Church PlantingChurch Planting

Partnerships Partnerships

with the with the

Texas DistrictTexas District

““As long as there are any As long as there are any unchurched people living in the unchurched people living in the

territory of a Christian territory of a Christian congregation, that congregation, that

congregation should congregation should

seek to win them for Christseek to win them for Christ, ,

Luke 14:21-23…Luke 14:21-23…

……For this purpose a Christian For this purpose a Christian congregation should seek to congregation should seek to grow in membership, Acts 2:41; grow in membership, Acts 2:41; 4:4. If a congregation which is 4:4. If a congregation which is located in a territory of many located in a territory of many unchurched people does not unchurched people does not grow in membership, this does grow in membership, this does not speak well for it nor for its not speak well for it nor for its pastor; much less so, of course, pastor; much less so, of course, if it even loses in membership.”if it even loses in membership.”

John H.C. Fritz, John H.C. Fritz, Pastoral Pastoral Theology: A Handbook of Theology: A Handbook of Scriptural Principles Written Scriptural Principles Written Especially for Pastors of the Especially for Pastors of the Lutheran ChurchLutheran Church, Concordia , Concordia Publishing House, 1945, p. 284.Publishing House, 1945, p. 284.

The American Church Research Project

51,110,171

-

10,000,000

20,000,000

30,000,000

40,000,000

50,000,000

60,000,000

Church Attendance 1990 Church Attendance 2006 Population Growth 1990 - 2006

Church Attendance in 1990 & 2006 Compared to Population Growth 1990 - 2006

In 1990, 52 million people attended a Christian church each weekend.

The American Church Research Project

51,110,171 51,668,200

-

10,000,000

20,000,000

30,000,000

40,000,000

50,000,000

60,000,000

Church Attendance 1990 Church Attendance 2006 Population Growth 1990 - 2006

Church Attendance in 1990 & 2006 Compared to Population Growth 1990 - 2006

By 2006, however, 52 million people still attended a Christian church each weekend.

The American Church Research Project

51,110,171 51,668,200 51,773,556

-

10,000,000

20,000,000

30,000,000

40,000,000

50,000,000

60,000,000

Church Attendance 1990 Church Attendance 2006 Population Growth 1990 - 2006

Church Attendance in 1990 & 2006 Compared to Population Growth 1990 - 2006

Meanwhile, by 2006 52 million more people were living in the United States.

The American Church Research Project

This is the Future Trajectory of the American Church if nothing changes.

20.4%19.5%

18.7%17.5%

16.5%15.5%

14.7%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020

Percentage of Population Attending a Christian Church each Weekend

The American Church Research Project

Dallas/Ft. Worth Metro Area 2000 Percentage of the Population Attending a

Christian Church on Any Given Weekend

16.3%

Denton

18.2%

Hood

26.9%

Rockwall

19.7%

Kaufman

16.4%

Henderson

17.9%

Hunt

19.3

Parker

18.8%

Collin

19.5%

Ellis

21.6%

Tarrant21.4%

Dallas

The American Church Research Project

Austin Metro Area 2000 Christian

Church Attendance on Any Given

Weekend

14.1%

Hays

15.3%

Williamson

16.2%

Bastrop17.5%

Caldwell

17.6%

Travis

The American Church Research Project

Houston Metro Area 2000 Percentage of the Population

Attending a Christian Church on Any Given Weekend

14.9%

Waller

14.9%

Waller

19.9%

Liberty

19.9%

Liberty

16.3%

Chambers

16.3%

Chambers

19.0%

Harris

19.0%

Harris

15.7%

Montgomery

15.7%

Montgomery

16.3%

Fort Bend

16.3%

Fort Bend

The American Church Research Project

San Antonio Metro Area 2000 Percentage of the Population Attending a Christian Church on Any

Given Weekend

11.2%

Guadalupe

16.0%

Wilson

20.0%

Comal

18.6%

Bexar

Why new churches?Why new churches?

• Our Growing Texas Our Growing Texas populationpopulation

• 2008 data from U.S. 2008 data from U.S. Census bureau Census bureau shows 4 of the shows 4 of the biggest population biggest population gaining areas are gaining areas are in Texas (DFW, in Texas (DFW, Houston, Austin, Houston, Austin, San Antonio)San Antonio)

Reframing our thinkingReframing our thinking

• "Church parenting "Church parenting isis costly, but that costly, but that cost is an investment, not a loss…cost is an investment, not a loss…church parenting is an investment in church parenting is an investment in the Kingdom. Churches that parent the Kingdom. Churches that parent other churches do not lose. other churches do not lose. Phil Phil Stevenson, Stevenson, The Ripple ChurchThe Ripple Church

New Church plants will never New Church plants will never happen if…happen if…

• We believe the pool of future members is limited We believe the pool of future members is limited to those Lutherans living or moving into an areato those Lutherans living or moving into an area

• Our Pastors don't believe it is vitalOur Pastors don't believe it is vital• We allow excuses like these below to become We allow excuses like these below to become

normative:normative:– we're too small…we don't have $$...we're too small…we don't have $$...– once we get our new Family Life Center paid once we get our new Family Life Center paid

forfor– ...or once we get past some issues of ...or once we get past some issues of

disagreement then we will think about it.disagreement then we will think about it.

How Your Mission and MinistryHow Your Mission and MinistryFacilitator Can Help Facilitator Can Help

Invite Paul, Lou Area A MMF_________ or Invite Paul, Lou Area A MMF_________ or Area C MMF____________ to come to Area C MMF____________ to come to your congregation or Circuit Pastors' your congregation or Circuit Pastors' Conference to shareConference to share

"The Case for Church Planting" by "The Case for Church Planting" by coming along side missional pastors coming along side missional pastors and leaders to share the vision of and leaders to share the vision of church planting by congregations or church planting by congregations or partnerships of congregationspartnerships of congregations

How Your Mission and MinistryHow Your Mission and MinistryFacilitator Can Help Facilitator Can Help

• Help potential planting congregations or Help potential planting congregations or partnerships study the demographics of partnerships study the demographics of potential targeted communities using potential targeted communities using tools from MissionInsite tools from MissionInsite

• Help potential planting congregations Help potential planting congregations ask the right questionsask the right questions

Once you are moving Once you are moving toward planting… toward planting…

• Work with the planting congregation or Work with the planting congregation or partners in designing a Mission Planpartners in designing a Mission Plan

• Pray for and with the planting congregation Pray for and with the planting congregation and partnersand partners

• Connect planting congregation or partners Connect planting congregation or partners to appropriate resources (print, media, real to appropriate resources (print, media, real people and mission starts) which will be people and mission starts) which will be helpfulhelpful

• Help congregation locate appropriate Help congregation locate appropriate planter. (Dr. Hirsch involved)planter. (Dr. Hirsch involved)

Church Planter Church Planter Assessment ProcessAssessment Process

1.1. Contact Dr. John HirschContact Dr. John Hirsch

2.2. Gallop Church Planter Gallop Church Planter Assessment InventoryAssessment Inventory

3.3. BirkmanBirkman

4.4. Behavioral InterviewBehavioral Interview

5.5. Assessment Report to potential Assessment Report to potential planter and host organizationplanter and host organization

Once you are moving Once you are moving toward planting… toward planting…

• Meet regularly with leaders as they Meet regularly with leaders as they revise and finalize their Mission Planrevise and finalize their Mission Plan

• Sign-off on the Mission Plan (Right Sign-off on the Mission Plan (Right Person, Right Place, Right Plan)Person, Right Place, Right Plan)

• Walk with the planting group as they Walk with the planting group as they apply for funding with the Texas.apply for funding with the Texas.

• Function as advocate to the Board of Function as advocate to the Board of Mission AdministrationMission Administration

Once Mission Plan is approved… Once Mission Plan is approved…

• Meet regularly with Mission Planter and Meet regularly with Mission Planter and leadership coreleadership core

• Help connect Mission Planter to a Help connect Mission Planter to a mentor/coachmentor/coach

• Monitor growth, (spiritual health, Monitor growth, (spiritual health, numerical growth, community impact) as numerical growth, community impact) as appropriateappropriate

• Help facilitate charter process when and Help facilitate charter process when and if time is rightif time is right

Once Mission Plan is approved… Once Mission Plan is approved…

• Help new Mission begin thinking Help new Mission begin thinking about when they will be ready to about when they will be ready to plant!plant!

• Continue to work with planting Continue to work with planting congregation or partnership on congregation or partnership on their own spiritual vitality as well their own spiritual vitality as well as help them plan for their next as help them plan for their next opportunity to plant!opportunity to plant!

Texas District Will Provide…Texas District Will Provide…

• Cost for screening Cost for screening potential mission planterspotential mission planters

• Cost for training mission Cost for training mission planterplanter

• ½ cost for mentor/coach ½ cost for mentor/coach (ca. $5,000)(ca. $5,000)

• Assistance of Mission and Assistance of Mission and Ministry FacilitatorMinistry Facilitator

• MissionInsite (demographic MissionInsite (demographic report) for target areareport) for target area

Texas District Will Provide…Texas District Will Provide…• FinancesFinances• Plan A (usually for Anglo start)Plan A (usually for Anglo start)

• Interest freeInterest free• Up to $200,000 repayable Up to $200,000 repayable

fundsfunds• Repay over 20 yearsRepay over 20 years

• Plan B (usually for Plan B (usually for International/Ethnic start)International/Ethnic start)

• Up to $100,000Up to $100,000• Interest freeInterest free• Repay ½ over 20 yearsRepay ½ over 20 years

Next StepsNext Steps

• Contact your MMFContact your MMF• Recruit Prayer PartnersRecruit Prayer Partners• Begin work on the Begin work on the

Mission PlanMission Plan• Begin looking for a Begin looking for a

Mission PlanterMission Planter• Submit your plan to the Submit your plan to the

Texas District Board for Texas District Board for Mission AdministrationMission Administration