As we enter the twenty-first century, the most effective form of evangelism is creating new faith communities. What is a faith community? It is a worship experience linked to a discipleship system that introduces newcomers to the Christian faith and creates settings where they can come to know and believe in Jesus Christ. But it doesn't stop there. The congregation also provides ways for new Christians to mature in faith and to learn to use their spiritual gifts for ministry.

The United Methodist Church is establishing new faith communities in three primary ways: (1) by starting new churches; (2) through existing congregations that link their current worship with a discipleship system; and (3) by starting new worship experiences in an existing church that are linked to a discipleship system. The importance of establishing new faith communities can be seen in the following five trends.

Five Trends Shaping the Twenty-First Century

1. High Growth and Mobility of the U.S. Population

1. The 2000 U.S. Census reported that for the first time in a century every state in the nation gained in population. Rather than living in a place of population decline, the total population will continue to grow. The U.S. Census projects a 23 percent increase in total population from 2000 to 2025.
2. From 1991 to 2001, more than 422 million people moved. One hundred fifty-one million moved from one county to another, which means that those involved in a local congregation in one county would need to find a new church in the new county because of the distance involved.
3. This vast movement of people in the last decade has created new opportunities for churches around the country. When people move into a new community, there is an opportunity for a church to welcome them and invite them to become active in the church. Even more important, most people are not going to be lifelong members of one local church. Rather, as people move into new communities, they will be looking for ways to connect with the community. One of those ways is through becoming part of a local church. Local churches that focus on creating faith communities that are open to new people are the ones that will grow.

2. The New Youth Boom
Presently, there are more children and youth in school than at any other time in U.S. history. They are the Millennial Generation (born 1982-99). More numerous than the Baby Boomers and the Postmoderns when they were young, this generation will set the trends for the next ten years. By 2006 the youth boom will be larger than that of the '60s and '70s. Congregations that create ministry for the Millennials are the ones that will meet the needs of a new generation. Creating faith communities that speak to the families of the Millennials will be a key strategy for churches in the first decade of the new century.

3. Aging of the Baby Boomers
Even while observing the birth of a new generation, the Baby Boomers will be creating new trends themselves as they move toward retirement. During the next two decades, record numbers of Americans will turn 50. By 2020, the number of those over 65 will double. As people age and move into retirement, churches will face the challenge of providing faith communities geared to their needs. A focus on spirituality, using gifts for ministry, addressing issues related to health and wellness, and teaching Boomers how to give back to society will be key.

4. The Multiethnic Society
The 1990's could be called the decade of immigration. From 1990 to 2000, the foreign-born population increased by 57 percent to 31 million. In 2000, eleven percent of the population was foreign-born. Many communities are living in a multiethnic world. A key strategy for evangelism is creating new faith communities for specific people groups defined by language, race, ethnicity, and generation.

Because the Millennial Generation has greater racial ethnic diversity than previous generations, a key to ministry with Millennials will be the creation of single-culture, multiethnic faith communities that reflect the demographic make-up of their population. This diversity will continue to increase as we move through the twenty-first century.

5. The Communications Revolution
The communications revolution brought about by the computer continues to accelerate. Networking via fax, Internet, and e-mail has changed the way people interact. On the horizon are devices that will incorporate all three, plus live video and phone. As the printing press changed the world 500 years ago, the computer chip will continue to change the way we communicate. Churches that tap into new ways of communicating will find new ways to stay connected with members, new ways to equip and train people for ministry, and new opportunities for sharing their faith in Jesus Christ.

New Opportunities Abound

As a result of the intermixing of these five trends, congregations find themselves in a world much different from that of even forty years ago. As they learn to operate in new ways, they must:

1. Move from signing up members to developing disciples.
2. Create systems of discipleship that assist people through different stages of spiritual development.
3. Create a flexible church structure whose strength lies in relationships, rather than in the layout of the organizational chart.
4. Learn to create new faith communities that speak to the new people groups moving into the cities and towns.

New Congregational Development and Annual Conferences

An exciting trend in The United Methodist Church in the last decade has been a renewed emphasis on starting new churches. Those annual conferences focused on starting new churches have turned their membership decline around. For example, the North Alabama Annual Conference, through their Academy of Congregational Development, has trained a pool of potential new church starters and has started twenty-three new churches. The membership of the entire annual conference is now on an upswing because of the new churches started and the new people they attract.

Looking across the United Methodist landscape, these key principals are being put into action:

1. Leadership is key. Invest in leadership training and development, rather than property and buildings.


2. Existing congregations benefit from new church starts in their area. New church development is the research and development wing of the annual conference. By blazing new trails and having the freedom to experiment, new churches can teach existing churches how to reach new people groups.


3. Build the discipleship system first, then invite people to worship. Some recent new church starts have taken nine to twelve months to start twelve small groups of twelve adults. After reaching that number, a worship experience was launched that included the total number. As a result, the church broke the first growth barrier of 120 in worship at inception.


4. Worship that speaks to the needs of those in the community is vital to the success of the congregation.


5. Churches that have 120 and more in the first public worship service have a better track record of continued growth. The number attending the first worship service largely determines the future size of the congregation.

   Congregations that wait until they have from 120 to 300 or more the first time a worship experience is offered are in a much better position to reach a greater number of people. Some church planters may spend over a year developing the discipleship system before being ready to launch the first public worship experience.

Starting New Faith Communities

It was once said that The United Methodist Church did not know how to start churches. That is no longer true. Throughout the connection, numerous examples of new churches that are having great success can be highlighted. New church leaders are now taught a five-step process for creating new faith communities.

1. Train and equip leaders: Before sending a pastor or a lay team to start a new church, train them. Annual conferences that invest in creating a pool of trained leaders for new church starts find themselves in the position to successfully launch new churches. The skills that are learned can also be applied to ministry in existing congregations.


2. Identify people groups: A faith community is most effective when it is in ministry to a people group. Through demographics, congregations can discover the people groups in their communities and create faith communities that speak to their needs and dreams.

   A people group may be a racial-ethnic group, a language group, a generational group, or a combination. People groups share common beliefs and history, have similar circumstances, and look toward a common future.

   Many congregations find that by establishing multiple faith communities, they meet the needs of multiple people groups. For example, when a church decides to start a new worship service to reach a younger generation, it is in the process of developing a new worship experience for a different people group in the community. This generational group has different values, beliefs, and musical tastes from those who attend the current worship experience. By also developing a discipleship system that links to the new worship experience, a congregation creates a new faith community that can transform the lives of those who become part of the ministry of the church.



3. Develop a healthy core group: The first job of a new church start leader or of the leadership core of an existing congregation that receives a new pastor is to establish a healthy core group. This is essential for developing a sustainable ministry.

   What are the characteristics of a healthy core group? They live out the spiritual disciplines of the Christian faith — praying for one another, holding one another accountable, reflecting on Scripture, and asking God for a common vision that will lead the congregation into the future.



4. Develop a discipleship system: A discipleship system is designed to equip and nourish Christians as they mature in faith. Typically, it involves a combination of small groups (8-15 people) and fellowship/instruction groups (50-90 people) linked to public worship.


5. Launch public worship: The next critical step is the launching of public worship. Public worship is when the neighborhood and surrounding community are invited to join in worship. Studies show the importance of having more than 120 people at the first offering of a new worship experience — especially for new church starts and for worship services started by existing churches at nontraditional times (Saturday/Sunday evening).

Additional Help

For further resourcing for new congregational development, the General Board of Discipleship offers the following resources:

• The School of Congregational Development (offered in August of each year). The General Board of Discipleship partners with the General Board of Global Ministries to offer an intensive five days of training in congregational development. For updated information on future schools and other training opportunities go to www.umcncd.org.
• The Fitzgerald Program for New Church Pastors: This new program offered by The Center for Evangelism through New Congregational Development at the General Board of Discipleship and The Foundation for Evangelism instructs twenty church planters each year during the first year of their appointment to a new church start. For more information go to www.fitzgeraldpastors.org, or contact Craig Miller at cmiller@gbod.org.
• Printed Resources available from Discipleship Resources, 800-972-0433, hwww.discipleshipresources.org; and Cokesbury, 800-672-1789:
  • NextChurch.Now: Creating New Faith Communities by Craig K. Miller.
    Next Church.Now teaches a step-by-step process for starting new faith communities. For new and existing churches, Miller presents many of the principles that have been stated above.
  • Making God Real for a New Generation: Ministry with Millennials (Born 1982 to 1999) by Craig Kennet Miller and MaryJane Pierce Norton.
    This resource has numerous articles from pastors and leaders in their fields to enable congregations to create effective ministries with the children, youth, and young adults who make up this generation.
  • Forty-Sixty: A Study for MIdlife Adults Who Want to Make a Difference by Richard H. Gentzler, Jr. and Craig Kennet Miller.
    This book guides midlife adults in a ten-week study to help them discover a passion for living.
  • Contemporary Worship for the 21st Century by Daniel T. Benedict and Craig K. Miller
    This book has become a standard resource on worship in many seminaries. It is a valuable resource for learning how to create worship for people today.

Craig Kennet Miller is Director of The Center for Evangelism Through New Congregational Development and a Specialist in Generational Studies, General Board of Discipleship, Nashville, Tennessee. For more information, e-mail him at cmiller@gbod.org.