Church planting isn’t a one-size-fits-all endeavor. The strategy you use to launch a community church is vastly different from starting a house church or micro church. Both models can be incredibly effective at reaching people for Jesus, but they require different approaches to gathering people and building your launch team.
After years of helping church planters, I’ve learned that understanding your model upfront will save you months of frustration and help you build the right foundation from day one.
First Things First: Know Your Model
Before we dive into crowd-gathering and team-building strategies, you need to be crystal clear about what type of church you’re planting. This isn’t just about size—it’s about philosophy, structure, and long-term vision.
Community Church Model
A community church typically aims to:
- Grow to 100+ regular attendees within 2-3 years
- Rent or purchase a dedicated meeting space
- Offer multiple ministries and programs
- Have paid pastoral staff
- Provide professional-level worship and children’s programming
House Church/Micro Church Model
A house church or micro church is designed to:
- Stay intentionally small (15-30 people maximum)
- Meet in homes or small community spaces
- Focus on deep relationships and simple church practices
- Remain volunteer-led with bi-vocational leadership
- Emphasize participation over performance
Neither model is superior—they’re just different tools for different contexts and callings. The key is knowing which one God has called you to plant and building accordingly.
Gathering the Launch Team: Two Different Approaches
Community Church: Building for Growth
If you’re planting a community church, you’re essentially building a launch pad for larger gatherings. Your initial crowd needs to understand that growth is part of the vision.
Start with 20+ Families
Don’t try to launch a community church with five families. You need enough people to create momentum and fill essential volunteer roles. Aim for 20+ families who are genuinely committed to the vision before you go public.
These aren’t just warm bodies—they’re investors. They should be willing to:
- Financially support the church plant for at least the first year
- Serve in multiple capacities during the startup phase
- Actively invite friends and neighbors to services
- Commit to attending consistently, even when it’s inconvenient
Cast a Wider Net Early
Community churches need a broader base of relationships to draw from. Start networking 12-18 months before launch:
- Connect with other pastors in your target area
- Join community organizations and business groups
- Volunteer with local nonprofits
- Attend school events and neighborhood gatherings
The goal isn’t to immediately recruit these people to your church—it’s to build relationships and establish credibility in the community.
Plan for Transfers and Conversions
Let’s be honest: many community church plants initially grow through transfer growth (Christians moving from other churches) rather than conversion growth (non-Christians coming to faith). This isn’t ideal long-term, but it’s often necessary for building initial momentum.
Be strategic about this. Connect with believers who are:
- New to the area and church shopping
- Dissatisfied with their current church situation
- Excited about being part of something new
- Aligned with your vision and values
House Church/Micro Church: Building for Depth
House churches and micro churches require a completely different approach. You’re not trying to fill a room—you’re trying to create a family.
Start Small and Stay Small
Begin with 6-8 people maximum. This might be your family plus one or two others. In house-church planting, starting too big is actually a problem because it prevents the intimate, participatory culture you’re trying to create.
Focus on finding people who:
- Value deep relationships over polished programs
- Are comfortable in informal, home-based settings
- Want to actively participate rather than just attend
- Understand that “simple church” doesn’t mean “easy church”
Prioritize Relationships Over Programs
Instead of planning services, plan meals. Instead of organizing events, organize conversations. Your “crowd gathering” happens around dinner tables, not in rented facilities.
This means your timeline is longer but your investment is deeper. Spend 6-12 months just building relationships before you even call what you’re doing “church.”
Embrace the Multiplication Mindset
House churches are designed to multiply, not just grow. From day one, you should be thinking about who in your group might eventually lead their own house church. This completely changes how you develop people and structure your gatherings.
Building Your Launch Team: Model-Specific Strategies
Community Church Launch Teams
Community churches need launch teams that can handle complexity and scale. You’re building an organization, which means you need people with organizational skills.
Essential Team Members:
Lead Pastor/Planter: Obviously, this is you. But in community church planting, you need to function more like a CEO than a shepherd. You’re building systems, not just caring for people.
Worship Leader: This person needs to create an experience that can engage 50-150 people. They should have both musical ability and leadership skills to manage volunteers and equipment.
Children’s Ministry Director: Families won’t stay if their kids hate church. This role requires someone who can create age-appropriate programming and recruit/train volunteers.
Administrative Coordinator: Someone who can handle the behind-the-scenes complexity of running a growing organization. This includes communication, finances, facilities, and volunteer coordination.
Discipleship/Small Groups Coordinator: As you grow, you need intentional systems for helping people connect and grow spiritually. Note: This can also be fulfilled by the Admin Coordinator.
Team Development Strategy
Your launch team should function like a startup leadership team. Meet weekly, share decision-making responsibility, and give people real authority in their areas.
Invest in professional development:
- Send team members to conferences
- Provide leadership books and resources
- Connect them with mentors in their ministry areas
- Consider formal ministry training programs
Timeline and Commitment
Ask for a two-year commitment from launch team members. The first year is about getting established; the second year is about refining and improving systems.
Be clear about expectations:
- 10-15 hours per week of volunteer service
- Financial giving above normal tithe levels
- Recruitment of additional volunteers
- Attendance at all planning meetings and services
House Church/Micro Church Launch Teams
House churches need launch teams that prioritize relationships and shared leadership. You’re building a family, not an organization.
Essential Team Members:
House Church Leader/Facilitator: This is probably you, but your role is more like a shepherd than a CEO. You’re facilitating, not directing.
Co-Leader/Apprentice: Every house church should have someone being developed to eventually lead their own group. This person shares leadership responsibilities from the beginning.
Hospitality Coordinator: Someone who ensures people feel welcomed and helps coordinate meals and gatherings.
Children’s Facilitator: If you have kids in the group, someone needs to coordinate simple activities during adult discussion times.
Team Development Strategy
Your launch team should function like an extended family. Decisions are made collectively, authority is shared, and everyone has a voice.
Focus on spiritual development over skill development:
- Study Scripture together
- Pray for each other regularly
- Share life challenges and victories
- Practice spiritual disciplines together
Timeline and Commitment
House church launch teams need open-ended commitment. Unlike community churches, there’s no “launch date” after which things settle down. The launch team essentially becomes the ongoing leadership team.
Expectations are different too:
- Consistent participation in gatherings
- Openness to leadership development
- Willingness to host in homes
- Commitment to the group’s spiritual growth
Pre-Launch Strategies: Apples and Oranges
Community Church Pre-Launch
Preview Services: Host monthly preview services 3-6 months before your official launch. This helps you work out technical issues and build momentum.
Community Events: Organize family-friendly events like outdoor movie nights, community service days, or holiday celebrations.
Marketing Campaign: Develop a comprehensive marketing strategy that includes a website, social media, and targeted community advertising.
Facility Preparation: Secure your meeting space, purchase equipment, and create welcoming environments for first-time guests.
House Church/Micro Church Pre-Launch
Relationship Building: Spend 6-12 months just building relationships through meals, conversations, and shared experiences.
Pilot Gatherings: Host informal gatherings where you practice simple church elements like shared meals, Bible discussion, and prayer.
Community Integration: Focus on becoming part of your neighborhood through service, relationships, and presence.
Leadership Development: Spend significant time developing the people who will share leadership responsibilities.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Community Church Mistakes
- Launching too early without an adequate launch team
- Underestimating the complexity of running services
- Focusing only on Sunday morning instead of weekday community
- Trying to do too many programs from day one
House Church/Micro Church Mistakes
- Trying to recreate a traditional church in a living room
- Starting too big and losing intimacy
- Avoiding multiplication because the group becomes too comfortable
- Underestimating the need for intentional leadership development
The Bottom Line
Whether you’re planting a community church or a house church, success comes down to having the right people committed to the right vision. Take time to be crystal clear about your model, invest deeply in your core team, and build slowly but intentionally.
Remember: you’re not just starting a meeting—you’re participating in God’s mission to reach your community. Both community churches and house churches can be incredibly effective tools for that mission, but only if they’re built on the right foundation.
The question isn’t which model is better. The question is which model God has called you to plant and whether you’re willing to do the hard work of building it right.
Ready to dive deeper into your church planting journey? Connect with other planters who are walking the same path and get the resources you need to build strong foundations.