CHURCH PLANTS

GCM has a passion for supporting missionaries as they work to plant new churches. We believe that church planting is God’s intended primary means of kingdom expansion, as seen in the New Testament.

The need for new churches is great, not only overseas but also in the U.S. One out of every three American adults—or 73 million people—is considered unchurched according to the Barna Group, a California-based research organization (more). Whereas in 1900, there were 27 churches for every 10,000 Americans, in 2004 there were only 11 churches for every 10,000 Americans (Lost in America, T. Clegg).

Church plants offer great hope and potential. Most church plants gain over half of their new members from people who are unchurched. While older churches tend to grow by receiving transfers from other churches, church plants are most effective at bringing new people to a saving relationship with Christ. Missiologist C. Peter Wagner says, “Planting new churches is the most effective evangelistic methodology known under heaven.”