Why do we need to plant churches?

Most Protestant denominations have a strategy for planting new churches. With about 300,000 existing churches in the US some argue that we don't need new churches. Existing churches, especially those that are struggling, often resent the money being spent on starting new churches, especially in the geographic area where they are located. They wonder why the denomination doesn't give them that money since they've already been there. Their reasoning is that with those additional resources they would be able to do better ministry.

One primary reason for starting new churches is that new churches reach new people for Christ. The people in a new church often have a passion for evangelism that is not found in many existing churches. They attend this new church because they are excited about its ministry, and they want others to experience what they experience. The result is that they invite their friends and family to go to church with them.

There's another reason, and that is the lack of sacred cows in new churches. In my pastor conferences I'm often asked why so many of the denominational churches are barely hanging on while new non-denominational churches in the same community is constantly outgrowing its facilities. I explain that these newer churches are often structured much differently than many traditional denominational churches.

In so many of our churches a person cannot buy a roll of toilet paper without approval in a business meeting. If someone suggests changing the color of the toilet paper being used it must be referred to a committee to discuss it for 6-8 months before bringing a recommendation to the next business meeting where it will then be discussed for another two hours. In the new non-denominational church someone goes out and buys toilet paper. Yes...I'm being facetious, a little. But, the fact is many of our existing churches are structured for maintenance, not growth. We spend so much time focusing on administrative details that there is no time to look at growth.

Smaller churches are often greatly overstructured. They still operate as if they were the larger church they once were. People are serving on three or four committees and a couple of boards, teaching a Sunday school class and singing in the choir, and we wonder why they are not out inviting people to church.

Growing churches, whether new church plants or existing churches, are structured for growth, not maintenance. A maintenance church expects the pastor to grow the church while they keep score and make all the decisions, many of which will limit the pastor's ability to grow the church. In a missional church the members see themselves as responsible to grow the church, and the pastor's role is to equip them and provide leadership. Trying to change the paradigm that many maintenance churches hold to is attacking a sacred cow and often leads to problems for the pastor.

So... denominations focus on planting new churches to avoid that sacred cow, and many pastors and seminary graduates now prefer to serve in these new church plants for the same reason.

Before anyone thinks I've suddenly turned against existing churches, I haven't. Existing churches can begin to function like new churches by starting new life cycles. I'll write about that tomorrow.