How to Start a Church
Starting a Pentecostal Church
This advice is written for entrepreneurial folks who plan on opening a Pentecostal church. Read this article before you open up shop.
Thinking about opening a Pentecostal church? We tell you what you need to know to get started.
Surveying the Pentecostal Scene
Pentecostalism is an extremely vibrant and diverse stream of Christianity, especially in the U.S. Even though all Pentecostal churches share a common heritage dating back to the emergence of the movement in the early 20th century, today's Pentecostalism represents a mix of denominational and independent expressions.
Pentecostal church planters have a range of options at their disposal. Denominations like the Assemblies of God and the Church of God in Christ offer hierarchical structures for church planters. Loosely affiliated charismatic and Pentecostal associations such as the Vineyard movement present opportunities for church planters to tap into the benefits of denominationalism apart from hierarchical structures.
But for many Pentecostal church planters, a completely independent and self-governing congregational approach is the way to go. Unless you are already affiliated with a Pentecostal organization, a non-denominational church plant will be the fastest way to launch your new church.
Technology & Pentecostal Church Plants
On the whole, Pentecostal churches are very savvy about technology -- at least in comparison to other branches of Christianity. Startup entrepreneurs in the Pentecostal have to consider their new church's technology requirements and the impact technology will have on the organization's bottom line.
One of the common traps Pentecostal church planters fall into is to overspend on technology during the startup phase. Sure, it would be nice to have the most advanced technological resources on the market from day one, but budgetary constraints usually mean that you'll have to make do for now and install your dream technologies after you have reached a certain level of growth.
With that in mind, it's easy to see why the ability to manage technology is a critical skill for Pentecostal church planters. To learn how other entrepreneurs are successfully navigating technological growth and expansion, we suggest you take a look at Gaebler's "Small Business Technology Advice", a primer on technology management for small companies, nonprofits and churches.
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