The Key To A Guaranteed Church Planting Fail
Do it Alone.
Tommy Gray shared in an interview last year that 70 percent of historic church plants in the United Methodist tradition in his region have either failed or never reached membership of over 125 people. They were not accomplishing what they set out to do.
As they reflected on what wasn’t working Gray shared those things that have made them more successful recently. Among those characteristics I found one unifying theme that seemed to spell doom to new plants; that was the attempt by the planter and expectation of others that he or she could do it alone.
There is little that correlates with failure more than isolation of the planter. Note these ways it is possible to try to plant without healthy connection:
Without God: Jim Griffith shares that this is most often seen in pastors neglecting the Great Commandment in pursuit of the Great Commission.
Without a Confirmed Calling or Gifting: […]