A recent post by Steve Addison led to a study by Todd Hunter of “failed” church planters within the Vineyard organization. I recast his conclusions around movement building—possibly a faulty method. Still, his points seem to apply to our success or failure around movement building.
Why Movement Building Fails:
1. The movement builder could not identify, recruit, train, deploy, monitor and nurture workers and leaders.
2. The movement builder had no clear plan from which he was working.
3. The movement builder used ineffective gathering and/or evangelistic methods.
4. The movement builder had no (or not enough) proven track record under supervision with us.
5. The movement builder was a nurturing enabler/facilitator rather than an assertive leader/equipper.
6. The movement builder had no (not enough) indigenous support system/no lifeline to a central team/support base.
7. The movement builder did no discerning research (i.e., demographics, psychographics, etc.).
8. The movement attracted too many nominal/hurt Christians who were unwilling or unable to change and grow (i.e., church hoppers, burned out leaders, the chronically hurt, etc.).
9. The movement builder was not a good leader.
10. The movement builder had ego strength problems-success or failure too tied to self image.
11. The movement builder did not take responsibility for the church to grow (i.e., was waiting for it to happen).
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