The North American Mission Board’s involvement with a church plant usually lasts through year four. Currently we are seeing that more than 86 percent of church plants are surviving through four years. These are very strong numbers, but NAMB is committed to doing even more to be sure that church plants get off to a strong start. That’s why we have invested more in recent years in church planter assessment, coaching, training, benefits and care. Church plants face all the challenges established churches face—fewer people attending church regularly, fewer identifying with Christianity, increased economic pressure, increased divisiveness. These factors and others make it more challenging than ever to successfully launch a church, and this is why Southern Baptists must continue to invest significantly in our church planting efforts.
