2. Why should we emphasize Church Planting in the U.S.?

3. After all, u Don’t u Don’t we already have enough churches? u Shouldn’t u Shouldn’t we focus on strengthening and filling the existing ones first? u Aren’t u Aren’t there quite a few new churches already being started? Here’s why...

4. Estimated American Unchurched Population 195 Million George Gallup

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

6. u Evangelical u Evangelical churches have failed to gain an additional two percent of the population over the past fifty years. u No u No county county in America has a greater percentage of churched persons today than a decade ago. u Half u Half of all churches last year did not add one one new member through “conversion growth”. Barna and ASCG

7. U.S. Church to Population Ratio u In u In 1900, 1900, there were 27 27 churches for every 10,000 people. u In u In 1950, 1950, there were 17 17 churches for every 10,000 people. u In u In 1996, 1996, there were 11 11 churches for every 10,000 people.

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

9. Church Facts u We u We lose 72 72 churches per week or 10.27 per day. u We u We gain 24 24 churches per week or 3.42 per day. u That’s u That’s a net loss loss of 48 48 churches per week or 6.85 per day.

10. Church Facts (continued) The United States is… u the u the largest largest post-Christian nation on earth. u the u the third third largest unchurched unchurched nation.

11. Church Facts (continued) u Our u Our supposed Christian nation leads the world in every category of violent and domestic crime and social decay. u The u The social indicators mentioned above are the exact same in the church as outside, therefore the church is having no significant effect on American behavior.

12. Church Facts (continued) u What u What once was the number one sending nation of foreign missionaries is now the thirteenth largest receptor nation.

13. u We u We have become a society that 50 years ago every denomination would have felt compelled to missionize. Tom Clegg

14. If these are the facts; as the Church, how are we to respond?

15. We cannot continue to do business as usual...

16. Insanity is doing the same old things - the same old way - and expecting different results. Einstein

17. Most of our visioning is re-visioning a more efficient and effective past.

18. Let’s face it, here in America we are losing the war!

19. Radical times require a radical solution!

20. 2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” We must begin with God’s response...

21. On the average, evangelical churches... u …younger u …younger than 3 years old, annually win 10 10 people to Christ per 100 church members. u...3-15 u...3-15 years old, annually win 5people to Christ per 100 church members. u …older u …older than 15 years old, annually win 3 people to Christ per 100 church members. Christianity Today, January 1991 Implication: Church plants are more effective evangelistically.

22. Megachurches vs. Minichurches (Results from an international survey of 1000 churches) Megachurches u Average u Average size: 2,856 u On u On the average, won 112 112 people to Christ over 5 years. Minichurches u Average u Average size: 51 u On u On the average, won 32 32 people to Christ over 5 years. Natural Church Development, pp. 47-48 Implication: Minichurches (some of which were church starts) are 1600% more effectively evangelistically.

23. The Mission: u To u To continue starting healthy new churches which are passionate about seeing people come to know Christ and sponsoring other new churches.