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Category: Church Planting

5 Ways to Move Your Church from Club to Movement

In my youth group “club,” everyone was very familiar with everyone else, which felt great. We had certain things we talked about, and we were always on the same wavelength. But what about the people who were not a part of the club? They probably thought we were a little weird. Instead of being the grand poobah of a club, I encourage you to be a facilitator of the greatest movement the world has ever known.

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4 Church Planting Networks You Should Know

As a church-lover, researcher, and practitioner, I offer four church planting organizations and two church plants you simply need to know. These church planting organizations are getting it done with creative and consistent means. They each offer distinct contributions to the field of church planting.

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Faithfulness to God’s Word and Church Renewal

The scriptures mark out a path that guides and leads us to God’s future. In our day, as we sense acutely the new challenges presented to the work of the gospel, followers of Jesus must hold to the practice of faithfulness to God’s word as a key habit to cultivate and embody that life. Such a way of life will serve as the fuel for revitalizing existing communities of faith and for the launching of new ones.

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Book Review: On the Verge

On The Verge offers hope and instruction for established churches to join in what God is doing to reach His people. This Seedbed Summary outlines the main points of the book. Find out if it On The Verge will be a useful one in your ministry.

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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: […]

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