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CHURCH DEVELOPMENT Emphasis On New Church Development Proves Effective By Charles W. Courtoy
Executive Director of Church Development
In 1995 the Annual Conference decided to initiate
a more focused thrust in new church development. With the five new launches approved and
scheduled to receive appointments this June, the record is a total of 24 new church
launches and nine mission fellowships established (four Haitian, three Hispanic, one
Korean and one Brazilian) for a combined total of 33 new faith communities in the last
five years. Two of the 33 have been discontinued — Fellowship in Citrus Springs and
New Beginnings in Orlando.
Compared to the five-year period of 1990-1994, during which 11 new churches were launched, this represents a threefold increase in the number of new faith communities launched.
It is interesting to note the effect new churches are having in reaching people. Information from the 1998 year-end reports reveals the following for the 17 churches chartered since 1990 (since our current guidelines do not permit a new church to charter until there are at least 125 adults and demonstrated probability of being financially self-sustaining, 16 of our current new churches launched since 1996 have yet to charter; thus, there is no statistical year-end report for 1998):
- The 17 new churches recorded a net growth during 1998 of 1,223 persons or an average of 72 persons per church. Combined year-end membership was 5,961 persons.
- In 1998 the churches experienced average worship attendance that was 78.7 percent of recorded membership, compared to 46 percent conference-wide.
- In 1998 the churches received 621 people on profession of faith for an average of 37 per church.
- In 1998 more persons were received on profession of faith, 621, than on transfer from other United Methodist churches, 363.
Dr. Roger Swanson, who will begin serving in June as the conference’s director of Operation Evangelization, says the number one strategy for reaching the unchurched is establishing new congregations. The drama unfolding with new churches (three more will be chartered in the next three months) being established each year bodes well for reaching the unchurched living in the Florida Conference.
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