Transcript Welcome to the Texas District

Church Planting
Partnerships
with the
Texas District
“As long as there are any
unchurched people living in the
territory of a Christian
congregation, that
congregation should
seek to win them for Christ,
Luke 14:21-23…
…For this purpose a Christian
congregation should seek to
grow in membership, Acts 2:41;
4:4. If a congregation which is
located in a territory of many
unchurched people does not
grow in membership, this does
not speak well for it nor for its
pastor; much less so, of course,
if it even loses in membership.”
John H.C. Fritz, Pastoral
Theology: A Handbook of
Scriptural Principles Written
Especially for Pastors of the
Lutheran Church, Concordia
Publishing House, 1945, p. 284.
In 1990, 52 million people attended a
Christian church each weekend.
Church Attendance in 1990 & 2006 Compared to
Population Growth 1990 - 2006
60,000,000
51,110,171
50,000,000
40,000,000
30,000,000
20,000,000
10,000,000
-
Church Attendance 1990
The American Church
Research Project
Church Attendance 2006
Population Growth 1990 - 2006
By 2006, however, 52 million people still
attended a Christian church each weekend.
Church Attendance in 1990 & 2006 Compared to
Population Growth 1990 - 2006
60,000,000
51,110,171
51,668,200
50,000,000
40,000,000
30,000,000
20,000,000
10,000,000
-
Church Attendance 1990
The American Church
Research Project
Church Attendance 2006
Population Growth 1990 - 2006
Meanwhile, by 2006 52 million more people
were living in the United States.
Church Attendance in 1990 & 2006 Compared to
Population Growth 1990 - 2006
60,000,000
51,110,171
51,668,200
51,773,556
50,000,000
40,000,000
30,000,000
20,000,000
10,000,000
-
Church Attendance 1990
The American Church
Research Project
Church Attendance 2006
Population Growth 1990 - 2006
This is the Future Trajectory of the
American Church if nothing changes.
Percentage of Population Attending a Christian Church each Weekend
25.0%
20.4%
19.5%
20.0%
18.7%
17.5%
16.5%
15.5%
14.7%
15.0%
10.0%
5.0%
0.0%
1990
1995
The American Church
Research Project
2000
2005
2010
2015
2020
Dallas/Ft. Worth Metro Area 2000
Percentage of the Population
Attending a Christian Church on
Any Given Weekend
16.3%
18.8%
Denton
17.9%
Collin
Hunt
19.3
21.6%
Parker
26.9%
Rockwall
21.4%
Tarrant
Dallas
19.7%
Kaufman
18.2%
Hood
19.5%
Ellis
16.4%
Henderson
The American Church
Research Project
Austin Metro Area
2000 Christian Church
Attendance on Any
Given Weekend
15.3%
Williamson
17.6%
Travis
14.1%
Hays
16.2%
Bastrop
17.5%
Caldwell
The American Church
Research Project
Houston Metro Area 2000
Percentage of the Population
Attending a Christian Church on
Any Given Weekend
15.7%
19.9%
Montgomery
14.9%
Liberty
19.0%
Waller
16.3%
Harris
16.3%
Fort Bend
The American Church
Research Project
Chambers
San Antonio Metro Area
2000 Percentage of the
Population Attending a
Christian Church on Any Given
Weekend
20.0%
Comal
11.2%
18.6%
Guadalupe
Bexar
16.0%
Wilson
The American Church
Research Project
Why new churches?
•
•
Our Growing Texas
population
2008 data from U.S.
Census bureau
shows 4 of the
biggest population
gaining areas are
in Texas (DFW,
Houston, Austin,
San Antonio)
Reframing our thinking
• "Church parenting is costly, but that
cost is an investment, not a
loss…church parenting is an
investment in the Kingdom. Churches
that parent other churches do not lose.
Phil Stevenson, The Ripple Church
New Church plants will never
happen if…
• We believe the pool of future members is
limited to those Lutherans living or moving
into an area
• Our Pastors don't believe it is vital
• We allow excuses like these below to
become normative:
– we're too small…we don't have $$...
– once we get our new Family Life Center
paid for
– ...or once we get past some issues of
disagreement then we will think about it.
How Your Mission and Ministry
Facilitator Can Help
Invite Paul, Lou Area A MMF_________
or Area C MMF____________ to come
to your congregation or Circuit
Pastors' Conference to share
"The Case for Church Planting" by
coming along side missional pastors
and leaders to share the vision of
church planting by congregations or
partnerships of congregations
How Your Mission and Ministry
Facilitator Can Help
• Help potential planting congregations or
partnerships study the demographics of
potential targeted communities using
tools from MissionInsite
• Help potential planting congregations
ask the right questions
Once you are moving
toward planting…
• Work with the planting congregation or
partners in designing a Mission Plan
• Pray for and with the planting
congregation and partners
• Connect planting congregation or
partners to appropriate resources
(print, media, real people and mission
starts) which will be helpful
• Help congregation locate appropriate
planter. (Dr. Hirsch involved)
Church Planter
Assessment Process
1. Contact Dr. John Hirsch
2. Gallop Church Planter
Assessment Inventory
3. Birkman
4. Behavioral Interview
5. Assessment Report to potential
planter and host organization
Once you are moving
toward planting…
• Meet regularly with leaders as they
revise and finalize their Mission Plan
• Sign-off on the Mission Plan (Right
Person, Right Place, Right Plan)
• Walk with the planting group as they
apply for funding with the Texas.
• Function as advocate to the Board of
Mission Administration
Once Mission Plan is approved…
• Meet regularly with Mission Planter and
leadership core
• Help connect Mission Planter to a
mentor/coach
• Monitor growth, (spiritual health,
numerical growth, community impact)
as appropriate
• Help facilitate charter process when
and if time is right
Once Mission Plan is approved…
• Help new Mission begin thinking
about when they will be ready to
plant!
• Continue to work with planting
congregation or partnership on
their own spiritual vitality as well
as help them plan for their next
opportunity to plant!
Texas District Will Provide…
• Cost for screening potential
mission planters
• Cost for training mission
planter
• ½ cost for mentor/coach
(ca. $5,000)
• Assistance of Mission and
Ministry Facilitator
• MissionInsite (demographic
report) for target area
Texas District Will Provide…
• Finances
• Plan A (usually for Anglo start)
• Interest free
• Up to $200,000 repayable
funds
• Repay over 20 years
• Plan B (usually for
International/Ethnic start)
• Up to $100,000
• Interest free
• Repay ½ over 20 years
Next Steps
• Contact your MMF
• Recruit Prayer Partners
• Begin work on the
Mission Plan
• Begin looking for a
Mission Planter
• Submit your plan to the
Texas District Board for
Mission Administration