by Larry Sherman, Assoc. Superintendent, Director of Church Planting

1. The Great Lakes Conference
Growing over several years:
GLC Mission: every church a healthy, missional
congregation.
GLC Vision: By the year 2020, to multiply to 100
Missional, Christ-Magnifying congregations in an
increasing Mosaic of communities.
How is it going? Let’s see if we’re “on-track.”

2. In the Great Lakes Conference
The following shows the
Growth over the past 15 years
and as we project 10 years ahead.

3. 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020
new 2 4 6 19 29 39
ethnic 0 1 5 12 13 21
total 56 59 67 81 90 100
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
new
ethnic
total
GLC Growth over 25 Years
# of churches projection
Goal: get to
100 churches
by 2020
We started with 59
churches in 2000.
On-Track:
In 2012 - 83 churches
In 2013 - 86 churches

4. 2
4
6
19
29
39
0
1
5
12
13
21
1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020
Growth in New Churches and Ethnic Churches
new ethnic
Survival rate 25%
Survival Rate refers
to the % of new
churches that “make
it” after 5 years.
10+ years ago, only 1
out of 4 churches
“made it.”
Today, more than 3
out of 4 “make it.”
Projection
Survival rate 85%
Ethnic and Multi-ethnic
Churches: Each year approx
50% of our new churches are
ethnic or multi-ethnic.
Our hope is that the face of
the ECC will more accurately
reflect the face of North
America and the face of the
Kingdom.
We have grown from 1
church in 2000 to 14 ethnic
or multi-ethnic churches in
2013!

5. 0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
16000
1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020
c p attend
cp conversions
total attendance
GLC Attendance & Conversions
Projection
Evangelism is why we
plant new churches:
- Ave Church: 3/100
- Ave ECC Church: 6/100
- Ave ECC plant: 12/100
- Ave GLC plant: 30/100
+ Community Impact

6. GLC Church Planting
New Community Covenant
Church, started mid-2012
Buckhannon, WV
Pastor Justin Bowers
In 2013, we project 3 new
churches:
2 in Louisville, April 2013
- Soul Center
Pastor Ja’mel Armstrong
- Grace Community
Pastor William Mack III
1 in Livonia, July 2013
- LifechurchLivonia
Pastor Brian Nanninga
Church Planting over the past decade
Year: # of plants Attendance Conversions/yr
2000 2 111 30
2010 19 2687 871
Over the past decade, planting is a kingdom investment
Net Cost of Planting is $35,258/yr total to the conference budget. Because church plants
“give back” mission giving to the GLC, church planting is very cost efficient!

7. Pastor William and
Tori Mack
Covenant Agreement
started 4-1-13
Grace Community Covenant
Church meeting at St
Cecilia’s, a former Catholic
Church in the Portland area
of Louisville

8. Pastor Ja’mel and
Rochelle Armstrong
Covenant Agreement
started 4-1-13
The Soul Center Covenant
Church, in the Newburg area
of Louisville, KY

9. Prior to 2000 – Two Covenant Churches
1. Faith Covenant Church, Farmington Hills
2. Dearborn Covenant Church, Dearborn
Here’s an example from Detroit of
how the GLC can grow in a region.

10. By 2011: 15 churches with Lifechurch of Southfield, MI

11. What God can do in 10+ years.
2 churches to 15 churches.
This allowed the GLC to have a
presence in one metro area – and
give example of the diversity and
vitality that represents us to other
areas.
And in 2013:
- Detroit Bible Tabernacle
- Miracle of Faith
- LifechurchLivonia
18 total churches in the
greater Detroit area.
These will be the focus of
Covenant Mission Detroit

12. Vision:
We are on-our-way toward the 2020
Vision of 100 missional, Christ-
magnifying churches in an
increasing mosaic of communities.
If we keep planting 2-3 new
churches a year, we should meet or
exceed our goal. To God be the
Glory!

13. How We Catalyze Church Planting:
- The Right Planter
- Connected, Called
- Assessment
- The Right Support
- Coaching
- Training
- The Right Core Team
- A missionary team
- The Right Partners
- Parent and Partners

14. The 4 Core Ministries
of the GLC
- Church Vitality
- Church Leadership
- Church Planting
- Church Outreach

15. THANK-YOU
For your Prayers and
Your Partnership
In the Good News
Through the
The Great Lakes Conference
Garth McGrath, Superintendent
Larry Sherman, Director of Church Planting
Steve Armfield, Director of Church Vitality
Dan Wolter, Chair of GLC