’ve been praying for…self control (I think it’s the last fruit in the list for a reason…it’s tough getting this one). Ego will need to be left behind. Defensiveness too.
Let’s go!
July 3, 2007 at 1:57 am
Back in 2004, before I started coming to our church, I worked for a good friend of mine on his campaign for the North Carolina House. It was my way to pay for the divorce. I did his public relations and campaigned for him. He did my divorce. It was a nice deal, I believe.
Anyways, part of what we did was every Saturday we would gather at his house in Cleveland County, just outside of Shelby, to campaign. The goal was to get to every house – Republican, Democrat, Communist – to give them a flyer and to give the voter a personal interaction with the candidate. We won that election by about 10 to 12 percent and dominated the opponent in her own precinct, one of the keys to victory that year.
I tell you that story to say this. Looking back on that experience now, it was the ultimate way to reach the masses and how to share the faith and love we share in Christ Our Lord. We are so clouded by technology and different communication tool that the one thing, I believe, that can revolutionize church planting is reaching out to the people on a personal level.
I know when we think of door-to-door campaigns in the church we think Jehovah’s Witnesses. But what I’m thinking of is being neighborly and creating a community and from that comes the church.
Maybe I’m wrong. I just yearn for the personal when trying to promote.
July 3, 2007 at 1:57 pm
You said Word of mouth seems to be the most powerful tool and I think that is the key.
What we need to do if figure out how to enable the word of mouth. How can we make it easier for our members to go out and engage in that conversation? A lot of people are terrified of the thought of going door to door and evangelizing (one of them is me). If it is the right thing let’s do it, but let’s not throw people into the wild without the proper tools.
I love the idea of postcards that have some basic information about the service on them but that allow members to write a short note and mail it to someone. Then, next time you see them, that is the ice breaker. “Did you get the card I sent? I’d love for you to join me!” (Credit goes to Maggie for this one)
I think if we can help the conversation start, such that it is a genuine invitation and the people involved don’t feel like there is some scripted discussion happening with some ulterior motive, than not only will we be more successful in bringing people in, but more people in the church will be comfortable going out and sharing.
-David
July 3, 2007 at 2:38 pm
Church leadership needs to be in the real day to day exchanges of the world…face to face, coffee in hand, talking with and listening to people…all kinds of people who are created in the image of God and who may or may not know that Jesus died for them too. We don’t have to tell them this, of course, and surely many will NOT be open to hear it…we just need to treat them as such. It is not necessary for someone to walk into a church building to experience the love of God. We’ve got portable tents. Right?
July 3, 2007 at 3:22 pm
David,
That’s the key is starting the conversation. I can remember a few times you’re just giving them the flyer, but there would be the few where you could engage in a conversation with the person you’re meeting. Of course, me at the time was more interested in getting to the destination, handing out my stack of flyers, getting something to eat, and then going home. But when we can engage someone and let down the barriers great things can happen.
You don’t need to go door to door to start a conservation, just a big mouth and Lord knows I’ve got a big one.
July 6, 2007 at 1:00 pm
Good discussion guys. I think that effective evangelism begins with relationships and authenticity. When we engage people, not for the sake of proselytizing them, but to genuinely engage with them and build a relationship, evangelism should be a natural out flow. Regardless, it takes us demonstrating some courage to get it done.