End Times Prophecy
Pastors Shift Church Focus from Big to Reproductive (Christian Worldview/Issues)
More than 1,800 church planting beginners and veterans are gathered in Orlando, Fla., at a time when church growth is not just about being big. “It seems like there’s a shift that’s happening on how churches ‘keep score,’” said Dave Ferguson, lead pastor of Community Christian Church in Naperville, Ill. “It’s not just about being big … but it’s also about how do we continue to reproduce (new sites, churches, networks).” The National New Church Conference had first drawn 250 people in Baltimore two years ago. Last year’s conference grew to over 800 church planters and this year, the attendance has more than doubled. And next year, conference organizers plan to call next year’s conference “Exponential” to reach beyond the United States. “Exponential: Moving Beyond Addition” is this year’s theme. Participants of the conference have come from various states and church groups, including the emerging church and mainline denominations, to learn the growing number of church models that have been developed, gain a new vision for church planting, and learn the how-to’s of starting a new church. A recent study by the North American Mission Board’s Center for Missional Research found that 99 percent of church plants survive the first year, 92 percent the second year, 81 percent the third year, and 68 percent the fourth year.