Why Plant Another Church?
When a new church is planted, one of the first and most pressing questions people ask is, “Why?” Why plant another church in a city that already seems full of them?
The assumption is often that a church plant will simply draw people away from existing congregations—that curious seekers or new believers will choose the new church just because it’s fresh, not because it’s fundamentally different. The concern is valid: Will this new community truly reach the unreached, or simply rearrange the already churched?
Tim Keller on Church Planting
In addition to being a leading voice in preaching and theology around the world, Tim Keller was a passionate champion for church planting. In a blog post from December 3, 2015, he wrote:
“New churches attract non-churched people on average about 3 to 6 times more than older churches. Only one in 10 new members of churches over 15 years old are people who were not Christians or not churched previously, while in new churches it is one in 3 or even 2 out of 3. Why? New churches are much more focused on outreach and so are more sensitive to the questions and issues of those outside their walls. Generally, older, vital churches grow by transferring already-Christians from weaker churches.”
In other words, church plants are uniquely positioned to reach those who are not yet part of any church—not just to shuffle believers between pews.
A City of Refugees, and a New Generation
Grand Rapids, Michigan has become a center for refugee resettlement. Over the past 15 years, thousands of refugees—particularly from Africa—have made this city their home. There are now more than 8,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, many of whom fled a civil war that has claimed more than five million lives. Rwandans, who escaped genocide, and South Sudanese, who fled civil war and famine, also form significant portions of the refugee population.
These communities have built first-generation churches. Grand Rapids is home to 11 Congolese congregations, multiple South Sudanese fellowships, and the largest Seventh-day Adventist Rwandan church in North America.
But as Bo and I have seen firsthand through our years in ministry, first-generation churches often struggle to reach the second generation. Just as many Korean-Americans raised in the U.S. no longer attend Korean-speaking churches, many sons and daughters of African refugees are now wrestling with how—and where—they fit into the church landscape of West Michigan.
Some have found themselves in churches marked by legalism. I’ve heard the story of one young man and how a woman at his church tore a bracelet from his wrist and told him he would go to hell for wearing it. These young people are spiritually hungry and responsive to the Gospel—but many lack a spiritual home. They need a church that welcomes them, loves them, and helps them walk according to the Gospel.
While we cannot fully predict what shape this church will take, our prayer is to become a vibrant, international church, one that draws people from across cultures and backgrounds. And we believe that part of this vision includes reaching the second generation—the sons and daughters of those who fled war and found a home in Grand Rapids.
