Why the need for new churches and healthy churches?

• America is the largest unchurched nation in the world

• It is estimated that there are over 200 million unchurched people in America (NAMB)

• SBC baptized 397,344 people in 1997. At that rate it will take 493 years to reach the US if the population doesn’t grow! (Richard Harris, NAMB)

• According to Barna Research, of the 350,000 churches in the US: 80% are declining, 15% are growing because of biological or transfer growth, 5% are growing because of conversion growth.

• New churches and healthy churches are needed for the growing ethnic populations in our state convention: Presently over 11% of our residents speak a foreign language (2000 Census)

• Your neighbors are lost and could spend an eternity in hell should we not plant new churches and become healthy reproducing churches.