Evangelism that Leads to Church Planting Eric W. Ramsey North American Mission Board, SBC

Evangelism that leads to church planting The right evangelism strategy -- Right for the people being evangelized -- Right for the church doing the evangelizing To the right people -- people group -- place (geography) With a strategic plan… -- What would this church look like?

The Combined Communicant Membership of Protestant Churches over the Last Ten Years While the US Population  Increased 11.4%  Increased 24,153,000 people Church Membership  Declined 9.5%  Decreased 4,498,242 people

 No county in America has a greater percentage of churched persons today than a decade ago.  Half of all churches last year did not add one new member through “conversion growth”.  Barna and ASCG

Church to Population Ratio  In 1900, there were 27 churches for every 10,000 Americans.  In 1950, there were 17 churches for every 10,000 Americans.  In 1996, there were 11 churches for every 10,000 Americans.  In 2006 it is estimated that there are 9 churches for every 10,000 Americans

Church Facts  North America is the ONLY continent where Christianity is NOT growing.  Church attendance is declining - approximately 10% over the last 7 years.

Church Facts  We lose 72 churches per week or per day.  We gain 24 churches per week or 3.42 per day.  That’s a net loss of 48 churches per week or 6.85 per day.

Church Facts (continued) The United States is…  the largest post-Christian nation on earth.  is now the 13th largest receptor of Christian missionaries in the world.

Common Examples of Radical Change – What have you tried? Has it worked?  Changing your worship style  Beginning another worship service  Changing from Sunday school to cell groups  Changing from cell groups to Sunday school  Relocating the church  Closing the doors and restarting at a later date  Starting a new congregation  New leadership  Others _____________________________________

Radical Change: Knowing when it is time…  Building is overcrowded  Baptisms have fallen to less than 7%  Church is no longer reaching the community  Church is not reaching a significant people group in the community  Church attendance has plateaued or declined for more than 3 years  Others ______________________________

Common Mistakes In Leading Radical Change  Doing it because it worked somewhere else  Creating something YOU like  Recreating a model and not custom designing a ministry  Not considering the existing identity of the church  Not considering the existing identity of the community

Common Mistakes In Leading Radical Change  Moving too quickly  Moving too slowly  Considering changes in the community a “threat” rather than an “opportunity”  Poor timing  No real congregational “buy-in”  “Well, we had to do something…”

Most Common Mistake LEADING THE WRONG DIRECTION AT THE RIGHT TIME

Critical Steps to Determining the Right Direction 1. Rediscover the identity of your church 2. Rediscover the make-up of your community 3. Conduct psychographic comparison of church & community 4. Rediscover socio-geographical dynamics 5. Rediscover your church’s strengths 6. Rediscover your community needs 7. Conduct strengths to needs analysis (church/community)

Remember…  Seek God’s leadership in everything… pray  Look for what God is doing around you  Be honest with findings  Be willing to do what God leads you to do  Involve a significant number of people in conducting the research

Rediscover the Identity of Your Church  Demographics  Psychographics  Worship Language  Core Values  Interests  Needs  Passions  ____________________

Rediscover the Makeup of Your Community  Demographics  Psychographics  Growth Patterns  Values  Needs  Religious Background  __________________

Finding Demographic and Psychographic Data  NAMB Center for Missional Research  $200 value – full report (no cost for church planting purposes) 

Compare the Church to the Community  What are the three primary people groups in your community?  Is your church reaching them? If not, who is?  What are the primary people groups in your church?  To each group, what is the most appealing characteristic of your church – why do they attend?

Compare the Church to the Community  What are the predominate religious backgrounds in your community?  What are the religious backgrounds in your church body?  After identifying the significant unreached groups in your community – will you ever be able to reach them?  determine what ministries and expressions of church are reaching those people groups in similar communities.

Rediscover the Socio-Geographical Dynamics  Map your membership  According to when they joined the church  According to psychographic designation  According to age  According to Bible study class

Rediscover the Socio-Geographical Dynamics  Where are those who have joined in the past 3 years?  Is there a common profile of those who have joined in the past 3 years?  What do they like/dislike about your church?  Who is not attending your church? Are they being reached by anyone?

Rediscover the Socio-Geographical Dynamics  From what areas are you not receiving new members?  What are the predominate profiles of those areas?  What is the best chance your church has to reach into those areas?  What areas will your church likely never really reach?

Rediscover Your Church’s Strengths  What are you doing well? (NOT what you hope to do well)  What gifts & skills has God given your church members?  Why are new members joining?  When people speak well of your church, what do they say?  What is God doing?

What are the community needs (specifically among the unreached population)?  Ask the school board  Conduct a survey  Observe  Ask government officials  Ask law enforcement  Read the newspaper  Other ways…

Where Do the “Strengths” and “Needs” Intersect?  Based on the community needs and the giftedness in your church, what are some evangelism methods that might work?

Where Do the “Strengths” and “Needs” Intersect?  Are there existing ministries you could strengthen and make more intentionally evangelistic?  Are your people empowered to utilize their gifts to their fullest potential?  Where is God working?

Case Study: What questions need asking?  Edge of town church – 90% Anglo – 93% Anglo community  1990 to 2000 population grew from 2,200 to 3,100  2006 estimated population is 3,200  Worship attendance 72 – Worship space 100  Landlocked – Declining economy, relocation not likely  One worship service (blended hymns & praise music)  1998 – 2003 avg. attn. grew from 35 to 85  Plateau began 2 years ago – beginning decline  Blue collar community – church median age 38  Other churches in town – Catholic, Mormon, Unitarian, Independent Charismatic, Methodist church closed in 2000.

Your Church: What questions need asking? ________________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________

Your Church: What questions need asking? 1. Will your church ever reach all of the types of people in the community? 2. Who is the largest unreached people group in your community? 3. Do you have the ability to evangelize those people? 4. What would a Bible study look like for those people? 5. What would church look like for those people?

What are the next steps for your church? 1._______________________________________ 2._______________________________________ 3._______________________________________ 4._______________________________________