New congregations have energy, passion and momentum that drive them forward! Studies reveal that new congregations reach new people far more effectively than existing congregations. So whatever options are on your list to reach and serve your neighborhood, consider starting something NEW and multiplying your congregation.
We have identified 3 MAIN TRACKS:
New Church Plants
Is there a neighborhood in your area or region or city where you need to consider planting a brand new congregation? Is there a neighborhood where you can multiply and add an additional site/congregation? For example, could you become ONE congregation in TWO or more locations?
Two models:
• Traditional church planter starting something brand-new, most times with a sponsoring congregation.
• Multi-site model. A church identifies a new neighborhood that needs a healthy church and initiates a new site, with a site pastor to lead that congregation.
Re-Plants of Existing Congregations
Are you a church that has had a wonderful history but is STUCK and needs to have a complete re-launch? Are you in a strategic location but the congregation has dwindled? Would your church consider kneeling in a posture of humility, placing EVERYTHING on the table with a “whatever it takes” attitude and re-planting the congregation in the same way that those who originally planted it did.
Two models:
• Independent Re-Plants: Much like a new church plant, these churches are existing congregations that choose to re-launch with new vision.
• Missional Mergers: Two or more churches that recognize that in this new day they can be better together and choose to merge into a new congregation.
Check out the Lighthouse Church Network information.
New Kinds of Churches
Is there a creative expression of “doing and being church” that you have been considering? A creative environment to reach out to millennials? An inner city food bank or clothing depot that has developed a sense of community and has become in fact a “congregation”? New Canadians that have settled into your neighborhood and are longing for community? A café for artists and artisans with a sense of Christian community? We are only limited by our imaginations! Creative and imaginative experiments in communities all over Atlantic Canada must become our habit! Some will gain traction. Some won’t. But we’ll learn from them all.
A New Kind of Church is a creative, expression of “church” (dinner church, café church, house church, etc …). Most times it is “tethered” to an existing congregation.
Interested in considering launching a “New Kind of Church”? Check out these links: Launch Course and
New Kind of Church Pilot Project.