Viral Churches

This groundbreaking guide reveals successful strategies for multiplying the impact of new church congregations. Based on a national, cross-denominational study commissioned by Leadership Network, Viral Churches explores the best practices in church multiplication movements, as well as the common threads among them. A hands-on resource, Viral Churches offers the fresh vision and critical perspectives essential as a catalyst for today's church planting leaders. Authors Ed Stetzer and Warren Bird draw from their own experiences as well as the insights of numerous church planting leaders. Filled with illustrative success stories, this important book reveals how to plant churches that multiply into a movement. Each chapter highlights a different point on such issues as keeping the focus on evangelism; recruiting, assessing, and deploying planters; increasing the survivability of new churches; using a multisite strategy effectively; funding; overcoming obstacles; facing challenges ahead; and many more.

A groundbreaking guide for multiplying the impact of churchplantsBased on a study that was commissioned by the LeadershipNetwork, this book reveals the best practices in church plantingand uncovers the common threads among them. A much-needed resource,this book will inform, guide, and even catalyze today's many churchplanting leaders. The authors clearly show leaders how to plantchurches that create a multiplication movement and offerinspiration for them to do so. The book addresses their questionsabout what to do next in their church planting strategies, in lightof research on what's actually working best.* Author Ed Stetzer heads up LifeWay Research* Provides reliable, credible information about what churchplanting strategies work best* A volume in the Leadership Network SeriesOffers a definitive guide for church planting and the burgeoningmovement it is part of.

About Leadership Network ixForeword xiRick Warren1 Introduction 12 Church Planting: The New Evangelism 113 Growth by Multiplication: Big Contrast to Addition 314 New Players: Aggressive Local Churches and Church Planting Networks 495 Kingdom Cooperation: Church Planters Learning Together 676 Predictors of Success: Recruitment, Assessment, and Deployment 837 Thriving: New Church Survival Rates 1018 House Churches: Separating Reality from Fiction 1159 Multisite Strategy: A Fast-Growing Trend That Affects Planting 12910 Rapid Growth: Still Not Reproduction 13911 Funding: Partnerships Matter 14912 The New Scorecard: Measuring a Church Multiplication Movement 16113 Obstacles to Missional Replication: What Holds Us Back 18514 Conclusion: Solving the Toughest Challenges 195Acknowledgments 209Appendix: List of Churches and Networks Cited 211Notes 215Annotated Bibliography for Church Multiplication 225The Authors 233Index 237Scripture Index 244