Australia needs all kinds of churches to reach all kinds of people. That means that there is no one model of church or church planting that needs to be rolled out across our nation. Just as the demographics of our nation are diverse, the models we utilise also need to be diverse.

Some denominations have formalised which models of church planting they will pursue whilst other denominations don’t have a formalised approach and instead will assess every situation on it’s merits. An excellent example of a formalised model approach by the NSW and ACT Baptists may be downloaded here

There are pros and cons with both approaches but it appears that an approach that offers say three to five models as options does have advantages. This enables clearer vision casting, training and the development of strategies, processes and policies appropriate to the models.

Having said that, the strengths, call and vision of the particular planter as well as the contexts they will be planting into should also be taken into account.

So far, we have found that the main models denominations favour planting with are:

1. Simple Church
2. Missional Communities
3. Weekend Worship Church
4. Regional Church
5. Resource Church
6. Multi Site Church

Brief descriptions of these models are to be found in Appendix 2 of the Exponential Australia 2025 Church Planting Report.

In addition to this, there are important nuances that include worship styles, ethnic churches, vocational / bi vocational, city / rural locations as well as theological differences.

The strong message is that one size does not fit all circumstances.

A good example of this is that the Salvation Army commissioned research to identify the regions of greatest need so that they could establish services and churches in these communities. The model of churches planted would be very different to the model frequently utilised to reach the more highly educated and affluent.

Major Dianne Jarvey, National Faith Community Development Secretary of The Salvation Army Australia comments:

We are often found among the most marginalised, isolated, and vulnerable in our communities. This proximity means our ministry often looks different from traditional church models. We are not simply a Sunday morning congregation—we are a 24/7 missional presence.

Traditional metrics such as attendance numbers, offering totals, program counts often fail to capture the essence of our mission. We are learning to ask deeper questions: Are lives being transformed? Is the community experiencing wholeness? Would our absence be felt if we left?

Which is the best model for church planting? That depends on the context and the overall vision for planting. We celebrate all models of planting that will see healthy churches planted that will reach and make disciples.

(You can read more about the different models of church planting here)

Tim O’Neill

Executive Director,
Exponential Australia

For more information about the current state of church planting in Australia, you can download the Exponential Australia 2025 Church Planting Report and Infographic.