Why would a new church fail and why would it thrive?

316churchonline   -   June 20, 2024

My wife and I have gotten to be a part of 5 church plants over the last 23 years of ministry together.

We have helped plant churches in Marysville WA, and Spokane WA. In one we were just volunteers pushing boxes and setting up and tearing down supplies.

In the next one we were the kids pastors.

Both of those church plants failed within their first 5 years.

Then we came to a large church that followed what was called the Association of Related Churches (ARC) model.

“The mother ship” as we liked to call it planted 3 churches. We purchased all their equipment for them, worked with, prayed with, modeled leadership with, and trained as they raised up their teams.

Still…one of them failed.

So we have helped plant 5 churches. 3 failed. None of those that failed lasted more than 5 years.

Our current church is about to turn twenty years old. It is small but healthy, in a rural area making an impact.

It was started (planted) out of the vision of another church. Churches plant churches. Our church started in a public school and eventually bought our now 103 year old building. A church plant from a different denomination bought it initially. But sadly, their church…failed….The failed church plant sold the building to us for $67,000.

So our church  is less than 20 years old  but exists in a 103 year old building.

Why has this church plant survived and even thrived while so many others have not?

Church planting is hard.

Satan hates it.

There is enormous pressure, personal sacrifice, internal conflicts, and spiritual attack upon the leadership.

But there are also some practical reasons why churches may fail in their first 5 years.

Here is an image taken from Hometown Hope Ministries, a church revitalization ministry out of the Independent Baptist movement.

They cite from “Improving the Health and Survivability of New Churches.”

After attending Church Multiplication Network of the Assemblies of God Church Multi site training” and CMN Launch One day events, and attending Exponential church planting training, and helping on teams that planted 5 churches I  have developed some thoughts of my own.

A church plant team must have a Forming: Many church plants start too soon with no team even formed. No church planter can do it on their own and with the myriad of resources available only their pride would keep them from reaching out for help.  There are hundreds of potential organizations to work with today to provide a plan, financial assistance, and coaching. If you do not form a team you are dead before you ever get started.  Forming is an orientation phase where team members get to know one another and develop how their church plant team will function. During this time it sets the goals, responsibilities and roles of each team member. These goals are committed to hearts, heads and hands.

Heart, they are prayed about and accepted on a personal and spiritual level.

Head, they are thought out, planned out and dreamed about.

Hand, they are celebrated through initial meetings, prayer and worship gatherings, and even cross country trips facilitated through the calling of God as team members relocate and converge on a city they feel called to many times giving up stable incomes and family connections for the calling of planting a church, much like a missionary they head to their mission field.

There must be some Storming: Once team members are formed brainstorming begins. Who will do what? who is gifted where? how will we gather? Where will we meet? Some of this may have already been established, but it is far from solidified. How will we be structured ecumenically, theologically and leadership wise? Are we a discipleship church? An evangelism church? What are our core values and vision? How are we funded? House church? Big box church? Suburban church? Rural church?

Conflicts and tensions are bound to arise, but this is not all bad at this stage, in fact it is very good. Many churches fail because they avoid conflict resolution during the storming process (which will happen whether you try and avoid it or not) and end up poisoning the trust of a church plant before it ever gets off the ground. They will also come to the practical conclusion that planting a new church is much more difficult than originally thought. Some peel off and quit the team during this phase which often times continues right up to the launch of the church plant. Even though you think you have it all figured out, you soon learn, because of practical barriers and struggling commitment levels. You are still forming some things even though you have launched.

There should be a Norming: The team learns to resolves conflict, understands how members will work together and develops a clear vision for the church with clear core values. The team has come to understand and appreciate each other’s skills and experiences. Reality sets in with the budget projections. Team members trust each other or drop out. During the norming phase you may lose as many as half of your original team members. But you may also gain team members. Most church plants struggle with the norming phase which can last up to 2 1/2 years after launch as team members experience missional fatigue, no longer interested in being a part of the challenges of a new church. But if they persist they make it to the stage where they are  succeeding spiritually in the community. Norming also means they understand their budgets, accept what they are good at and what they cannot, or should not do in the community. During norming the community reciprocates, beginning to recognize and validate the church’s existence through attendance and partnerships to help with resources, community knowledge and partnerships.

A church must fulfill it’s Calling: The members start to function smoothly, recognizing each team members strengths and weaknesses, communicating effectively through electronic, verbal, and spiritual means, solving problems, implementing needed changes, carrying out assigned roles without major conflicts and achieving results of impact and growth in the community. People are saved. Baptisms happen. Structures are solidified, small groups are built and the organization becomes irresistible to outsiders as it grows in spiritual momentum, consistency and trust with the community. This usually carries it past the 5 year mark as it becomes sovereign, a word meaning it can govern itself financially, legally and behaviorally. It needs little oversight from initial supporting organizations and has established it’s own 501c3, constitution, bylaws, policies and financial stability. The church has cycled through 3-5 yeas of holidays, outreaches, summer vacations, disappointments and celebrations!

After year 5 the church has learned how to:

Manage itself: It’s facilities, it’s finances and it’s faith expressions.

Communicate well: It has worked out it’s processes through databases, emails newsletters, giving statements, sermons, prayer meetings, worship gatherings, team building and social media.

It can take a hit: The church can give and receive feedback internally and externally and respond in Godly  manners if  key people leave, because it has built faith that God is the author of the church not just their own efforts and he adds to their number those who are being saved, sanctified and filled with His Holy Spirit.

It is at peace with itself: The community has processes of how to resolve conflicts in a healthy biblical way and has matured.

This is why my church is still here almost twenty years later.

This is also why my church has invested in partnerships to help see 5 other churches planted in the last 15 years.

Believe and pray with us that these churches we have invested in,  like our church, will make it to their 20th birthday and beyond, God willing!

References of pictures and info came from:

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“What percentage of churches fail?” Brent Maderis. April 22nd, 2023. www.Hometownhopeministriesinc.com