Why do some church plants experience higher attendance while others struggle to attract people? Are there commonalities among those with higher than average attendance that can be replicated in different settings? A recent study by the Center for Missional Research of twelve denominations or networks provides the answer as a resounding "yes."

Many of the churches did the same things—"shared Christ," had worship services; but when more than 100 factors were analyzed, the following ten categories proved to be the best predictors for higher worship attendance when compared to church plants at or below the average church plant attendance.

We found that realistic expectations were a significant determining factor of success. When the church planter's expectations meet the reality of the church planting experience, the chance of survivability increases by over 400 percent. Of those who said their expectations were realized, 87 percent of their churches survived compared to only 61 percent of church plants survived among those who did not have their expectations met. It is evident that a realistic picture of the joys and difficulties surrounding church planting is beneficial for both the church plant and the church planter.

We found that realistic expectations were a significant determining factor of success. When the church planter's expectations meet the reality of the church planting experience, the chance of survivability increases by over 400 percent. Of those who said their expectations were realized, 87 percent of their churches survived compared to only 61 percent of church plants survived among those who did not have their expectations met. It is evident that a realistic picture of the joys and difficulties surrounding church planting is beneficial for both the church plant and the church planter.