Church growth commentators say that 80 percent of Southern Baptist churches have plateaued or are dead. New units tend to be more evangelistic. New units enlarge the Sunday School enabling it to grow without sacrificing quality teaching. New units grow more quickly than older established units. New units are easier for newcomers to penetrate, aiding in the assimilation of new members.
New units provide more people the opportunity to serve in leadership positions.
To effectively start a new unit, a church must do adequate planning and preparation. Assess the areas of need. Determine which class or age group has become stagnant and what age group the church needs to reach that is not being presently reached. Once the preparation is made, promote the launch of the new unit. Jerry Chapman, leadership specialist, Church Staff Leadership Group, will lead church staff and key leaders in Developing Lay Leaders in their churches.