How do you get a church plant off the ground?

As a church planter I've struggled with that question a bunch lately. So what does it take for a church to grow like an epidemic? A building? Great marketing? Rockin' music and cutting edge ministries? Those are all OK, but the primary answer is quick, easy, and simple (and one I've been overlooking way too much lately)...a sustained presence of God's Spirit in the people of the church. Some reading this will reply, "There's nothing quick, easy or simple about the Holy Spirit." To some degree that's true. But it's easier than I think most of us make it.

For some reason a lot of believers think being filled with the Holy Spirit is elusive, unattainable, or only for the super-freak Christian. The fact is, when God's people are communicating with Him consistently (praying) and they are spending time reading the principles that He's given to us (the Bible), the Spirit speaks to us and through us.

After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. (Acts 4:31, NIV)

There are some things about planting a church in the culture of where I live in North Gwinnett (the burbs of Atlanta) that are different than planting a church in 1st century Jerusalem. One of the differences is that our population density isn't what it was in Jerusalem. You have to get in a vehicle to go anywhere. That means we have to do some marketing...mailers, hangers, and billboards. However, one thing that is absolutely the same in the social epidemic of church growth is that it has and always will rely on word of mouth "advertising". Look at this quote from one of the greatest marketing books of our lifetime, The Tipping Point:

"In epidemics, the messenger matters: messengers are what make something spread. But the content of the message matters too. And the specific quality that a message needs to be successful is the quality of "stickiness." Is the message- or the food, or the movie, or the product- memorable? Is it so memorable, in fact, that it can create change, that it can spur someone to action?" -Malcolm Gladwell

There is not a more sticky, memorable, life-changing message than the forgiveness and eternal life we have through Jesus Christ. Churches can spread like an epidemic if you and I will simply be the messengers of a life-changing epidemic. Frankly, I've been relying a bit too much on everything but the Spirit of God. We'll still have to do some marketing but the primary way my church and your church will grow is when we are all filled with the Holy Spirit and speak the word of God boldly.

I'm personally ready for an epidemic. Thanks to Terry Storch for the inspiration.