Reaching the Unreached Regions of our Diocese
Bishop Alex has called our diocese into strategic prayer for four unreached geographic areas in our diocese: (1) Southwest Florida, (2) Southeast Florida, (3) Volusia County, and (4) Southern GA/AL.
Well over 11 million people live in these target areas, and they include some of the fastest growing counties in the US. By 2050, projections indicate that the number of Christians in the US will drop by 20%-25%, and the number of people who do not affiliate with any religion will increase to about 30% of the population1. While these trends may seem scary, they provide incredible opportunities for the Gospel to go forth in power! God is the King of his Kingdom!
There are not any Anglican expressions of Gospel witness in these target areas, and we believe God is calling us to spread his Gospel by planting new churches. We don't just want more Anglican churches for the sake of having more Anglican churches.
Why Plant Churches?
Statistics show that church plants gain 60%-80% of their new members through people who do not attend church. That means church plants tend to grow through evangelistic conversion and unchurched folks beginning to attend their church. Churches who are 10 years or older tend to gain 80%-90% of their new members through people transferring from another church.2
Evangelistic Effectiveness
Church plants tend to grow through evangelistic conversion and by reaching those who do not otherwise attend a church.A Different Focus
Established (over 10-year-old) churches minister differently an grow primarily through transfers and births (under 10-20% by conversion).We not only want to see Anglican expressions of church in these unreached geographic areas, we want to see people come to faith! So we need to plant new churches.
“New church planting is the only way that we can be sure we are going to increase the number of believers in a city.”
Strategic Locations
Pins mark the existing churches of the Gulf Atlantic Diocese.
Southwest Florida
Counties: Hillsborough, Pinellas, Lee, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte
Population: approx. 4.42 million
Hillsborough County (Tampa and surrounding) is the FL county that’s added the most population since April 2020 (81.7k people)
SWFL Future Plant
Southeast Florida
Counties: Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach
Population: approx. 6.27 million
27.7% of Florida’s population lives in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties
Volusia co. Florida
Key Cities: Ormond Beach, Daytona Beach, Port Orange New Smyrna Beach, Deland, Deltona
Population: approx. 583k
Daytona Beach has one of the highest growth rates in the state.
S. Georgia/Alabama
Valdosta Population: approx. 55k
Richmond Hill Population: approx. 18k
Dothan Population: approx. 71k
These three are strategically-located unreached cities in our diocese.
Notes
1. Pinetops Foundation, “The Great Opportunity Report,” 2020, pp. 18-19. Scroll back
2. Evangelical Free Church of North America, “Church Multiplication,” 2024. Scroll back
3. Keller, Tim, “Why Plant Churches,” 2002. Scroll back
Header photo: Nikoline Arns on Unsplash