Will Your Church Plant Survive?

From Monday Morning Insight

Church Plant Survivability
According to a study done by the North American Mission Board, the following were some of the factors were found to be associated with higher attendance in church plants:
• meeting in a school in the first year over not meeting in a school in the first year
• meeting in a theater in subsequent years over not meeting in a theater in subsequent years
• meeting in a school in subsequent years over not meeting in a school in subsequent years
• conducting a special children’s event (i.e., Fall Festival, Easter Egg Hunt)
• mailing invitations to services, programs, events
• conducting new member classes
• using a church covenant signed by new members
• starting at least one daughter church within three years of the church plant
• having a proactive stewardship development plan enabling the church to be financially
self-sufficient
• having multiple staff members rather than a single staff members at the beginning of the
church plant
• being financially compensated as the church planter
• receiving health insurance whereby the majority of the premiums were paid for by the
church plant, sponsoring church, or denomination
• conducting a block party as an outreach event
• delegating leadership roles to church members
• conducting leadership training to church members
• working full-time over part- or half-time as the church planter
• being assessed prior to planting the church as the church planter
• having the church planter’s expectations realized