Writing about churches starting churches is a little like conducting a chemistry experiment. Relational models for church planting are the catalyst that causes the experiment to boil over.

Relational models focus on sending out Christians to gather and disciple unchurched people in their communities. If enough people are gathered, new formal congregations may form. While the general idea may sound intriguing, the specific models inspire frustration and fear for numerous leaders of established churches.

Pastors are frustrated their churches, where the Gospel is preached and fellowship shared each week, are somehow not considered “missional communities.”

For many formal church leaders, “house churches” are gatherings of disenchanted former …show more content…
Yet here I am, lifting up relational communities as models for churches starting churches. Here’s why:

Dry Steam Beds
Unlocking the front doors of most churches for worship feels a lot like turning on a shower with low water pressure. Month after month, a trickle of guests or visitors come through the doors.

So some church leaders are very leery of just sending a bunch of members out to start a new church. Instead, they send members to create missional communities or house churches. In other words, they send members to form relationships first. Only after relationships are established is the new congregation formed.

“I’m not a Republican, I’m a conservative.”
The above line was used in an advertisement I heard recently. It’s the political equivalent to “I’m not religious, but I am a Christian.” Such statements are aimed directly at GenXers and Millennials, the very generations producing today’s church planters. GenXers and Millennials are much more interested in creating community than constructing …show more content…
The task is becoming more challenging because more and more administrative pastors are GenXers.

As senior pastors, GenXers are much more interested in forming relationships than founding institutions. Meanwhile, dollars for ministry are drying up. It’s hard enough to financially support current staff, let alone add a church planter. So senior pastors increasingly will support sending members to gather their friends and family in missional communities, then consider forming a new congregation.

$100,000 Question
For years I’ve asked church planters variations of the same question: If you were starting a new church today, would you rather have a $100,000 donation or 10 committed leaders? So far experienced church planters said they want the 10 leaders, usually without hesitation.

It is even more interesting when I ask GenX and Millennial leaders with no field experience starting churches. They also choose leaders over a load of cash. So how could a church pull together seven to ten leaders with a shared passion for connecting people to Jesus? At the least, relational communities make it easier to find the leaders.

Do the