How to Start a Church
Starting a Church
Opening a church can get you on the path to a spiritually rewarding future but it's important to plan out the startup process in detail before you start. This article contains a few secrets that can make your church financially secure, stable and built to last.
Thinking about opening a church? We tell you what you need to know to get started.
Narrowing Down Your Religious Startup Options
Religious entrepreneurship is an attractive career option for spiritually committed individuals who possess strong, entrepreneurial instincts. But starting a church is a lot like saying you want to start a business -- without specificity, it will be difficult to make substantive progress toward your career goal.
The reality is that there are hundreds, if not thousands of churches, denominations and religious associations that are ripe for church planting. If you don't already have a specific type of church in mind, you'll need to familiarize yourself with the religious landscape in your local community, and select a type of church that leverages both your strengths and personal beliefs.
After you have chosen the type of church you want to start, you may be required to participate in your church tradition for a period of time before you will be permitted to embark on a church planting effort. Many denominations also require church planters to pursue seminary degrees and ordination before they set out to turn their dreams of religious startup into a functional worshipping community.
Marketing a New Church
In some circles, the concept of marketing a religious organization is frowned upon, based on the idea that marketing is a worldly activity that is manipulative and unspiritual. But whether they know it or not, every church engages in marketing activities. If marketing is seen as a way to communicate an organization's mission and core values to the world, then every sermon and event a church sponsors is, in fact, a marketing activity.
In today's society, successful churches understand that marketing concepts play an important role in reaching both churched and unchurched people in the community. The Internet has created new opportunities for churches to communicate their message to the world and learning how to market a religious startup online is now a critical skill for church planters.
The popularity of social media presents an opportunity for new churches to quickly gain a foothold in their communities. By applying a handful of principles for using Facebook for churches, you can leverage the power of social networking without investing hundreds of dollars in a professional marketing campaign.
Related Articles on Starting a Religious Organization
These additional resources regarding starting a religious organization may be of interest to you.
Starting a Religious Organization
Share this article
Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs