“The only person we knew when we arrived was our real estate agent.” I’ve heard this more than once from church planters parachuting into a new city. Unfortunately, after two or three years of hard work and struggle, it’s often followed by, “Things aren’t working out. We’re moving back home.”
Church planting is hard. Parachute planting is extra hard. While these planters are passionate and dedicated, they often lack the relationships and cultural understanding needed to thrive. Local leaders are increasingly aware of the need for a local pipeline—one that raises up church planters from within the communities they serve. Homegrown church planters bring more than just passion; they bring staying power, cultural insight, and the kind of long-term commitment critical for church health.
The Shift from Parachute to Local Planting
Years ago, parachute planting was a dominant model for launching new churches. Networks and denominations would send a planter from outside the area, often with little more than a real estate connection. The idea was that these leaders could come in with a fresh vision, and God would build a thriving church through them.
Reality has often been quite different. While some parachute plants have flourished, many have struggled. Housing costs, cultural missteps, and the difficulty of building meaningful relationships in a new place often cause churches to fail. As a result, the future of church planting increasingly depends on raising up local leaders who know the community well.
Four Reasons Local Leaders Are Key
Why are local leaders critical to church planting? Four key reasons stand out:
- Cultural Understanding: Local leaders know their communities intimately, from the unspoken cultural norms to the specific needs of their neighbors. They know how to communicate the gospel in ways that resonate deeply.
- Staying Power: Homegrown leaders have deep roots in their communities and are less likely to leave when challenges arise. Their long-term presence builds trust and provides stability.
- Overcoming Cost Barriers: In large cities, housing costs can be a major challenge for parachute planters. Local leaders are already familiar with these pressures and are better positioned to manage them.
- Relational Networks: Local planters aren’t starting from scratch—they have established networks that give them a head start in ministry.
Building Local Church Planter Pipelines
As more leaders recognize the limitations of the parachute model, the need for localized church planter pipelines is clear. By identifying, equipping, and sending local leaders, we can plant churches deeply connected to their communities.
If you’re a church leader who believes more churches are needed, parachute planting is largely out of your control. You can pray, invite, and recruit, but unless someone feels called to come to your city, you’ll be left waiting. Developing local leaders recognizes that God has already provided the church planters your community needs. They’re already living in your neighborhoods and leading in your churches. The key is identifying them, equipping them, and sending them.
We’ve created a scouting guide you can download and share to help you and your team identify the potential church planters in your church.