Church Planting Gumbo

We need all four "flavors" of churches

Nearly thirty years ago, I embarked on a new ministry journey in New Orleans, a city pulsating with vibrant cultural arts, rich history, and delectable cuisine. Last week, as the city prepared for its annual Mardi Gras celebration, I was once again reminded of my love for the people, the music, and the food. My time in the Big Easy introduced me to the enchanting world of Creole flavors.

It also made me realize that current models of the church would never reach the people on Bourbon Street or the voodoo-infused, densely Catholic culture of the city.

I would need to discover new missional approaches to ministry.

The more I immersed myself in the tapestry of New Orleans, I began to discover a parallel between the delicious ingredients of the city's iconic dish, gumbo, and the diverse church-planting models needed to reach this unique group of people.

Included in this article are four distinct “flavors” of the church. Enjoy!

Traditional Church Plants

The Sausage and Seafood of Heritage

The captivating rhythms of jazz and the aroma of Creole spices are a reminder that traditional churches are bastions of heritage and continuity. Like the hearty components of sausage and seafood in gumbo, these churches impart depth and richness to the spiritual landscape, anchoring believers in time-honored rituals and beliefs.

Through worship services steeped in tradition and outreach initiatives rooted in community, traditional churches embody the essence of legacy and long-standing traditions and music.

This is what some folks need in a new church.

These churches fulfill a longing in people to connect to their roots and the churches they grew up with as a child. They are often formed with a core group of people who share common beliefs and then slowly grow through making disciples in their community. Eventually, they are ready to go public with their services and programming.

To learn more about this model, you can check out Aubrey Malphurs’s book The Nuts and Bolts of Church Planting.

Micro Churches

The Roux of Intimacy

In the heart of New Orleans, I encountered a wide variety of small-scale communities where relationships flourished, akin to the thickening agent of the roux binding together flour and fat.

The roux is considered the foundational element of gumbo, and micro churches serve as the backbone of spiritual growth, offering a solid base for authentic community and discipleship.

To be fair, these forms of church have been around since the New Testament, as followers of Jesus met daily in the temple courts and house to house for worship. 

The power of the New Testament church was not necessarily found in the large gatherings but in these smaller, tight-knit relationships that occurred in households or oikos groups.

Today, the category of microchurches could also include missional communities and house churches. It’s a model that doesn’t normally require huge buildings, staff, or budgets and can remain very nimble.

To learn more about microchurches, read the short book Microchurches by Brian Sanders.

Large Launches

The Onions, Bell Peppers, and Celery of Big Vision

New Orleans, with its dynamic spirit and ambitious endeavors, mirrors the essence of large launches in church planting. Just as the “Holy Trinity” of cooking (onions, bell peppers, and celery) forms the flavor base of gumbo, the synergy of vision, resources, and strategic planning drives the rapid growth of large launches.

In the vibrant tapestry of New Orleans, I witnessed the power of a unified vision, propelling communities forward, much like the harmonious blend of flavors in a well-executed gumbo.

Launch-large churches believe the best way to sustain long-term success in ministry is to launch a weekend gathering that exceeds two hundred people from the start.

These new churches often have excellent programming for kids and students as well as spectacular worship, and everything is done with excellence.

This church normally begins with a launch team who is not so much discipled in the early days but rather mobilized based on each person’s skill set or gift mix and how they can best serve the ministry to launch.

Perhaps the best place to learn about this model of church planting is a growing network called The Association of Related Churches or ARC.

Fresh Expressions

The Spice Blend of Innovation

Inspired by the diverse flavors and creative spirit of the Crescent City, fresh expressions of church infuse new life into traditional ministry paradigms.

From pop-up gatherings in local cafes to street-side worship experiences, these new expressions of church mirror the dynamic essence of gumbo's spice blend, adding zest and vitality to the ever-evolving tapestry of faith.

New kingdom expressions are often tethered to an established church for resources and support and exist to reach people who would never darken the door of the prevailing model of the church.

There are endless examples of fresh expressions, such as dinner churches, biker churches, cowboy churches, and even surfer churches. For more information about this model of church, you can read Travis Collins’s Fresh Expressions of Church.

Contextualization

There are a variety of incredible ingredients needed for a good gumbo, and the same is true in the kingdom of God. We should celebrate all types of new churches reaching their community.

Let me say that again, “We need all types of churches for all types of people!”

A launch-large model of the church may not work as well in Manhattan, NY, as it would in suburban Indianapolis. A traditional church approach may not take root in New Orleans but might be a great option in small-town America. What works in Texas may not work in Philadelphia or overseas in a place like India or Pakistan.

The more important question should not be the form of the church but rather its effectiveness and health.  

Is it effectively helping people take their next steps toward Jesus? Is it helping people who are struggling with their faith to begin a relationship with Jesus? Is it helping to fulfill the Great Commission by empowering every believer to participate in that Great Commission? Is it externally focused?

There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all church-planting model. Every context, every church planter, and every new church is different.

Therefore, you must consider the context and culture of the community where you are seeking to plant the church, as well as the unique gifts and calling of the church planter and their teams to decide what model is best.

Many times new churches are also a hybrid of various models and influences. The important thing is that you ask the Lord to guide and direct you in what type of church He is calling you to plant to reach unchurched people in your community.

Conclusion

I love the enchanting streets of New Orleans.

Those streets remind me of both the grandness of its celebrations and the richness of its relationships and food. The intimate communities of microchurches and the ambitious endeavors of large launches both offer a unique flavor to the spiritual landscape, much like the diverse ingredients that compose a savory gumbo or an eclectic city.

By embracing the richness of these models and drawing inspiration from the cultural tapestry of New Orleans and its wonderful gumbo, I hope you are reminded that all models of the church can work together to create a harmonious blend of its flavors.

Interested in exploring church planting?

If you want to take the next step, go to churchplanterprofiles.com, make an account, and then take the pre-assessment. Send those results to my e-mail address at dnash@mobilizethechurch.com, and let’s set up a 30-minute coaching session to see what the next step for you in this journey might be.

To those who are interested in possibly starting a new expression of church, I say, “Laissez les bons temps rouler”!

Go ahead, look it up.