Learning Congregational Multiplication by Modeling
Part Two: Grassroots Strategies for Congregational Multiplication
Learning Congregational Multiplication by Modeling
Gary and Doris Bagley requested a meeting with their pastor and the church planter leading the new congregational launch. Their church, Adams Road, supported Celebration Church.
They didn’t want to explain why until they met with them.
The Bagley were part of a prayer and support team for Celebration Church. They were impressed with what was happening and with the number of new people—particularly younger families—being reached.
Gary made a significant profit through a recent business transaction. They wanted to tithe the profit to Celebration Church. They brought with them a check for $58,000.
Their prayer group and what they learned about launching a new congregation inspired them to make this gift.
Then they added another dimension to their gift. They would like to attend the new congregation for a year and contribute their talents, skills, and energy to this effort.
Learning by Modeling
Several significant things developed out of the church planting model of a lead congregation and at least two supporting congregations launching new congregations. (See Part One HERE to learn more.)
First, pastors, staff persons, and lay leaders became experienced in launching new congregations. People who never thought about this discovered God could use them.
This is crucial. Extremely few people in the typical congregation have ever been part of launching a new congregation.
In my personal ministry experience, less than ten percent of pastors and staff ministers have launched a new congregation. This percentage is less than three percent for congregational members and participants.
At a minimum 25 percent of pastors and staff ministers and ten percent of lay persons need to be experienced in launching a new congregation.
Second, the finances needed to launch a new congregation are divided among the three launching congregations. This relieves the founding pastor, the core group, and the first round of people who connect with the new congregation from unreasonable funding pressures.
Many church planters are bivocational but do not want or need to be. The opportunities and challenges facing their new congregation are great. Too many planters must spend time raising financial support. They should be spending time sharing Jesus, ministering to people, discipling new Christians, and coaching their leaders.
This is the greatest challenge of the parachurch model of launching new congregations rather than the denominational model. The parachurch model puts more pressure on the church planter. The denominational model asks the launching congregations to provide significant spiritual, financial, and volunteer support over a period of years along with denominational resources.
Third, leadership emerges. Members of launching congregations possess spiritual gifts and life skills that contribute value to new congregations. They simply have not been called upon to serve in this capacity.
These leaders may join the new congregation as members. Or volunteer for six months to two years to help develop leadership in the new congregation. I have known people who became perpetual leaders of a succession of new congregations. Moving from one to another every one to two years.
Fourth, spiritual support is essential to launching new congregations. The evidence is real and tangible. If you believe in the power of prayer, then you believe that having at least three congregations pray for a new congregation makes a powerful difference. Often a geometric difference. Not just in the spiritual empowerment of the new congregation but also in tangible ways.
Multiple times, individuals and groups praying for the launch of a new congregation will step forward with a financial gift. A commodity needed by the new congregation. Or to personally volunteer to help, even if that means leaving their current congregation.
This was the case with the Bagleys.
Fifth, the launching congregations learn from a new congregation what they need to be doing in their own congregations. Re-envisioning, revitalization, renewal, rethinking, and replanting happens in the launching congregations.
Without grassroots launching of new congregations, existing congregations miss out on the opportunity to learn from their involvement. They might learn about the power of prayer for God’s leadership in their congregation. Ways to reach new people. The value of forming new groups. How to refresh their worship experiences. The difference it makes when people experience the joy of something new emerging.
When a critical mass of congregations does not participate in launching new congregations, a larger number of existing congregations plateau and decline. Conversely, when more congregations participate in launching new congregations, fewer of these existing congregations plateau or decline.
Copyright 2025 by George W. Bullard Jr. February 6, 2025 Edition
OR . . .