Synergy Resources

The Urgent Need for the Gospel and Churches

In 2019, 4,500 Protestant churches in North America closed their doors for good, while only 3,000 Protestant churches were started. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, making an already-concerning situation worse.

Approximately 80% of churches are either plateaued or shrinking, and where growth does occur, it’s often “transfer growth,” meaning that growth comes from members shifting from one church to another, not from evangelism and conversion. Today, the average American church only has 65 members, revealing a pressing need for renewal and church planting.

The Biblical Mandate

Despite these concerning trends, there is great hope and encouragement from the Scriptures. In His final words to His disciples, Jesus says, “All authority in heaven and on Earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18–20 ESV). This command is not one we face alone. Jesus promises His authority over heaven and Earth and assures us that He will be with us until the end of time.

This calling also isn’t just for pastors or missionaries but for every believer! The call to make disciples and plant churches is central to the Christian life. It requires obedience, faith, and reliance on Jesus’ authority and presence. This is the heart of Cedarville's mission — to train disciples who will fulfill this biblical command.

Learning From the Early Church

Acts provides us with a model for the multiplication of churches. The early believers took the Gospel from one location to another, sharing as they went. From these new believers, more leaders emerged, many churches were planted, and the cycle repeated infinitely. This pattern of evangelism, discipleship, and church planting continues today and forms the foundation of what we as believers should seek to accomplish.

What We Can Do

The goal of Cedarville University’s Synergy Initiative is to equip and mobilize disciples to take the Gospel to places where churches are struggling and/or where there is little Christian presence. We seek to inspire students at Cedarville University to see their future not just as a career, but as a mission field where they can help churches grow and thrive. By providing training and resources, we hope to encourage students and churches alike to take intentional steps toward making disciples and planting healthy churches.

This work is crucial, and the Church's future depends on our commitment to the Great Commission. Through training, support, and a shared vision for church growth, we can multiply healthy churches that will impact the world for Jesus Christ.

Watch the first Foundations video to hear more from Dr. Jeremy Kimble about the need for church planting:

Dr. Jeremy Kimble, Professor of Theology and Director of the Synergy Initiative at Cedarville University, is passionate about teaching college and graduate students the truth of God’s Word. He is committed to teaching in the classroom, mentoring students, and speaking in church, camp, and conference settings. He served in pastoral ministry for eight years and is currently an active member and minister at University Baptist Church. Dr. Kimble's academic interests include biblical and systematic theology, ecclesiology, preaching and teaching, and the mission of the Church.

Synergy is the combined power of a group working together that is greater than the power of individuals working separately. The Synergy Initiative aims to help students plan strategically to graduate from Cedarville, go together with others from this place, and invest their energies, talents, and efforts in planting, revitalizing, and multiplying churches. As Cedarville graduates join up with other church members who are equipped to do the work of ministry, the combined effect of their efforts will accomplish, by God’s grace, abundantly more than only a couple of pastors in a church doing all of the work on their own. Thus, the goal is to equip students to leave Cedarville University ready to help establish and strengthen local churches throughout the nation and around the world.