We hear about trends all the time. We know when fall is around the corner, because even before the first leaf turns yellow Starbucks re-introduces the Pumpkin Spice Latte. Fashion trends come and go and come back again – you must have seen velvet on someone in the last six months. While trends are oftentimes visible and easily communicated, who is to say something that is trendy is actually successful?
There are a few trends many of us have recognized becoming features of new churches. One of our favorite church trends here at Portable Church is obvious – we love portable churches, and the option to use a rented facility has gained traction in the world of church planting and multisite church.
And finally, we have the data to support the creation of new churches and multisite campuses. This solid evidence shows that the church planting trend of the past decade or so has positive results for building the Kingdom and making disciples. Below are trends that have been growing, and for which we know will be of help to you as you move forward with your church plant.
1. Strategic planting:
Planting a church is becoming more intentional, strategic and technical. Church planters already have more access to resources, tools and training than ever before. Right from church planting assessment tools and free resources to conferences and boot camps – all the help you need for church planting is out there!
2. Kingdom collaboration:
The next generation of church planters has a collaborative mindset. Many churches are already working together, fueled by a common passion to reach their cities. Expect denominational lines to get less distinct, while the desire to see Jesus build His Kingdom only deepens! Missiologist Ed Stetzer predicts that future church planters will be “less focused on the superman model of leadership, and more focused on team leadership.”
3. Bi-vocational church planters:
Church planters are opting to work in the marketplace as a first choice, not as a last resort – whether they have financial support or not. In fact, their marketplace vocation will equip church planters with better leadership skills and a higher capacity for work. And most importantly, it will give them the opportunity to share the Gospel with many others.
4. Radically diverse churches:
Segregated churches are going to be the rare exception. The church is all set to be multiracial, multiethnic and multicultural. How else can the church stay relevant in a cultural landscape that is getting increasingly diverse by the day? In fact, many church planting networks, such as Acts 29, are focusing on becoming a “radically diverse crowd.”
5. Multisite churches:
The verdict is in: multisite churches are here to stay!
Did you know that there are over 5,000 multisite churches in the US? Smaller churches are increasingly launching multiple campuses. This trend is not surprising since multisite churches typically activate more people in ministry than single-site churches do.
6. Let church go to the people:
Churches that set up in a casual, neutral environment such as a school, movie theater, or bowling alley are more inviting than a traditional church setting. Church planters will increasingly launch churches in everyday, community spaces.
7. Portable churches:
Church planters are increasingly choosing to launch churches in portable venues over permanent buildings. Portability helps churches save considerable building and maintenance costs, with excess funds becoming available for ministry work. Portable churches enjoy the freedom to upgrade or downsize. In fact, you can check out these 10 advantages that portable churches have over permanent buildings.
Many of these changes have already been happening, and will continue to impact the health and growth of new churches, both brand-new plants and the establishment of multisite campuses. If you’re interested in some of the raw data behind these summaries, take a look at our free report eBook, developed with Dr. Warren Bird from Leadership Network.
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