New Faith Communities/Congregational Development

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What does a United Methodist New Faith Community look like?

Definition of a New Faith Community in the Detroit Conference

  1. Did not exist before.
  2. Practices Wesleyan Theology and is consistent with the polity of the United Methodist Church.
  3. It’s primary focus is reaching new people who are not in existing churches.
  4. If sponsored by a parent congregation, it is different. This may include differences such as geographic location, ethnicity, socio-economic status, culture, etc.
  5. Knows why it exists and has a clear sense of mission/vision and who God is calling it to reach.
  6. Gathers for regular worship and celebration of the sacraments.
  7. Receives new members.
  8. Has intentional disciple-making, mission and financial stewardship systems.
  9. Is deeply involved in community transformation.
  10. Is willing to start a new faith community within the first decade of its formation.
In the Detroit Conference, New Faith Communities are established in different ways. This is a summary of the models for planting that are supported and nurtured by the New Church Development Committee:

Parachute/Mission

  • A pastor is appointed to an area where the pastor is unknown 
  • The pastor begins by integrating into the community, learning its culture and customs, making friends, and developing a launch team

Franchise/Connectional Model

  • Similar to the Parachute Model except that the pastor has some familiarity with the community
  • Begins with a connection to the Annual Conference and the District, working with the New Church Development Team
  • Neighboring churches are encouraged to partner with the new church

Extension Campus/Multi-Site

  • An additional campus of a parent church 
  • Leverages credibility and reputation of main campus
  • Uses resources of main campus

Birthing Model/Mother-Daughter

  • New church start pastor is appointed to a Parent church
  • A core group of the parent church is birthed to the new church
  • Birth occurs after a one-year “gestation” process 

Partnership Model

  • Several churches make a commitment to start a new church in a given area
  • Each church gives people and resources to the new church 

Cell or House Church Model

  • Start with a core group that multiplies when it reaches 12-15
  • Meets in homes of the members
  • Continue multiplying groups

Restart Model

  • Starts with the death of a current congregation
  • Loses the identity of the former church and adopts a new identity, vision and mission, usually reaching a different group or culture of people
  • Church building sits empty for not less than six months 

Basic Merger Model

  • Two or more congregations join together to become one.
  • Usually not an effective model and generally results in the combined average attendance being the same as the larger of the merged churches within two years.

Adoption Merger

  • Larger church absorbs smaller church
  • Leadership and primary ministries of larger church supplements smaller church
  • DNA of the larger church replaces DNA of smaller church 

Vital Merger

  • Merger of two or more congregations
  • Sell all property (excluding parsonage) and relocate to a new location
  • Establish a new Mission and Vision aimed at the new mission field

Relocation New Church Model

  • Moving the church to a new location for missional purposes
  • Changing the name of the old church
  • Viewing itself as a different church, not the same church in a different location

Church within a church

  • A new faith community reaching a different mission field other than the primary congregation (racial-ethnic, generational, economic, etc.)
  • Developing a new mission, vision and core values and discipleship system

Organic Model/Missional Church Model

  • A new faith community that exists without much of the organizational structure of an attractional church model
  • Is a “simple church” experience which has the propensity to meet anywhere; with or without trained leaders, formal liturgy, programs or structures 
  • The process of moving from worship to small group, small group to mission work, and mission work to worship is a primary focus as every disciple is empowered to carry the mission of God into every sphere of life 

Laity-led new starts

  • A congregation started by laity
  • The lay-planter is almost always bi-vocational
  • After the church grows to 75-100 they request a pastor

Surprise starts/Unplanned pregnancy

  • A new church starts because of a church split
  • A church from another denomination wants to become United Methodist