Starting new churches is one of the key ways we reach new people of all ages and life circumstance and connect them with the body of Christ. The Dakotas Conference is currently supporting 10 new faith communities. New faith communities must meet context-specific growth benchmarks in order to receive continued funding.  The goal is for each of them to become self-sustaining.

Here’s a look at the three stages of a new faith community’s life cycle and where each of the projects is now:

Celebrate Grace (Bismarck, North Dakota)
Legacy South (Bismarck, North Dakota)

Sprouting Feasability: years 1-2

Description: Demonstrates potential for ministry; is a promising forum for United Methodist work and witness

New faith communities in this stage:

Technology links Salem Unite to Embrace. Photo by Dave Stucke, Dakotas Conference

Germinating Viability: years 2-5

Description: Gaining traction and momentum; has evidence of indigenous energy and engagement beyond denominational leadership and resources

New faith communities in this stage:

Kenmare ReNew invites new families to worship. Photo by Dave Stucke, Dakotas Conference.

First African (Fargo, ND)
ReNew (Kenmare, ND)
Embrace Sertoma Campus (Sioux Falls, SD)
Salem Unite (Salem, ND)
Spirit Lake (Sheyenne, ND)

Growing Sustainability: years 5-7

Description: Has demonstrated signs of self-sufficiency; ministry model is capable of long-term, independent functioning beyond grant cycle

New faith communities in this stage:

Embrace Tea campus (Tea, SD) and Embrace online
Fusion (Mitchell, SD)

New Church Models

There are many types of new church starts. They include:

• Chartered church: A church that is launched to reach a new geographic-, demographic-, or lifestyle-based group and is led by appointed clergy; churches become chartered when they reach 125 in worship and demonstrate sustainability.
• Partnered congregation: A church that focuses on reaching an underserved and/or economically challenged population group and receives ongoing support from outside of the people it serves—often from another “partner” church.
• Restart: A previously chartered church that goes through an intentional rebirth by ceasing regular worship and programming and starting over in an effort to reach a new group; typically, the process involves relocating, renaming, and welcoming a new leader.
• Fellowship: A United Methodist group with a spiritual leader who may be clergy or lay; fellowships are on track to become self-supporting as unchartered churches, although some seek a charter later in their life cycle.