How to Plant a Church

How to Plant a Church, Ric Thorpe, Abingdon: Gregory Centre for Church Multiplication, 2024, xii + 171pp, £9.99,

There are a number of different models that can be used in planting or starting a new church.  In this text Ric Thorpe, who as I was writing this had just been appointed Archbishop of Melbourne after a number of years as a Church of England bishop and church planter, articulates one model but gives enough generic insight so that this book is useful reading for any of us thinking whether we could be involved in a new church start.

The model here is where a significant number of people, including paid staff, take over a basically redundant church building and start a new faith community.  At the beginning they have many of the skills needed in the initial group, have paid staff to lead and a sufficient budget.  All of this comes from the parent church.  That is rarely the situation in Irish Methodism, although we have done this in the past, so this isn’t a model we are likely to replicate across Ireland but we do learn a number of key things.

Thorpe recognises the advantages of his model and attempts to show what the generic learning from his experiment in London teaches us.  His focus is on prayer to help us know whether this is the direction that God wants from us.  Then there is a clear and united vision shared among the initial group so that they know what they are trying to do and why.  Keeping that vision central is crucial.  There needs to be careful planning and an emphasis on the particular context of the new start.  Having good leadership and sufficient resources are important and the ability to develop a plan as it goes along.

These could be applied to various situations, not just church planting, and all are to some extent ‘common sense’.  But, that is perhaps my take away from this book.  I managed to stay the right side of envy when viewing a model that started with more than 50 skilled and committed church members, a building, paid staff and budget for about 5 years.  In Irish Methodism we are looking at very different approaches.  Thorpe recognises the advantages of his approach and attempts to show the transferable insights.  For me the main insight was that this is possible, it’s doable.  There are different ways to attempt to start new congregations.  Its finding the right approach that is within our means for a particular situation, and then under God giving that our best efforts.  We can and are doing this.  God willing we increasingly have the courage to take such steps of faith.

Rev’d Dr Stephen Skuce
Growing Churches Officer
The Methodist Church in Ireland