Church Planting

Our history has been one of church planting. It’s our desire to recapture that spirit in a way that reflects what God has historically done with Riverview, as well as what we believe our current strengths to be. Because of our central location, we plan to start by planting churches in Michigan and then look to planting churches around the rest of the country and world as next steps.

There are two major needs in regards to church planting. The first is communities without a church intentionally targeting younger generations. The second is communities with churches that have a desire to reach younger generations, but lack the necessary tools or training. In light of these two needs, we seek to facilitate church plants using the following strategies:

• Church Plants

  In communities around Michigan that have large populations of young people with no (or few) churches trying to reach them, we will plant a church with a team that consists of at least two elders and a team that they raise up. Our goal is to plant one church by the end of 2010 and at least three by the end of 2014.

• Church Assistance

  If we determine that there is a church in a community that has a desire to reach young people, but lacks the tools or training, we will attempt to build a relationship with that church to help them. Each of these situations will vary greatly. It may be that they need like-minded people to encourage them, it may be that they need people to help in their services; it may be that they need short-term help, it may that they need a long-term team. As much as we are able, we will seek to assist them in their efforts.

• Building Relationships with Other Like-Minded Churches

  At Riv we build relationships with churches that have similar passions and beliefs. As these churches plan church plants, we do what we can to help them succeed. This may mean sending people on their plant teams or just encouraging them in the cities they select by targeting different cities ourselves.