Around the turn of this century, most American church planters were men. This is probably still true in terms of all church plants, since these projects are disproportionately sponsored by evangelical groups. But in the mainline denominations, the planters are diversifying. I asked a colleague who resources planters in the Anglican Church in the UK, “What are some common traits which come to mind as you think about the really gifted church planters you work with?” He thought for a minute, and the first response, “They’re mostly women.”
This past week, I attended the National Gathering of Church Planters for The United Methodist Church near Denver. The diversity was not only expressed in gender but also culture and ethnicity. It was a totally different gathering than would have been held in 1999, when I (white, male and 37) was a planter, and most participants looked like me. Last year, at this same gathering in Dallas, I noticed a lot of Spanish echoing in the lunch room. Another shift.
Beyond leader gender and ethnicity, the paradigm of the church plant itself has shifted almost entirely from the sprint toward a massive worship launch (very recently still the most likely approach). Today, there is no one model of new church that is rising - there are many models.
If the new plant is housed in a building where they can operate 24-7, that building likely either belongs to another church or was inherited from a church whose ministry came to an end. Given the slower starts, the challenging economics for young adults today and the high costs of construction - very few churches being planted in 2023 will ever buy land to build a building. And if they do, they will build something multi-purpose, designed to produce income streams beyond the church members. Buildings will be much smaller, designed for multiple gatherings in a week, rather than to fit everyone in for an hour on Easter.
These new start-ups (among the mainline groups) typically reflect the social sensibilities of young Americans. LGBTQIA inclusion is so basic that they may not even make much of a deal about it. Anti-colonialism, on the other hand, (fighting the old tendency to impose one culture on another) is still new enough in American church conversation that they may make a big deal about it - seeking to distinguish themselves from churches that have done damage and that have weakened credibility for organized religion among many young Americans.
The good-looking, white, 30-something know-it-all pastor up on stage in his skinny jeans - that was always a bit of a cartoon. Few in Denver, could pass for that character. But beyond outward appearances, Skinny Jeans Guy was also usually a super charismatic leader who could Pied Piper folks almost anywhere. I see a wider range of personalities leading new churches today. And I see them complimenting their gifts with other team members who fill out the range of skills needed to lead a faith community effectively. It is an era of team.
What I am about to say now is hyperbole - so if you quote me, include the whole paragraph: Almost anyone can plant a church in 2023, IF God is calling them and they have the wherewithal to build a team around themselves that fills out the gift mix necessary for the task! The 1990s era charismatic leader persona can still get the job done, but we don't have many of those - and some of them will not work well with the rising populations. In terms of assessing and discovering potential planters - I am more interested in the following:
* What kinds of people bring you energy and are a joy to be around?
* If you were to start from scratch to create a faith space for/with those folks, what might it look like (assuming no expectations from your denomination or from 20th century church habits)?
* Have you prototyped anything you just shared with me? And if so, what did you learn? If not, could you do so without a huge budget, testing your intuitions?
* Who does your heart break for in this world and what have you done about that before now?
* What gifts do you bring to a team and what gifts do you need (alongside you) on your team? How did you learn this?
* When did you ever gather a group of friends to do something together that brought blessing to others? Tell me all about that.
* Have you yet had a chance to be a part of a church with Acts 2 DNA and (if so) what has that taught you about ministry that may run counter to current assumptions? If not, how might you embed yourself in such a place for the next two years, before trying to plant?
* Tell me about the Hope that Jesus gives to you and how you see that as game-changing for the world and the people around you.
I do love church planters. I love their God dreams. I love their audacity. I love their tender hearts. I love their sacrificial lifestyle. And the fact that I get to spend many hours each week 1:1 in holy conversation processing their work and their next steps - it is an honor unlike any other!
The face of planting is changing. And (in my opinion) it is for the better!!
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