Church Planting :: Vision An Effective Witness in Every Community   Our district’s goal is to have a healthy, effective evangelical witness in every community in Minnesota. The following statistics are a wake-up call to the church: 19 percent of Americans attend a Christian church each weekend (David T. Olson) 70 percent of the people in the U.S. have no meaningful church relationship (Robert Logan) There are 195 million unchurched people in the U.S., making it the third largest mission field in the English-speaking world and the fifth largest globally (Kent Hunter) We find these statistics to be very true in Minnesota and realize that the potential Harvest is great. Millions are lost and unchurched. There are many individuals, people groups and communities that have no evangelical presence. How do we reach all these people? Where will they hear the Gospel message? According to Peter Wagner, the best way to reach this Harvest is the same way the disciples reached their world—through church planting. “I begin this book with a categorical statement that will seem bold and brash to some at first sight, even though it has been well substantiated by research over the past two or three decades: The single most effective evangelistic methodology under heaven is planting new churches." We desire to be a church planting movement reaching the Harvest through all types of church plants: those started by mother churches, those started by partnering churches, and those that start spontaneously. For this movement to occur, reproduction needs to be in the DNA of every church in the district, which will result in many new churches planted to reach this Harvest. The North Central District uses a HIGHLY RELATIONAL DISCIPLE-MAKING approach for every church plant. This approach follows closely what Jesus did to prepare Himself for His earthly mission as well as what He did to prepare His disciples for their mission of making disciples. This highly relational disciple-making approach can be used with any model, method, or form you use to plant a church. Time and numbers are not major factors for this approach; training and mentoring are essential, driven by eight Biblical principles. Church planters, along with core teams, are in training for at least six months. The result of this highly relational disciple-making approach is reproduction. Many talk about putting reproduction into the DNA of a church plant. This approach infuses reproduction into the church plant from the start. These plants are not only productive (adding more people); they become reproductive by multiplying people as they build relationships with non-believers (highly relational), and disciple all who come to Christ to do the same (disciple-making). Thus the new church plant from inception is prepared to reach the Harvest through planting other new churches. We desire that no church planter be alone in starting, training, and ministering in the plant God called him to. Therefore we have a current church planter who will coach the training and walk the church planter through each step of planting. Every church planter is involved in a monthly coaching triad with other church planters for ongoing encouragement and help. Can your church be involved in church planting? We facilitate a Church Planting Overview, an eight-hour seminar focusing on the “whys” and “hows” of reaching the Harvest through reproduction and church planting. This CPO will help established churches see their potential for reproduction. Contact us; we would gladly conduct a CPO at your church. Is God calling you to help plant a church in your community or neighborhood? Take the quick evaluation and follow the steps to contacting someone regarding your participation in starting a church in your community. Are you a potential church planter? Church planters are unique in their ministry giftedness. A few are pioneer planters, but most need a solid core group to start. Review the characteristics of a church planter and take the Ministry Match assessment online.