Synod 2026 Considers Church Planting and Renewal Plans
This year at Synod 2026, delegates will consider two significant ministry plans: a church renewal plan from Thrive and a church planting strategy from Resonate. Although these plans have distinct focal points, they share a common mission: strengthening and expanding the CRCNA’s gospel witness by revitalizing existing congregations while establishing new communities of faith. These proposals come at an important moment in the CRCNA's ministry journey and have been developed to help the denomination faithfully navigate the future through complementary approaches to renewal and growth.
Church Renewal Proposal
Thrive's church renewal plan was developed in response to a church renewal mandate issued by Synod 2023. It began with 10 Gather events, where church members from across North America connected to share stories of how God is at work in their local communities and congregations. Feedback from those events helped to shape the church renewal plan, addressing both current challenges and identifying opportunities for congregational flourishing.
The plan outlines four key strategies to promote church renewal:
Thriving Essentials: Thriving Essentials is a one-day training designed for anyone in the church, including pastors, elders, deacons, ministry leaders, and congregation members. Serving as the starting point for most churches, its goal is to foster shared understanding by breaking down ministry silos and helping ministry leaders work together within their unique contexts.
Elder Essentials and Deacon Essentials: Elders and deacons can often feel overwhelmed as they begin their roles. These workbooks provide practical training and guidance to help leaders step into their responsibilities equipped and empowered to serve effectively within their ministries.
Thriving in Mission: Thriving in Mission is a nine-to-twelve-month coaching process in which Thrive consultants come alongside church leaders to rediscover their church’s unique place in God’s mission. The program is designed to empower congregations to engage actively with their local communities and live out their distinctive calling with energy and purpose.
Thriving Practices: Thriving Practices brings together groups of three to eight churches that meet regularly to learn from one another around a specific ministry topic. These cohorts provide opportunities for leaders to share successes and challenges while encouraging one another and exchanging resources.
Lee Carter, director of Thrive, said, "the local church is an outpost of the Kingdom of God–a community that images the good reign of Jesus in its local context. Thrive is here to provide the coaching and community that journeys alongside every congregation seeking to be a renewed hub of God’s mission."
Church Planting Strategy
At Synod 2025, delegates engaged in important conversations about the CRCNA's future, exploring opportunities to strengthen the denomination through intentional church multiplication and leadership development. This led to a mandate focused on establishing an aspirational goal for new church plants, developing leaders for the movement, and identifying strategies to secure sustainable financial resources.
Over the past year, Resonate brought together more than 20 key leaders in a collaborative effort to develop a 10-year church planting strategy. The process included specialized work groups researching critical areas, discussions at a Multiply Conference to test and refine ideas, and a two-day Chicago Summit where work group representatives and denominational staff partnered with strategic-planning consultants.
The church planting strategy focuses on five main areas:
Multiplying Disciples: The strategy seeks to encourage and develop a culture in which everyday church members intentionally mentor and disciple others, drawing inspiration from the vitality and growth seen in diverse church communities across the denomination.
Developing Leaders: The plan proposes flexible, locally based training pathways that allow emerging leaders to remain rooted in their communities. It also includes the development of a church planting certificate program focused on practical skills such as fundraising and leadership development.
Clearer Pathways: The strategy aims to simplify and standardize the church planting process by establishing clearer systems of support. Local leaders would serve as coaches and guides for new church plants as they navigate the complexities of launching a ministry.
The Legacy Pathway: The plan creates opportunities for congregations that are closing to leave a lasting ministry legacy by contributing financial resources, facilities, or other assets to support new church plants.
Funding and Capacity: The strategy encourages church plants to establish structured financial agreements and personalized fundraising plans that support long-term sustainability and ministry effectiveness.
Tim Sheridan, director of church planting for the CRCNA, said, "Church planting is the fruit of an intentional, disciple-making culture. If we desire to see the CRCNA become a multiplying denomination, every single regional group will need to be actively raising up the next generation of gospel leaders."
How the Plans Work Together
Though distinct, these initiatives are deeply integrated. Thriving churches are better equipped to support church planting efforts, and new churches can bring fresh energy, innovation, and new expressions of ministry to existing congregations. Both plans prioritize discipleship, leadership development, and mission within local communities. Implemented together, these plans can strengthen existing congregations while fostering the development of new worshiping communities.
"An inflection point is a moment of significant change, and the CRCNA is standing at one right now. We are asking every classis and congregation to participate,” said Zachary King, general secretary of the CRCNA. “By strengthening the foundations of the churches we have and by courageously planting the churches we need, we are trusting God to write a powerful new chapter for our denomination."
Synod delegates will discern these proposals together as Synod 2026 begins this week. Taking place June 12-18, this year’s synod provides an opportunity to invest in existing congregations while also encouraging the development of new ministry expressions throughout the denomination.
As synod gathers, members across the denomination are invited to pray for delegates as they discern these proposals and seek God's guidance for the CRCNA's continued faithfulness, mission, and hope-filled future.
Additional information about Synod 2026, including its agenda, reports, session recordings, and other resources, is available at crcna.org/synod.
