North American Church Planting Demographics Establishing churches with

North American Church Planting Demographics

“Establishing churches with the intention that numerical growth will come from evangelizing and discipling local people, particularly the unchurched. ”

Church Attendance in America 1. 40% of Americans say they attend church regularly. Breakdown 2. 20% in church on any given Sunday. 3. 5% attend church 5 out of 8 Sundays 4. 15% attend church sporadically 60% rarely if ever attend church.

Church Growth In America 1. This past year 3500 churches closed their doors and 4000 new churches started. 2. 75 -80% of church growth in America is people transferring from one church to another. 3. The percentage of people who call themselves “born again” stays at 32% year after year.

Cons. Anabaptist Church Plants 1. There a some Anabaptist churches in which the majority are natives.

Cons. Anabaptist Church Plants Outside of North America 1. There a some Anabaptist churches in which the majority are natives. 2. Most are dependent on North Americans to keep the church operating. Members are not equipped to lead the church and take responsibility for it.

Cons. Anabaptist Church Plants in North America 1. The majority of attempts in America are colonization. Few join the church. 2. Church plants end up being salt and light, rather than the catalyst for indigenous church plants. 3. A few churches have a majority of local members, but most were previously Christians. 4. Not aware of any churches in which the majority of the members were previously unchurched. 5. Church plants often end up populating other churches or becoming acculturated.

What shall we say to these things…?

Seekers Transplant Growth Plain People looking for a church that is more authentic, alive, or active. More Relevancy More Opportunity Independence / Leniency A Fresh Start

Seekers Transplant Growth Transfer Growth Plain People looking for a church that is more authentic, alive, or active. Protestants who are wanting something more than mainstream Christianity More Relevancy More Opportunity Non-Conformists Independence / Leniency Contemporary A Fresh Start A Clean Slate

Those Without Friends Social Outcasts Poor Relational Skills Dependent on Free handouts

What shall we say to these things…?

Seekers Transplant Growth Transfer Growth Plain People who are Protestants who are looking for a church that is wanting something more authentic, alive, or more than active. mainstream Christianity

What should our response be… …if growth in our churches is posterity growth, transplant growth, or transfer growth and not convert growth?

Seeking the Unchurched

Helping Non-Seekers Become Seekers

Who should we be seeking? James 1: 27 Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after fatherless and widows in their distress Fatherless 24 million do not live with their biological father 25 million live in single parent home 3. 7 million do not live with either parent

Who should we be seeking? James 1: 27 Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after fatherless and widows in their distress Widows 13. 6 million widows Widows spend 14 years as a single (average) Many widows experience financial hardship

Who should we be seeking? Luke 7 12 As [Jesus] approached the town gate, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother. . . 13 When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said to her, “Do not weep. ” 14 Then he came up and touched the bier Grieving 2. 5 million people die each year 900, 000 Americans die prematurely each year 32, 000 Americans die in auto accidents

Who should we be seeking? Psalm 68: 6 “God sets the lonely in families” Lonely 5 million people - no one they talk with 168 million – Only one person close to them What kind of families? a. Church Families b. Family of God

Who should we be seeking? Exodus 23: 9 "You shall not oppress a stranger, since yourselves know the feelings of a stranger, for you also were strangers in the land of Egypt. Immigrants 1 million strangers enter the US each year. 70, 000 of these are refugees USA has 40 million foreign born immigrants 22 million are not citizens

Who should we be seeking? Psalm 14: 1 “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. ” Unbelievers Atheists – 10 Million (3%) Agnostics – 13 Million (4%) Nones – 50 Million (12. 8%)

Who should we be seeking? Jude 22 “And have mercy on those who doubt; Doubters Adults 18 -34 (Millennials) who doubt God’s existence 26 Million (31% of this age group) 64 Million Americans (20%) doubt the authority and relevance of the Bible. (Doubled in the last 5 years)

Who should we be seeking? “Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? The Educated 3. 5 million scientists and engineers 1. 5 Million College and University Faculty 21 million college students Over half not Christian – 5. 8 million are secularists

Who should we be seeking? “For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. ” The Uneducated 131 Million (41 %) never went to college 188 million (59%) never graduated from college 38 million (12%) never graduated from high school 32 million adults (14%) can’t read 67 million adults (21%) read below 5 th grade level

Who should we be seeking? “Walk in Wisdom toward those who are without. ” Other Categories Criminals Enemies Gainsayers Prisoners Government workers

Who should we be seeking? “For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. ” Other Religious 6. 4 million Mormons 6 million Jews 2. 8 million Muslims 2. 2 million Buddhists 2. 2 million Hindus

Seeking Non-Seekers Host meetings based on common interests Same vocation Same ministry Same neighborhood Same stage of life Same hobbies

First Person in a Household to Convert to Christianity and attend Church 1. Child – 3. 5% probability that family will follow. 2. Mother - 17% probability that family will follow. 3. Father - 93% probability that family will follow.

Reaching Unchurched People Is Your Church Ready? 1. Your main meeting engages teenagers. 2. People who attend your church actually know unchurched people. 3. Your attenders (including children) are prepared to be non-judgmental 4. You’re good with questions. 5. You’re honest about your struggles. 6. You have easy, obvious, strategic and helpful steps for new people. 7. You’ve dumped all assumptions. 8. You are flexible and adaptable.

15 Characteristics of Unchurched People 1. They don’t all have big problems. 2. They feel less guilty than you think. 3. Occasional is regular. 4. Most are spiritual 5. They are not sure what “Christian” means. 6. You can’t call them back to something they never knew. 7. Many have tried church, even a little, but left. 8. Something is generous 9. They want you to be a Christian

15 Characteristics of Unchurched People 10. They are intelligent, so speak to that. 11. They hate hypocrisy 12. They love transparency 13. They invite their friends if they like what they are discovering. 14. Their spiritual growth trajectory varies dramatically. 15. Some want to be anonymous and some don’t.

“It is not in man to direct his steps. ” Eliezer: “I being in the way, the Lord led me. ” Jeremiah: “I know, O LORD, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps. ”