Church Planting: Capacity Vs. Reach

Starting today, Luminex will begin launching Whiteboard Wednesdays, which is a short video series capturing the knowledge and experiences from our current leaders. These videos will discuss various topics that will educate, train, and inspire developing leaders and others who are looking for a weekly dose of motivation and learning. We hope that you will find these videos as enlightening and informative as we do!

This week, Doug McClintic, the Multiplication Catalyst for Luminex, discusses the types of church planting, and the ways in which we can fund and support them.

The two approaches to church planting are illustrated by a matrix of two poles. One pole signifies capacity while the other symbolizes reach. Each pole describes a different type of approach to church planting. Some churches are designed to increase capacities in order to work together as a network or as a denomination. Typically, capacity driven churches reside in higher socioeconomic areas where most people are working full time, and are able to work and provide meaningful contributions to the church. These types of churches are able to create sustainability in a shorter amount of time (i.e., 2-5 years).

Then, there are some churches designed to reach people who have not yet been touched by the church planting network or denomination.  These types of churches are often found within lower socioeconomic areas where resources are limited or among people groups who have yet to receive the gospel. The primary focus for these churches is to reach new people, especially those who are experiencing hardships and difficulties. Some may even have special needs (i.e., individuals with mental and physical disabilities, living in impoverished communities, or those who recently moved to the U.S). The goal for church planters is to determine the best and most appropriate path to convert and assimilate these groups of people. Because it take a considerable amount of time to experience conversion and assimilation, it may take anywhere between 5-15 years to reach sustainability.

So – you may be asking yourself why does this distinction matter?

It is important to know where each church falls within the capacity vs. reach chart to make better decisions on how we plan, support, and execute church planting efforts. Because in the end, it is about bringing value and positive influence to people’s lives, and ultimately, to be able to make powerful and meaningful change in our communities – for the cause of Christ.