The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) is pormoting its “every church plant a church” campaign to help bring more people to Christ. Launched this year by the denomination’s home mission arm, Mission to North America (MNA), the thrust was designed to create a grassroots church-planting culture in the PCA.

“We’re not inventing any new methodology here but we’re crystallizing concepts we’ve clearly seen God use, and encouraging people to take more steps in this direction,” said Fred Marsh, associate coordinator of MNA, in the denomination’s byFaith magazine. Church planting is considered one of the most effective ways to “bring in a harvest.”

According to research by David T. Olson, author of The American Church in Crisis, new churches grow faster than established churches and have three to four times the conversion rate per attendee than do established churches. They are also historically the best method for reaching each emerging new generation.

Additionally, planting new churches promotes the health of parent churches. Olson points out that the traits that cause a church to plant a new church (such as a desire to evangelize and minister to their community) are the same traits that will cause the parent church to grow.

“The best way to make known the name of Christ is by planting new churches. It’s the best way to promote world missions. It’s the best way to promote the health of existing churches,” said David Sherwood, senior pastor at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Providence, R.I.

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