To Plant More Churches

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) has planted 468 new churches since 2000, as reported to LCMS Rosters, Statistics, and Research Services; during that same time period, 903 LCMS congregations closed (including failed church starts); and

WHEREAS, About one-third of the 468 church plants closed before becoming sustainable congregations (the above statistics obtained from a soon-to-be-released church planting study gathered by the Office of National Mission [ONM], with the assistance of LCMS districts); and

WHEREAS, Large financial grants from the district or the Synod have often not tended to result in sustainable congregations; that is, the model of calling a mission pastor and giving him a large financial grant to start a church has not consistently produced sustainable congregations; and

WHEREAS, Population shifts have resulted in a large number of people residing where the LCMS does not have a presence, especially in the western United States and the “Sunbelt”; and

WHEREAS, The most effective church planting model is mother/daughter congregations, though other ways may prove to be more feasible (e.g., sister congregations where congregations from elsewhere support a mission plant); and

WHEREAS, Opportunities for new church starts are best identified at a local level instead of at the district or Synod level, that is, individual congregations or circuits making the identifications; and

WHEREAS, ONM is currently developing a systematic approach to planting new churches through a church planting initiative; and

WHEREAS, The Bolick Foundation has granted $2 million to the LCMS for the church planting initiative; and

WHEREAS, Successful plants involve a group of committed laity as the sustaining core, sustained with the help of a neighboring pastor; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod give thanks to God for the Bolick Foundation’s generous support for the church planting initiative; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod direct ONM to work with districts to develop and implement resources for the LCMS church planting initiative, and encourage congregations to make use of the resources; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod encourage pastors and lay people to identify and initiate local opportunities for starting new churches; and be it further

Resolved, That ONM, in partnership with the districts (2019 Resolution 1-02, “To Encourage the Planting of Churches”), provide training, support, and, as available, funding for locally identified new church starts; and be it finally

Resolved, That congregations be encouraged to support new church starts locally, within their districts, and across the Synod