Recently Alex wrote an article for the Together Magazine about trends he is observing in church planting in England. We’ve taken that article and broken into six short blog posts we hope will get you thinking.
So first, one of the most exciting trends in church planting is the rise of the “anointed amateur”—ordinary believers who feel called to start new worshipping communities. This shift is happening across denominations, and it’s changing how we think about leadership in the church. There is a new willingness to empower everyday disciples to step into roles traditionally reserved for clergy.
The barriers to entry are lowering, enabling more people to see themselves not just as church members, but as disciples who make disciples, and even as church planters. Movements like BigLife and No Place Left are encouraging the formation of small, agile, home-based churches, often called micro-churches. These movements are thriving, especially in hybrid models where traditional Sunday services coexist with smaller, more intimate gatherings.
This trend is incredibly significant because it shifts the responsibility for church growth from clergy to the entire body of Christ. When ordinary believers take ownership of their faith and feel empowered to lead, new and innovative expressions of church begin to emerge. This model not only encourages greater participation but also allows for a more flexible, adaptable church that can meet the diverse needs of different communities.