The Work of RENEWCOS
Renewal Grows When Churches Grow
So, what does church growth currently look like?
The Reality: There are way less people participating in church!
There are 70% fewer churches (per capita) today then there were 100 years ago. In recent years we’ve experienced what many have called “the great dechurching” where 40 million Americans have left the church, with 35 million more expected to leave by 2050.(1)
The Solution: Church Planting can bring those people back into the church!
Church Plants reach the Unchurched: Church plants see 6-8 times more conversions compared to more established churches. Church plant launch groups are made up of between 20-60% unchurched members. And 42% of church plant growth comes from those with no church affiliation (compared to 11% at established churches). (2)
The Challenge: We need to accelerate Church Planting!
We are church planting, but no where near the rate needed! Just to keep up with population growth, we would need to plant 3000 churches per year. Currently we net about 300 new churches opening each year. (3)
The Deep Need Out West
We need church planting everywhere… but especially out West!
Only 10% of COS attends a Gospel Proclaiming Church
Out west, the trends of those leaving the church or unreached by the church are much greater then other parts of the country. That means in El Paso County, there are over 600,000 people who are currently unaffiliated with a gospel proclaiming church. We can’t reach them with just a few church planting “missions” we need to build a movement. (1)
The need is greater, and it’s harder to plant!
It feels less like planting in tilled soil, more like clearing out the wilderness! With a smaller church presence out West, and a shorter history for church development there’s less momentum for planting. We have:
Fewer Rescuers: We don’t have the same pipeline of mature leaders to fill church planting teams.
Under-Resourced Outfitters: We don’t have the same level of local financial backing for church planting.
Slower Progress through the Thicket: There is so little understanding of our faith, evangelism takes much longer.
No well-worn trails: There are fewer established avenues for missional success, which requires more time for trial and error. (2)
The need for churches is high, and the impact church can have is high.
Not only are the challenges for planting greater, the brokenness that needs healing is greater! People are living in a way that shows a deep need for the gospel:
Overloaded Packs: Coloradans report burnout levels 20% higher than the national average. (3)
Traveling Alone: Our community represents one of the fastest growing in social isolation. (4)
Off-Trail: Many in our community have rejected religion as the potential solution due to exposure to high profile culture wars issues. (5)
Pushing the Pace: Colorado ranks 46th out of 50 in mental health. And Colorado Springs has a suicide rate that rates highest in the state. (6)
(1) U.S. Religion Census, 2020, The ARDA study
(2) Lifeway Church Planting Survey
(3) Retro 102.5 (4) KOAA (5) COS Gazette (6) Coloradosun.com
What’s needed to make this happen?
A Rescue Hub
Planting has been happening out West, but not is a way that builds the momentum needed. We can’t just fund new solo rescue missions. We need to do church planting from a local hub where ministry can be done in a much more relational and collaborative way.
What do we mean by Rescue Hub?
Relational: When potential church planters are raised up through our training programs and internships, by the time they are ready to plant, they are now planting alongside the friendships they’ve developed in the network.
Collaborative: Planters aren’t planting on their own, figuring out the next step by themselves. They have a network of other planters who are coaching them along the way, and supporting them at every turn.
Local: Their relationships and coaching isn’t happening at a distance, it’s by people who know them, meet regularly with them in person, and know the particular ins and outs of the context they are planting in.
What We Do
Internships: RENEWCOS funds local interships for those interested in vocational ministry. It provides them the chance to try their hand at ministry and grow them toward becoming church planting leaders.
Scholarships: RENEWCOS funds scholarships for local leaders to attend seminary. We want to raise up local leaders and equip them with the educational tools needed.
Ministry Training Fellowship: Ministry leaders and interns come together once a month for fellowship and to grow their “soft skills” for ministry by receiving mentorship from local church planters. RENEWCOS financially sponsors this work.
Funding Church Planting Residencies: Residents are ordained pastors who spend 2-3 year residents at an existing church plant preparing to launch a new church.
Funding Church Plants: After residents launch a new church, RENEWCOS partners with them financially for the first few years of operation.
Parakaleo: RENEWCOS financially supports the work of local Parakaleo leaders and their ministry to church planting spouses.
Local Pastors Gatherings and Retreats: Pastors and planters that are part of RENEWCOS gather regularly to support and encourage one another in ministry. Financial support allows these gatherings to happen.
Gospel Coaching Partnerships: Pastors and their spouses can use RENEWCOS funds to participate in Gospel coaching programs, such as Mentored Sonship, to find a gospel-centered way to engage in church planting.
Many of these activities have been happening, but supported by minimal funds by the budgets of local churches. In order to reduce the burden to these churches, and expand these activities, we will now be funding those activities through RENEWCOS.
Specific Budget Goals
Phase 1
FUEL
Church Planting Residency ($85k) - Funding that would enable the hiring of a Church Planting Resident at Waypoint Chruch
Leadership and Coaching ($50k) - Funding that for local leaders to allocate time spend on coaching planters, raising up leaders, and providing leadership for the organziation.
Network Parnterships ($11.5k) - Providing direct support to planters and partnerships in the Western Church Planting Network
TRAIN
Summer Internships ($3.5k) - Funding Summer Church Planting Internships at Waypoint Chruch.
Leadership Development ($1k) - Funding Ministry Training Fellowship lunches and other leadership development activities
SUSTAIN
Administrative Support ($3k) - Administrative support through Waypoint Church infrastructure.
Local Meeting Support ($4k) - Funding for Hospitality and local meetings with church planters, developing leaders and their spouses.
Start-up support ($2k) - Funding to help the establishment of RENEWCOS and it’s ministries.
Phase 1 Funding Goals = $160k
Phase 2 Funding Goals = $740k
(Phase 2 involves more financial backing of church residency and plant, scholarships for seminary, and more robust internship pipeline)
Partner with Us
THE CASE FOR RENEW COS
A shared vision for gospel renewal in Colorado Springs
Explore the vision, need, and strategy behind RENEWCOS—and the role churches and partners can play in fueling a movement of church planting across our city.
Use the arrows to explore the case for RENEWCOS, or open it in full screen for the best reading experience.