1. New Churches are needed because the large majority of Americans do not attend a local church.
About 20% of Americans attend a local church on any given Sunday. Many of those attend a church where they do not clearly hear the message of salvation in Jesus.
2. New churches are more effective than established churches at conversion growth.
Studies show that new churches have 3-4 times the conversion rate per member as established churches.
3. New churches are the only truely effective way to reach the growing ethnic populations in America.
For example, California is over 50% non-anglo and that percentage is growing. Every people group needs to hear the Gospel in a way that makes sense to their culture.
4. New churches are needed to stem the tide of ideological moral erosion in America.
The ideological opposition to Biblical Christianity will not primarily come from mainline liberals, nor from scientific modernism (as it did for the last generation), but from New Age nonrational thinking and from politically correct valueless morals.
5. New churches have historically been the best method for reaching each emerging new generation.
Every new generation needs a new breed of churches that speak the Gospel in their cultural dress and communication styles.
6. New churches give a group of connected churches market share and influence in their community.
Starting new healthy churches in the same general vicinity increases the influence of all. Churches are best started where a group has strength, not in distant areas.
7. New churches grow exponentially faster than established churches.
In a typical evangelical denomination, new churches (in the first 10 years) were found to grow at a rate 23 times faster than established churches (over 10 years old).
8. New churches are a test laboratory for cvhurch leadership development.
New churches give a whole new group of emerging leaders the chance to grow and develop as primary leaders.
9. New churches are the research and development unit of God’s Kingdom.
Most of the models and visions for healthy churches are developed in new churches.
10. New churches provide excellent on-the-job training for energetic young pastors.
New churches provide a channel to express the energy and ideas of young, entrepreneurial pastors.
