Sometimes the most seemingly complex problems require the simplest solutions. The truth is that many churches are shutting their doors, and we need more church plants to keep up and impact the world with the gospel. Consider these figures:
- On average, 3,700 churches close their doors in the U.S. each year.
- On average, 4,000 new churches open their doors in the U.S. each year.
- That’s an annual net gain of 300 churches.
That’s not enough to keep up with the population growth, as the U.S. adds nearly 2 million people per year. This isn’t a second-grade math problem. These are cold, hard facts. And while the sky is not falling around us, the figures are certainly concerning and point to a desperate need to plant churches. There are many reasons why these statistics should concern us. Here are three crucial ones.
Our population in America is growing at a faster rate than we can keep up. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 3,978,497 babies were born in 2015. That is 13,261 new babies for every new church planted. This is alarming considering the current and projected population growth and the increasing secularization of our society. Looking ahead, we know the growth requires more and more plants.
Since 1990, we’ve seen a huge growth in the “Nones,” or people who answer “none of the above” on surveys that ask their religion. People are becoming increasingly honest about what they believe, marking “None” in religious affiliation surveys. These people are not attending church as a cultural norm, and they are ambivalent toward institutions and structures. Religious Nones are the fastest growing group, and, over the last 30 years, they have remained the most consistent in their growth (now about 1 percent per year).
Many people who start attending established churches come from other churches. As a church ages, it moves from breaking new ground for the gospel to being a draw for other, established Christians who are transferring from other churches. This means a church statistically loses its missional effectiveness over time. Mission in the church has a shelf life if nothing changes the status quo.
But there is hope. Across Christian history for 2,000 years, church planting has been the single most effective strategy for reaching lost people with the good news of Jesus. Author Tim Keller puts it this way:
The vigorous, continual planting of new congregations is the single most crucial strategy for (1) the numerical growth of the body of Christ in a city and (2) the continual corporate renewal and revival of the existing churches in a city. Nothing else — not crusades, outreach programs, parachurch ministries, growing megachurches, congregational consulting, nor church renewal processes — will have the consistent impact of dynamic, extensive church planting.
Why do we need more churches?
- Church planting accommodates the growing population in America;
- Church plants advance the gospel faster and reach deeper into the culture than established churches; and,
- Church plants must be creative and simple.
Do you want to make church more accessible to a growing population? Do you want to advance the gospel to more people who don’t know Jesus? Do you want to see church growth that arises from conversions rather than just transfers? Do you want to raise up leaders quickly and effectively? Do you want to keep things simple and focus on the basics of the Christian faith?
Then plant more churches. It’s as simple as that.
Source: Influence Magazine
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Genesis University.