What does church look like today, and what might it look like in the future? Rooted in collaboration with diocesan needs and opportunities, our church planting and revitalization team works to build systems, relationships, and pathways that enable local leaders to build sustainable capacity for vitality and mission.  

Through a churchwide assessment from 2025-2026, a network of church-planting leaders—together with colleagues in ethnic ministries and global partnerships—looked closely at what is working well in our dioceses and congregations, where gaps exist, and how best to empower local efforts through flexible, context-driven models of funding, coaching, and other forms of support.  

We aim to cultivate communities where people encounter the transforming love of Jesus Christ and where the church may continue to grow as a living witness to God’s reconciling mission in the world.  

Our core focus will remain on these areas—with shifts in how we define and approach the work:  

• Church planting: Cultivating new communities of faith designed to reach those without current church connections.  
• Revitalization: Intentional renewal of existing congregations to restore vitality, deepen discipleship, and further engage local community in mission.  
• Redevelopment: The strategic reimagining and repurposing of church buildings, property, and other assets to support new expressions of ministry—in response to a local community’s needs.  

A full report on the churchwide assessment will be available in the final quarter of 2026.