Grow

We have the love of God that operates in our hearts - we know that He has loved us, we have received that love if we have accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior, and now we radiate that love to the
world. Romans 5 states:
5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

We are called to be containers of the love of God - He has chosen to live in our hearts by the Holy Spirit; we have received Him into our lives and we can know His unconditional, unfailing love...it is so important that we recognize His love for us.  We are also called to be carriers of the love of God - ready to share that love with the people whom God brings our way.  His compassion is resident in us, and we are not to keep it to ourselves - He wants us to give it away, realizing that He is the supplier of unlimited resources to minister to people in His love.

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Our ability to touch others is related to the way that we view them - do we regard unbelievers or unchurched people as folks who have potential to come into a knowledge of God through Christ?
That's the gist of this passage from 2nd Corinthians 5:
14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;
15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
16 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.

There are "compelling reasons" to plant churches, according to a new survey released by Leadership Network in association with Portable Church.  The opening sentence of a press release posted on the Christian Newswire website, states:

People who attend churches or multisite campuses started in the last 5 years are 52% more likely to invite friends and family to "consider faith in Jesus Christ" than at any other time in the life of the church.

Warren Bird, research director at Leadership Network, is quoted as saying, "This news, which we call the '52% factor,' offers a compelling reason for churches to do the work necessary to launch a new church or campus—because the spiritual payoff is so strong."

The study actually points out 8 new reasons to start churches, and the summary states:

• A solid quarter (26%) of the new churches or campuses surveyed estimate that half or more of their people are, in a typical month, inviting others to consider faith in Jesus Christ.

• Almost half (49%) said that, for unchurched individuals being invited, the type of facility doesn't matter, in terms of whether it's portable (involving weekly setup and tear-down) or permanent (a facility available 7 days a week).

There is a one-page infographic available through the Leadership Network website that highlights 5 compelling, "new" reasons to start a church.  These include:

More Millennials.  In reaching this next generation, it's noted that most attenders in new churches or multi-site locations launched in the last five years are 35 years of age or younger.

More Outreach.  That's the 52% factor - those attending these new churches are more likely to invite people to experience Christ.

More Engagement.  Members of new churches are 31% more likely to volunteer to serve.

More Growth.  During the first 5 years of a church or site, locations grow 170% faster than the average of subsequent years.

and...

More Financial Resources.  Because more people are coming, the cost per attender is generally lower during the first five years.

That does makes sense, when you consider the numbers - new churches or new sites will no doubt grow at a greater rate, because they're starting from scratch, but the survey of 1600 respondents does illustrate the dynamics of outreach.  Let's consider a few things:

It's hard to argue against the fact that new things often attract people  - consider the opening of a new restaurant or store.  When something is new, people want to check it out; the problem does come in sustaining that entity once the initial excitement wears off.   So, a new church can generate awareness, but it's critical to have a plan to sustain that initial spike.  That's probably a different discussion for another time.

But, we know that passion will lead to distribution. This survey shows some tangible ways that more people can be reached, and apparently they are more excited to reach others...the 52% factor. We should be concerned with the growth of the individuals that come, but we also realize that the more people who connect with the people of God with the church, the greater number will perhaps come into fellowship with Christ and His body. And, the church becomes more effective.  And, we know that we need to have a greater impact on our culture.

So, all in all, we can be challenged to evaluate our own individual outreach.  God brings us in contact with people regularly - we can be compelled to love and propelled to think about how we are communicating Christ to them.  We have the capacity to radiate hope to a world that is looking for answers and for satisfaction; we are the carriers of their solution.