At no time in American history has the need for new churches been more urgent. Consider for a moment the following statistics.
The church to population ratio is declining:

• In 1900, there were 27 churches for every 10,000 Americans.
• In 1950, there were 17 churches for every 10,000 Americans. 
• In 1996, there were 11 churches for every 10,000 Americans. 
  
  – George Gallup, Church in the World Today

From 1986-1996, the combined membership of all Protestant denominations declined by 9.5%, while the national population has increased by 11%.

In the average year, half of all churches do not add one new member through conversion growth.
Each year 3,500 to 4,000 churches close their doors for the last time. Only 1,100 to 1,500 are started each year. In other words, we lose 72.11 churches per week or 10.27 per day while gaining only 24.03 per week or 3.42 per day. -- ASCG

Despite our strong Christian heritage, the church in America is declining. Many older churches are showing signs of aging and decline. They are struggling to make the gospel relevant to a new generation and are often failing to bridge that cultural gap.

According to Leith Anderson in A Church for the 21st Century, "new churches are the most effective means of evangelism. New churches are flexible, open to newcomers, entrepreneurial, outreaching, and not burdened with servicing old internal relationships and demands." Older churches "tend to become so burdened with budgets, buildings, and pastor and people problems that they no longer have the energy for outreach." (p. 60).

Open Bible’s roots can be traced to church planters and a church planting movement that resulted from the Azusa Street Revival in 1906. Part of our overall vision is to make church planting a priority. We desire to raise up and send out church planters who will start new works in highly populated areas and then daughter other new churches in the surrounding towns.

If God has placed church planting on your heart, please read further to explore how you can become part of Open Bible’s church planting effort.

– Randy Loescher
   Church Planting Director for Central Region