church plant stats

we talked about church planting statistics at devotions today (at my church). i also found this link with some interesting stats:
http://www.namb.net/atf/cf/%7BCDA250E8-8866-4236-9A0C-C646DE153446%7D/RESEARCH_REPORT_SURVIVABILITY_HEALTH.PDF

anyways, here's some stuff from that link and what we talked about today.

the average age of a senior pastor at a church plant (for vineyard churches in north america) -
1% of senior pastors are 20-29 y/o
18% of senior pastors are 30-39 y/o


only 22% of Vineyard church plants live past 5 years.


Worship styles among church plants in 2007:
Traditional 8%
Contemporary 62
Postmodern/Emerging 4
Seeker 1
Blended Traditional and Contemporary 19
Fellowship/Relational 1
No identified style 2


Approximately 24% of church plants start with a team (1< person)


Church plant average receipts
year 1 - $40k
year 2 - $55k
year 3 - $75k
year 4 - $90k


Church planters work level compared to who received compensation
40+ hrs per week - 90% were compensated, 10% weren't
20-39 hrs per week - 65% were, 35% weren't
<20 hrs per week - 25% were, 70% weren't (5% died? not sure where that quotient went!)


% of churches that are self sufficient
Year 1 - 30%
Year 2 - 40%
Year 3 - 55%
Year 4 - 63%
Year 5 - 70%


Church plant survival rates (across all denoms) per year
Year 1 - 99%
Year 2 - 92%
Year 3 - 81%
Year 4 - 68%



So what's this all mean? Well, it means that the vision I am feeling towards a bivocational ministry role in a post-contemporary church that sets out to minister to the community with its gifts (financially and energetically)... this is a difficult, extreme minority vision with a lot of challenges against it. and that's how i want it.

mother theresa would pray for food and sustenance almost non-stop. someone once asked her why she does this... and she replied something to the effect of "because we don't have a choice - we must rely on God for our daily provision and for our very livelihood, here." same thing goes for this church plant idea. if its gonna happen, God must be relied on completely.

i'm starting to get awfully excited.