Starting a New Church: Why

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Starting a New Church Why?

• By
• Tom Cheyney

A Sponsoring Church Resource
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Starting a New Church Why?
This resource makes a great initial study for a
core group praying about launching a new church!
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Starting a New Church Why?

• 1. It is the work of Jesus.
• Jesus said, I will build my church and the gates
  of hell shall not prevail against
  it. (Matthew 1618, KJV)

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Starting a New Church Why?

• 2. The local church is the hope of the world.
• "His intent was that now, through the church, the
  manifold wisdom of God should be made known to
  the rulers and authorities in the heavenly
  realms, according to his eternal purpose which he
  accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord."
  (Ephesians 310, NIV)

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Starting a New Church Why?

• 3. It is Jesus strategy for the church to
  fulfill His great commission.
• "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit
  comes on you and you will be my witnesses in
  Jerusalem local church ministry, and in all
  Judea regional church planting and Samaria
  regional cross-cultural church planting, and to
  the ends of the earth global church planting.
  (Acts 18, NIV)

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Starting a New Church Why?

• "A church's health is measured by its sending
  capacity, not its seating capacity. Churches are
  in the sending business. One of the questions we
  must ask in evaluating a church's health is, How
  many people are being mobilized for the Great
  Commission?"
• Rick Warren
• The Purpose Driven Church

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Starting a New Church Why?

• 4. Church planting is effective in fulfilling the
  Great Commission.

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Starting a New Church Why?

• 4. Church planting is effective in fulfilling the
  Great Commission.
• The single most effective evangelistic
  methodology under heaven is planting new
  churches.
• C. Peter Wagner Church Planting For A
  Greater Harvest

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Starting a New Church Why?

• 4. Church planting is effective in fulfilling the
  Great Commission.
• A church older than 10 years takes 89 attendees
  to reach one person for Christ.
• "The average church in America today sees 1.0
  adult conversion per year, one hundred in
  attendance. This might be expected of former
  mainline - now sidelined churches,but it is a
  surprise that evangelicals do only a tad better
  1.7 per one hundred in attendance.
• Bill Hull, Revival That Reforms
  
• Bill
  Hull
  Revival that Reforms, p. 41

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Starting a New Church Why?

• 4. Church planting is effective in fulfilling the
  Great Commission.
  
• A church older than 10 years takes 89 attendees
  to reach one person for Christ.
• A church three to 10 years old takes seven
  attendees to reach one person for Christ.

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Starting a New Church Why?

• 4. Church planting is effective in fulfilling the
  Great Commission.
• A church older than 10 years takes 89 attendees
  to reach one person for Christ.
• A church three to 10 years old takes seven
  attendees to reach one person for Christ.
• A church zero to three years old takes three
  attendees to reach one person for Christ.

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Starting a New Church Why?

• 5. The harvest demands aggressive church
  planting.

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Starting a New Church Why?

• 5. The harvest demands aggressive church
  planting.
• The harvest is plentiful.
• Then he said to his disciples, The harvest is
  plentiful but the workers are few. (Matthew
  937,NIV)
• 65-70 of Lake County has no formal affiliation
  with a church family.
  

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Starting a New Church Why?

• 5. The harvest demands aggressive church
  planting.
• The harvest is plentiful.
• The harvest is diverse.
• Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.
  (Matthew 2819, NIV)
• "We need all kinds of churches to reach all kinds
  of people." Rick Warren

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Starting a New Church Why?

• 5. The harvest demands aggressive church
  planting.
• The harvest is plentiful.
• The harvest is diverse.
• The harvest is ready.
• Jesus said, I tell you, open your eyes and look
  at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. (John
  435, NIV)
• "The greatest barriers to church planting are in
  the mind. C. Peter Wagner

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So How Do You Start a New Church?
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So How Do You Start a New Church?

• Lets take a look at the biblical pattern found
  in Acts, chapters 1 and 2.

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So How Do You Start a New Church?
1. You get your marching orders from Jesus. (Acts
18)
2. You develop a leadership team. (Acts 112-13)
3. You start a prayer meeting. (Acts 114)
4. You must time your launch appropriately.
(Acts 21)
5. You must launch out in the Spirits power and
create interest. (Acts 21-13)
6. You must proclaim Gods message with clarity
and relevance. (Acts 214-36)
7. You must ask people to make a commitment to
Christ and His church. (Acts 236-41)

• 8. You must build a biblically functioning
  community of faith. (Acts 242-48)

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So How Do You Start a New Church?

• 1. You get your marching orders from Jesus.
• But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit
  comes on you and you will be my witnesses in
  Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to
  the ends of the earth. (Acts 18,NIV)

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How Would You Summarize Jesus Marching Orders
for Every Christian?
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How Would You Summarize Jesus Marching Orders
for Every Christian?
Love God and your neighbor. (The Great
Commandment, Mark 1228-31)
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How Would You Summarize Jesus Marching Orders
for Every Christian?

• Love God and your neighbor.
• (The Great Commandment, Mark 1228-31)
• Go and make disciples.
• (The Great Commission, Matthew 2818-20)

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How Would You Summarize Jesus Marching Orders
for Every Christian?
It is our desire to be obedient to the Great
Command and the Great Commission by being a place
to belong (inviting and welcoming anyone who
comes our way) and a place to become (helping
everyone to become all that God wants them to be
- mature followers of Jesus).
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So How Do You Start a New Church?

• 1. You get your marching orders from Jesus. (Acts
  18)
• 2. You develop a leadership team. (Acts 112-13)
• 3. You start a prayer meeting. (Acts 114)
• 4. You must time your launch appropriately.
• When the day of Pentecost came, they were all
  together in one place. (Acts 21, NIV)

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Do you have a spirit of creative discontent?I
love the term John Maxwell uses for those who
have the ability to look for something more.
They are not rebels, but mavericks, ready to seek
Gods face and do something new for the cause of
Christ!
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Do you have a spirit of creative discontent?

• Let me recommend the following

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Do you have a spirit of creative discontent?

• Be in prayer.

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Do you have a spirit of creative discontent?

• Be in prayer.
• Join a prayer group.

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Do you have a spirit of creative discontent?

• Be in prayer.
• Join a prayer group.
• Fill out a three-by-five card. Name, address,
  phone numbers, e-mail, childrens ages and
  names

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Do you have a spirit of creative discontent?

• Be in prayer.
• Join one of our prayer groups.
• Fill out a three-by-five card.
• Be in prayer for the next informational meeting.

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Have you ever desired...

• To experience God in a positive, joyful community
  of hope?

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Have you ever desired...

• To experience God in a positive, joyful community
  of hope?
• To be a part of what God is doing in this world?

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Have you ever desired...

• To experience God in a positive, joyful community
  of hope?
• To be a part of what God is doing in this world?
• To be part of a mission team with your family?

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Have you ever desired...

• To experience God in a positive, joyful community
  of hope?
• To be a part of what God is doing in this world?
• To be part of a mission team with your family?
• To have a safe place where you can invite friends
  and neighbors?

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Have you ever desired...

• To experience God in a positive, joyful community
  of hope?
• To be a part of what God is doing in this world?
• To be part of a mission team with your family?
• To have a safe place where you can invite friends
  and neighbors?
• To see the transforming work of Gods grace in
  the lives of those you love?

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Have you ever desired...

• To experience God in a positive, joyful community
  of hope?
• To be a part of what God is doing in this world?
• To be part of a mission team with your family?
• To have a safe place where you can invite friends
  and neighbors?
• To see the transforming work of Gods grace in
  the lives of those you love?
• To become all that God wants you to be?

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Did you say yes to any of these? Then this new
church might be the place for you!
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Now what are the next steps?

• Be in prayer.
• Join one of our prayer groups.
• Fill out a three-by-five card.
• Be in prayer for our next informational meeting.

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Where are we in the process?
Church Planting Life Cycle
Conception Prenatal Birth
Growth/Maturity Reproduction

• Vision
• Acts 18

• Prayer Meetings
• Acts 114

• Relevant Preaching
• Acts 214-38

• Becoming An Antioch
• Acts 131-3

• Leadership Team
• Acts 112-13

• Grand Opening
• Acts 21-13

• Forming a Biblical Community
• Acts 238-47