Intentional Planting

When the motivations for starting a new church are due to LEGITIMATE unhealthy issues in the mother church, what is the down side?

Launch: Accidental & Quick Launch: Planned & Strategically Timed Church Split Intentional Plant Launch: Accidental & Quick Launch: Planned & Strategically Timed

Motivation: Issue(s) Motivation: Harvest Church Split Intentional Plant Motivation: Issue(s) Motivation: Harvest

Created in reaction to perceived cause of split Church Split Intentional Plant Ministries: Created in reaction to perceived cause of split Internal Focused Ministries: Based on what they feel God is calling them to be External Focused

Mother Church Relationship: Church Split Intentional Plant Mother Church Relationship: Mutual antagonistic feelings Mother Church Relationship: Mutually supportive

Slow recruitment of core Church Split Intentional Plant Growth: Slow recruitment of core Launch burst Steady, planned growth Growth: Initial burst Quick Plateau Decline

Lingering negative & bitter feelings just below surface Church Split Intentional Plant Emotional Health: Lingering negative & bitter feelings just below surface Past bound Emotional Health: Optimistic Positive Future focused

Witness in community: ? Witness in community: ? Church Split Intentional Plant Witness in community: ? Witness in community: ?

Exponential Potential Church Split Intentional Plant Harvest Impact: Exponential Potential Harvest Impact: Minimal

Consider: If we do not learn how to be intentional/strategic in planting churches, the only plants will be as a result of a split. Entire metro areas are populated with unhealthy churches due to this being the method utilized. The bad DNA continues to be perpetuated.

Little if any evangelism funds Giving: Church Split Intentional Plant Giving: Based on “needs” Little if any evangelism funds Giving: Based on vision and changed lives Significant evangelism funds

Growth first, with strategic saving and planning toward building Church Split Intentional Plant Church Building: Growth first, with strategic saving and planning toward building Church Building: Seen to remedy lack of growth Urgent

High likelihood of failure unless intervention takes place Church Split Intentional Plant Survival Rate: High likelihood of failure unless intervention takes place Survival Rate: High likelihood of long term success and permanent presence

Future Church Planting: Church Split Intentional Plant Future Church Planting: If at all… through another split Future Church Planting: Easily led toward birthing daughter churches