Modern-day church planting requires a holistic and healthy shift to fulfill the Great Commission.
1. From addition to multiplication mindset.
Addition mindset = metrics measure quantifiables such as more bodies in the building or increased giving.
Multiplication mindset = metrics focus on the programmatic level using success metrics like life change, baptisms, and missionaries sent out.
What you measure matters, and what’s measured improves. The church must shift from metrics that measure things that don’t matter as much (number of people in seats) to things that do (lasting life transformation).
2. Openness to new expressions of church.
The pandemic forced churches to step up their digital capabilities. Rather than returning to a building post-Covid, we have now experienced a unique facet in the unlimited possibilities for diversity in the expression of the church. We can use the momentum gained during the pandemic to keep cultivating digital church planting, exploring options in the metaverse, and house and micro churches as valid expressions of the church rife with potential for continued growth.
3. Provide relevant church planting resources.
As the world is changing quickly around us, so are the resourcing needs for church planters. Rather than blueprints, there is now a spectrum for how to plant churches. Think tanks can bring together multi-denominational church and non-church networks that will be needed to forge new paths in assessing and planning for both traditional and non-traditional church planting according to what fits best a particular environment.
4. Organizations like Exponential can help fuel church multiplication.
Exponential exists to support church planters. They go beyond denominations and combine the power of multiple networks to advance church multiplication in the US. Their website hosts a trove of rich resources and networking opportunities for church leaders and planters and an annual event to bring people and resources together in one place. They have over 200 workshops about the multiplication mindset, growing resources, gaining skills, creating customer journeys, and access to leaders, coaches, development tracks, learning communities, and more.
A critical component for healthy churches ready to multiply is that they are made up of individuals equipped to be relevant and effective evangelists and disciple-makers.
