Birthing a new church

"Hardly anything demonstrates the health of a congregation as much as the willingness - and ability! - to give birth to new congregations."
"Reproduction through multiplication is simply a life principle of all God-created organisms, including the church of Jesus Christ."

- Christian A. Schwarz in "Natural Church Development, A Guide to Eight Essential Qualities of Healthy Churches"

NWCEA, in following this idea, encourages Christian Churches and Churches of Christ to plant a new church from within their congregation. We call churches who are willing to do this Parent Churches. We group Parent Churches together each year or two into a Parent Church Network so we can train and equip them and so they can support each other with prayer, ideas and other support.

Become a Church-Planting Church

We want to assist your church in planting a church. Often we can bring funding, partners willing to help with funding, tremendous experience, coaching and other resources to assist you in continuing the reproduction process of your church.

Statistics show that new churches are many times more effective at reaching the unchurched than established churches.
We want you to continue growing as a church, but we believe God wants us to plant new churches as well.

 
Please contact NWCEA to see what is involved in birthing a new church. Tom Brown, our Executive Director, is ready to talk to you about becoming a Parent Church. Click here to start the ball rolling. 

Parent Church Network 2005

NWCEA is in contact with several churches who have expressed an interest in beginning a church soon. We are forming the PCN 2005.
Areas under consideration are:


* Inner Southeast Portland
* An Hispanic Church in Hillsboro or Cornelius
* A church in the new city to be built soon in Northwest Wilsonville (the site of the former Dammasch State Hospital).
* A cowboy church, perhaps in St. Paul, Molalla or a nearby area.

Is your church being called by God to seek more people through a new church? Contact NWCEA.

Parent Church Network 2004


NWCEA planted three churches in 2004.  Two of the three had local parent churches.

Potter's Hands Christian Church started in October (work really began in January '04).  Parent church is Tigard Christian Church.  Church Planters Sean Thome' and Shawn Mitchell are aiming to locate their church in the Murrayhill/Scholls area.  Presently they meet at Scholls Heights Elementary School.  View their web site: www.pottershands.org.

Ethnos Christian Church starting in October (work really began in Jan. '04).  Parent church is Our Place, Your Christian Church, Hillsboro, which is an NWCEA church plant that started in 2002.  Church Planter Justin Wolverton is using strong home groups and a gathering on Sunday nights to reach the west side of urban Portland.  View their web site:  www.ethnoschurch.org.