Introduction to Church Planting: Fall 2004 Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Dr. Rodney Harrison

The Debate about Church Planting Common Objections to Church Planting: The church has become established New churches are seen as “competition” even when stylistically they are very different. Large Church mentality. The Church Growth Movement (CGM) caused some to believe “Bigger is Better” and “The Church Must Be Big Enough” The Parish Church Mindset. This approach to ministry focus on one church per region or community. Roman Catholics, Lutherans and Episcopalians continue to follow the parish model formally. Baptists and other evangelicals often follow this model informally. The Parish mentality is one reason the church to population ratio has gone from 27 per 10,000 Americans down to 11 churches per 10,000 today.

The Debate about Church Planting The Professional Church Syndrome Fosters the idea that churches need seminary-trained, fully- paid pastors in order to be effective. However, research by Roland Allen almost 100 years ago showed that the growth of churches was almost inversely proportional to educational attainment. Recent studies by the North American Mission Board (NAMB) demonstrat that Bi-vocational pastors are as effective as full-time pastors in most areas. The churches they pastors are slightly smaller, but actually baptize more people. The “Brick and Mortar” Syndrome Many people in our churches still equate “church” with a physical address and building. Such thinking overlooks the masses who live in multihousing, inner-city, sparsely populated rural areas and other non-traditional settings.

The Debate about Church Planting The “Already Reached” myth. The idea that most Americans and Canadians are “Christians” discourages church planting. This is simply not true 195,000,000 in the USA are unchurched Only 1 in 7 attended church in North America this past week 85% of existing churches are plateaued or declining. (Win Arn, Church Growth Incorporated).

The Debate about Church Planting Objections to the activity of God are not new. Matt 14:15 When it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, “This place is desolate and the hour is already late; so send the crowds away, that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!” Mark 10:13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. 14But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 15Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. 16And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. Luke 10:38-42 Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

A Missional Response Stuart Murray advocates that we listen to these critics (page 23) “None of this is sufficient to justify abandonment of strategies to plant new churches. But the objection helps to clarify the basis on which strategies must operate…” Later he writes, “Simply planting churches of the kind we already have is not the answer…” Charles Brock identifies nine things which may be “excess baggage”—each which will hinder church planting. (pages 40-41) 1. The idea that a church meets in a church house is more genuine than a church that meets in a home 2. Singular leadership in the church

A Missional Response 3. The idea that Northerners will flock to meet with a click of southern transferees 4. Predicting the future on the basis of past resistance of failures. This requires no faith at all. 5. The idea that if one sector of society is resistant then all others must be 6. A flawed definition of what a church is 7. The idea that only the professional clergy can be effective church planters 8. Low expectation level for new believers 9. The idea that if a church ceases to function as a group, the church or planter is a failure