For several months I have been wrestling with what I should . . . and should not post . . . on my blog. Not that I plan to write anything overly offensive or vulgar. I’s just that many of my ideas about church planting in the 21st Century fly in the face of what many others write about in church leadership/strategy books and post on their blogs. In essence, it’s a total opposite to the modern-church, mega-church, multi-church mentality. Not that those are wrong, I just think they are a bit dated. They are reaching folks now . . . and doing a tremendous job with the late twenty-somethings and up . . . I just think they may not be able to reach the upcoming younger generation with their current models.
Compass Point began a little over two years ago as a home Bible study. In that time we have seen steady growth in unchurched, young 20-somethings. More than 75% of those attending our church are under the age of 25 (not necessarily in the summer, but when college is back in session). Also, we have 82% that attend regularly that had no church home before they darkened the doors of Compass Point. I guess the greatest number . . . to us . . . is that 89% of the people that visit Compass Point stay. We have found those that left after trying us were area church folks that were semi-church hoppers (we do exit interviews). Finally, our Sunday attendance has quadrupled in the two years since we began.
The problem is this . . . we hardly do any of the things we hear about in books, blogs or at church leadership/planting conferences. Many times we do the opposite! We do not advertise, we do not concentrate all efforts on Sunday, we do not use a rocking band, we do not conduct seeker-sensitive ministries, we do not rely on programming, we do not emphasize technology, we do not do mass events and we do not usually emphasize series preaching. Yet, we are still reaching predominately unchurched, young people and families.
So why am I sharing this now?
For the last year I have been used by the Florida Baptist Convention to speak to church planter’s at their "Basic Training" conferences. Not all of the conferences, but some. My presentation at the conferences - while based on assigned topics - flies in the face of a "shock and awe" planting strategy that some other state church planters have been pushing (I’ll explain "shock and awe" in a later post). Over the last several months I have been encouraged by folks attending those conferences to start posting my ideas about church planting on this blog.
I have resisted because . . .
a) Compass Point is not running 1,000 people so who would take me seriously.
b) Assuming that one’s opinions actually count is kind of egotistical.
c) There are already a butt-load of people blogging about planting churches.
d) People are pretty opposed to ideas about church planting that aren’t the typical modern-day model.
e) The experts are pushing the mega-church, multi-site, modern-technology-model and I might come off as petty when I suggest the opposite.
Yet, two recent emails and a posting by Tadd Grandstaff finally pushed me over the edge. They were asking the right questions for planting churches for a younger audience. However, they (especially the folks that sent the emails) were getting quite a bit a flack for questioning the current, accepted model for church planting. I think it’s about time to shake up that model a bit.
Over the next month or so I will post things that we . . . the church plant team, staff and elders of Compass Point . . . have discovered the hard way about reaching the unchurched-25-and-below crowd. The opinions are in no way meant to be taken as shots at any particular church, pastor, blogger or leader. They are just things that we have discovered in our journey . . . things that other people reaching younger, unchurched folks are also discovering. I am . . . by no means . . . an expect . . . and the strategies, thoughts and ideas that I post may not work in every situation. They will be things that have worked for Compass Point and the folks we are reaching.
Feel free to comment, email, rant, rave, disagree or ignore.
6 Comments
Good post.
I think we need church plants of all kinds. We need the mega’s and the mirco’s in the church world, and, unfortunately, we only hear about the mega’s.
I don’t think it is egotistical to think that your opinion counts. I think it is disobedience to keep quiet about what God has given you. But remember humility is the key. The problem with the way many in the mega-movement is that they lack humility and seem to forget that at one time they were small.
I think there are general principles of leadership and planting that apply across the board, but they look different in each situation and community, and they don’t always result in a big church.
God uses all kinds. As long as you don’t make the mistake of presenting your unorthodox way as the only way (which many mega’s do) you will be okay. Just share what God has given you.
Very excellent post.
Chris I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts about this as well…I think it’s great for conversation and something that all church planters should be evaluating before they strp out into the field.
Thanks Bro!
So what do you do then? Rely on the preached word of God? Does that still work?
I am glad people are trying different things but I was beginning to think that the multimedia department was the most important part of a church plant.
I look forward to following your posts.
Chris,
Good thoughts. I, too, am doing things a bit differently. While excellence should always be sought in what we do (God deserves no less), I think we put layers of complexity on top of what should be bare bones as we discover who we are and our process for discipleship.
One issue I do struggle with though is the generational model of church planting. I’m trying to build a multi-generational church with folks from all age groups. We have a children’s program prior to worship (some adult small groups meet at this time), we include our younger folks in worship, and we encourage the younger to serve the older. (I have teens walking our elderly in and serving them coffee, parking their cars, etc..). I wonder why so many are trying to just reach the 20-somethings, 30-somethings or the 40 and over crowd.
It’s an interesting discussion and one that really needs to happen with all the information that’s blasted at us from all sides these days.
Blessings
Now you’ve got me wondering.
Write on!
I’m looking forward to reading what you have to share.
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