One of the most firmly established facts about Christian evangelism is that starting new churches is the most effective method. We know that personal relationship is the bridge the unchurched cross to the church, but it is the forming of a new congregation that engages new believers in a life of discipleship.

There are many reasons why starting new churches is so effective at reaching the unchurched. Ten come to mind rather quickly.

1. New churches focus on outreach and evangelism. It is necessary to their founding. People participating in the launch of a new congregation seem to intuitively understand the number one task is to find people who will join them in the project. They usually look for people who are unchurched.

2. New churches typically engage in networking the friends and associates of a core group of people. New churches often begin with a small number of people. In their quest to find others who will join them they invite people in their personal networks of friends and associates. This, of course, is the way most people come to the church and to faith.

3. New churches are intentional about prayer. New congregations face many obstacles and only the power of prayer enables them to persevere and succeed. Prayer is essential to softening the hearts of unbelievers to the gospel. Prayer is essential to the success of any new church.

4. New churches must have new people in order to survive, so they work hard to win the unchurched; and they also follow-up on prospects. Numerical growth is central to the success of the new church project. Much of their energy goes into finding and winning new people.

5. New churches are usually started in favorable demographic situations where there are many good prospects. One of the reasons for beginning a new congregation is to reach the people in a new neighborhood.

6. New churches are usually started in neutral type buildings, such as public school auditoriums, which are less threatening to the unchurched as a place to go than a church building.

7. New churches frequently offer creative worship styles, meeting schedules and operational structures that are attractive to unchurched people. People who have been “turned-off” by traditional churches are sometimes attracted to new congregations with innovative worship styles, convenient worship schedules and flexible organizational structures.

8. People believe there will be opportunity to make friends in new congregations. One of the reasons people go to church is to find friends. In existing churches the friendship networks are already full. New churches offer the opportunity to join a new friendship circle.

9. People believe there will be a better opportunity for involvement in a new church than in an existing one. Indeed, in a new congregation there are unlimited opportunities for involvement.

10. People like to be part of something new. For many people, “new” is far better than “existing.” New churches hold out the opportunity to “get in on the ground floor” of a new organization.

by Bill M. Sullivan