Church Planting: By the Numbers
Church planting is a mix of art and science. The art side is
all about the Holy Spirit—guiding, shaping, and leading the way. In between, there’s prayer, discernment, faithfulness, doctrine, discipleship, and everything else that makes a church thrive. Then, there’s the science side—best practices,
trends, demographics, and the lessons learned from experience.
With that in mind, let’s look at some numbers that highlight both the art and
science of church planting—because starting a church isn’t just about launching something new; it’s about reaching people, making disciples, and expanding God’s kingdom.
1. Evangelism Comes First
If planting a church just moves people from one congregation to another, something’s
off. Jesus made it clear: we’re supposed to go and be His witnesses—“in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
That’s why evangelism has to be the foundation from day one. At the Church Planters
Assessment Center, through training and coaching, new churches are encouraged to start strong with a focus on reaching people who don’t know Jesus yet.
Think of it like sports—practice matters. The way you prepare before launch sets
the tone for what happens afterward. If no one is coming to Christ before the church starts, don’t expect that to change once the doors open. Evangelism isn’t an afterthought—it needs to be a priority from the start.
2. Your Launch Team Sets the Pace
Most new churches end up doubling their launch team when they
officially start. That means if you have 30 adults in your core team, you can expect around 60 people to filling the seats after launch Sunday. If you start with 100 adults, you might settle at around 200.
Launch Sunday numbers are exciting, but the real story is told in the weeks that
follow. Churches grow in stages—just like kids crawl before they walk and walk before they run.
That’s why most planters aim for a launch team of at least 40 committed adults before
getting started. Once you factor in kids, that gives you a base of around 100 people—enough momentum to build a solid first year.
3. Multiple Income Streams Are the New Normal
Let’s be honest—the economy is changing, and church planters have to adapt. Most
need at least three sources of income to make things work:
- Tithes & offerings – The goal is for this to grow over time.
- Outside fundraising – This includes personal support, financial help from parent churches or denominations, and donations for equipment and other church needs.
But this usually decreases over time. The norm has been to ask for 3 years for support. Recent trends are to ask some to recommit for another year.
- Other work – Whether it’s painting, construction, Uber Eats, DoorDash, renting out a car on Turo, or working a side gig, many planters take on extra work for
a season to keep things going.
Funding models are shifting. Thom Rainer and Ryan Burge have written about how
church and church planting finances are evolving, and it’s becoming more common for planters to work bi-vocationally, at least at the start.
4. Don’t Skimp on Getting the Word Out
A church planting friend of mine shares this quote,
“When you spend nickels and dimes on advertising, you get nickel-and-dime results.”
Here’s the deal: if no one knows your church exists, they won’t show up. Marketing
isn’t a bad word—it’s just about making sure people hear about the church!
If you’ve got a church sign, a website, or a social media page, guess what? You’re
already marketing. Even Jesus emphasized in the parable of the banquet the idea of going out into the highways and byways (Luke 14) to invite people in
The big question is—does your budget reflect this priority? A lot of church plants
spend big on equipment but don’t set aside enough to actually spread the word. What if some of that budget went to reaching people instead? Many planters borrow or find second-hand equipment from other churches, Facebook Marketplace, or Craigslist. That frees
up money to invest in outreach.
Bottom line: Be wise and make sure people know your church is there!
Thinking About Church Planting?
Whether you’re considering planting a church, supporting one, or partnering as
a parent church, let’s talk! Joel Nelson at jnelson@convergenorthcentral.org.
