Annual Net Gain of 500 Churches Every Year in U.S.

According to a recent Christian Post article there is some good news for the mission of Jesus in the United States.  In an article titled, Total U.S. Churches No Longer In Decline it points out that every year there are now 4,000 churches being planted in the U.S. while 3500 churches will close their doors.  This bottom line is this:  we are seeing a net gain of 500 new churches every year in the United States.

Over the last several years through COMMUNITY, NewThing, the Exponential Conference and more recently through our new book, Exponential: How You And Your Friends Can Start A Missional Church Movement many of us have championed the cause of church planting.  It is good to see that we are now on the positive side and seeing a net gain in new churches.  The next challenge is to not merely be content with addition, but to move toward multiplication and ultimately a movement.

Comments

[FertilAid]

Hmm what kind of plant is that? hmm nice!! I liked it...

[Brendon Foulke]

Man this is some encouraging news! Although it brings up thoughts and wonders about what happened to the 3500 churches that close? Is that the way it is supposed to happen? You throw out a bunch of darts and the ones that stick are the places you go too? Thats almost what it seems like when you think about that number.
I dont though, just a thought. I am enjoying your book by the way. Thanks Dave.

[Dave Baldwin]

Hey Dave,
I have your book, but haven't started reading it yet. Might do it as I travel to Chicago next week.
If there are 300,000,000 people in the United States, a net gain of only 500 churches seems quite abysmal. I think I'm going to focus on the 4,000. That's still tiny compared to the need of population figure above.
We have a lot of work to do that's for sure.
Blessings,
Dave