Why Does Vineyard Columbus Plant Churches?

Since its beginning, the Vineyard movement has made the starting of new congregations in the United States and around the world one of its highest priorities. Vineyard Columbus has joined the Vineyard movement in prioritizing church planting. In fact, our mission statement here at Vineyard Columbus reads: To develop a community of passionate, mature, reproducing disciples; to plant passionate, mature, reproducing churches; and, to transform the world by love and good deeds for the glory of God. We have planted over 20 new churches from our congregation.

Why start new congregations? Aren't there enough churches in America already? With so many empty churches, why would anyone want to plant a new church?

There are at least five good reasons for Vineyard Columbus to engage in church planting today.

1. Church planting is necessary because America is becoming increasingly de-churched. In the year 1900 there were 27 churches for every 10,000 Americans. In 1950 there were 17 churches for every 10,000 Americans. In 2007 there are approximately 8 churches for every 10,000 Americans. And the median size church in the United States is 75 members. Tens of millions of Americans are utterly unreached by the existing churches in their communities. In fact, America is the fourth biggest mission field in the world following China, India, and Indonesia.

2. Church planting is the New Testament model for the expansion of God's Kingdom. The apostle Paul was first and foremost a church planter. He went through the Roman Empire not just doing crusades or personal evangelism, but planting churches everywhere he went. Peter, James, Thomas and other apostles were also reputed to be church planters throughout the Middle East, Africa, and as far away as India. Vineyard is committed to follow biblical models of kingdom expansion. The primary model of kingdom expansion is church planting.

3. Church planting provides the environment for effective evangelism. New churches that are focused not upon reshuffling the church deck (that is getting people to transfer their membership from one church to another), but are instead focused on seeking and saving the lost are an incredibly effective method of evangelism in America today. New churches are frequently very energetic and have a high sense of missional passion.

4. Church planting creates a permanent presence in a community in a way that mere evangelism does not. Back in the 18th century the two evangelical leaders of the church in England were George Whitefield and John Wesley. George Whitefield was, by all accounts, a much more powerful and effective evangelist than was John Wesley. But John Wesley organized his disciples into small groups, and various other structures for relationship and discipleship. At the end of George Whitefield's life, he lamented saying: "My disciples are like a rope of sand!" In other words, as Whitefield looked around England, he could find very little evidence of the thousands of people who had made decisions for Christ at one of his meetings. They were like sand that slipped through his fingers. In contrast, because Wesley placed his disciples into organized meetings, at the end of his life he had tens of thousands of followers creating a permanent presence throughout England's communities (these, of course, became the foundation of the Methodist Church).

5. Church planting gives an opportunity to spread Vineyard values throughout the world. America doesn't just need another church; it needs tens of thousands of spiritually alive churches. Vineyard churches are characterized by a passion for spiritual reality. We are certainly not, by any means, the only church where the vital life of Jesus Christ can be experienced. But Vineyard is one of the places that a person can experience spiritual reality. And Vineyard, by God's grace, does have something to offer by way of modeling wholistic church life. By wholistic church life, I mean a church that not only offers a great Sunday morning program, but also builds loving Christian community, works for justice in the world, prays for the sick, casts out demons, evangelizes the lost, assists people to break free of addictions; in other words, a church that runs on all eight cylinders.

Are You Called To Participate In A Church Planting Team?
Any person who goes before the Lord with a soft heart and an obedient will and says to the Lord, "Here I am, dear Lord, I only want to do your will. Please guide me to do those good works which you have prepared for me from all eternity (Ephesians 2.10)," will receive direction from the Lord. That direction may not come with a bolt of lightening, but over time, as you seek the Lord's face there will be increasing clarity concerning God's call upon your life.

How Do You Know If God Is Saying That You Are To Participate In A Church Plant?

1. Do you have healthy, life-giving relationships right now at this church? We can't spread what we have not experienced. Going somewhere else will not make you an agent of health. But healthy relationships are a foundation for starting something new.

2. Do you have clear gifting to offer to a new church plant? The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. Do you have a track record of faithful service as a leader? Have you considered being a worship leader at a new Vineyard church plant? Have you successfully led worship in one of our small groups? Do people say that they are brought into the presence of God when you lead worship? Have you participated on one of our worship teams in children's ministry, or in Joshua House, or on one of our main service teams? Whether it is in leading the church plant, or worship, or children's ministry, do you have any history of fruitful and effective leading all ready? If so, perhaps God is asking you to venture out and start something new.

3. Is there a stirring in your heart to participate in something new? Has God spoken to you about the possibility of participating on a church planting team? For some, the voice of God can come with a strong burden for a particular target group, or a particular city. Have you experienced an unshakeable burden for a particular group of people, or a particular city? If so, perhaps the Lord is indicating that you are called to help reach that group, or that city in his name.

4. Do you have "traveling feet?" Many people are called to stay put and to grow where they're planted. But others are called out by the Lord. They have a "holy restlessness" and deeply desire to start new things. Is that who you are?

I would like to invite you to consider engaging in the following activities if God is speaking to you about church planting. First, get on the Vineyard Columbus website and check out our church planting process. Second, consider beginning VLI to continue developing yourself as a leader in preparation for a potential future church plant. Third, come to the next Starting New Churches Seminar to hear more about the history of church planting and our vision for planting churches over the next ten years. Finally, if you have any questions please contact Corey Garris (Church Planting Pastoral Coordinator) at 259.5255 for more information.