Nieuwe kerkvorming als kwantitatieve groeistrategie

This article reflects on the thesis that new church formation (church planting) is “the most effective evangelistic strategy under heaven” (Peter Wagner). This thesis has achieved the status of doctrine among Evangelical Protestants. It has also found wide acceptance within many Dutch Protestant de...

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Main Authors: Alrik Vos, Stefan Paas
Format: Article
Language:nld
Published: Radboud University Press in cooperation with Open Journals 2013-09-01
Series:Religie & Samenleving
Online Access:https://religiesamenleving.nl/article/view/12681
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author Alrik Vos
Stefan Paas
author_facet Alrik Vos
Stefan Paas
author_sort Alrik Vos
collection DOAJ
description This article reflects on the thesis that new church formation (church planting) is “the most effective evangelistic strategy under heaven” (Peter Wagner). This thesis has achieved the status of doctrine among Evangelical Protestants. It has also found wide acceptance within many Dutch Protestant denominations, in particular the ones with an evangelical mind-set. It is widely believed that church planting is a major strategy for quantitative church growth, by attracting people without a Christian background (‘conversion growth’). These assumptions seem to be closely related to Religious Market Theory. Obviously, any proven strategy for quantitative church growth is highly relevant for the secular context of Western Europe. This article investigates whether these assumptions, of a strategy that originated in America, are justified with respect to the Dutch context. Research is presented, that was recently done in the Netherlands. Its results indicate that churches less than ten years old are, under certain conditions, more effective in reaching outsiders than older churches. Some explanations for this relative success are discussed. It appears that the three main factors for numerical success are: a demographically convenient location, entrepreneurial leadership in line with the ethos of the community, and a concentrated use of time, money and resources.
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publisher Radboud University Press in cooperation with Open Journals
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spelling doaj-art-0581e4ec9bcc4b56b294a2ca820e2ca22025-08-20T02:00:16ZnldRadboud University Press in cooperation with Open JournalsReligie & Samenleving1872-34972773-16692013-09-018210.54195/RS.12681Nieuwe kerkvorming als kwantitatieve groeistrategieAlrik Vos0Stefan Paas1HeerhugowaardVrije Universiteit Amsterdam/Theologische Universiteit Kampen This article reflects on the thesis that new church formation (church planting) is “the most effective evangelistic strategy under heaven” (Peter Wagner). This thesis has achieved the status of doctrine among Evangelical Protestants. It has also found wide acceptance within many Dutch Protestant denominations, in particular the ones with an evangelical mind-set. It is widely believed that church planting is a major strategy for quantitative church growth, by attracting people without a Christian background (‘conversion growth’). These assumptions seem to be closely related to Religious Market Theory. Obviously, any proven strategy for quantitative church growth is highly relevant for the secular context of Western Europe. This article investigates whether these assumptions, of a strategy that originated in America, are justified with respect to the Dutch context. Research is presented, that was recently done in the Netherlands. Its results indicate that churches less than ten years old are, under certain conditions, more effective in reaching outsiders than older churches. Some explanations for this relative success are discussed. It appears that the three main factors for numerical success are: a demographically convenient location, entrepreneurial leadership in line with the ethos of the community, and a concentrated use of time, money and resources. https://religiesamenleving.nl/article/view/12681
spellingShingle Alrik Vos
Stefan Paas
Nieuwe kerkvorming als kwantitatieve groeistrategie
Religie & Samenleving
title Nieuwe kerkvorming als kwantitatieve groeistrategie
title_full Nieuwe kerkvorming als kwantitatieve groeistrategie
title_fullStr Nieuwe kerkvorming als kwantitatieve groeistrategie
title_full_unstemmed Nieuwe kerkvorming als kwantitatieve groeistrategie
title_short Nieuwe kerkvorming als kwantitatieve groeistrategie
title_sort nieuwe kerkvorming als kwantitatieve groeistrategie
url https://religiesamenleving.nl/article/view/12681
work_keys_str_mv AT alrikvos nieuwekerkvormingalskwantitatievegroeistrategie
AT stefanpaas nieuwekerkvormingalskwantitatievegroeistrategie