According to renowned pastor Dino Rizzo, church planting efforts often overlook the pressing needs of underserved communities—places where the presence of life-giving churches is minimal, yet the demand for spiritual guidance is profound. Recognizing this gap, leaders within the Association of Related Churches (ARC), including Dino Rizzo, ARC’s President, have emphasized the importance of focusing on these communities.
One of the critical challenges is the need to focus on underserved cities, where the presence of life-giving churches is minimal, yet the demand for spiritual guidance is profound.
The Growing Demand for Churches in Underserved Cities
As urban populations continue to grow and shift, many American cities remain significantly underserved when it comes to local churches. Dino Rizzo has been at the forefront of recognizing this gap, urging church planters to consider cities beyond commonly targeted areas like Nashville or Charlotte. While these cities are flourishing with vibrant church communities, there are countless others—such as Buffalo, Milwaukee, and Cheyenne—that are ripe for spiritual revitalization.
Rather than planting churches in markets that are already saturated, Dino Rizzo encourages church planters to explore regions where their efforts can have the most substantial impact. “You want to step into a place where there’s a vacuum—where there’s an opportunity to truly make a difference,” he says. This perspective is crucial in ensuring that the church planting movement simultaneously adds more churches to already thriving areas while bringing the light of the Gospel to regions in desperate need of it.
The Strategic Focus on Underserved Areas
Dino Rizzo’s strategy involves thorough research and careful planning. Under his leadership, the Association of Related Churches has conducted studies identifying over 200 American cities that lack adequate church presence. These cities, often overlooked by church planters, present unique opportunities for growth and ministry. By directing resources and support to these areas, Rizzo believes that new churches can flourish and become beacons of hope in their communities.
One of the keys to success, according to Rizzo, is the willingness of church planters to be flexible and open to new locations. While some planters may feel called to a specific city, Dino Rizzo urges them to consider the broader picture and the pressing needs of underserved areas. This openness can serve the immediate community while also aligning with ARC’s mission of planting churches where they are most needed.
Success Stories and the Way Forward
Dino Rizzo’s focus on underserved cities is already yielding impressive results. Recent church plants in these targeted areas have seen launch day attendance numbers that far exceed expectations, with some churches starting with over 600 attendees. These success stories are a testament to the effectiveness of Rizzo’s strategy and the importance of planting churches where they can have the greatest impact.
Dino Rizzo remains committed to extending this vision into the future. By continuing to identify and invest in underserved cities, he hopes to see a new wave of church plants that assist communities that need them most. His work with ARC serves as a powerful reminder that the future of church planting lies both in expanding what’s already established and in reaching out to the places that have been left behind.
About Dino Rizzo:
Dino Rizzo, a 35-year ministry veteran, co-founded Healing Place Church with his wife, DeLynn, where he served as senior pastor for two decades. Through his passion for inspiring believers to serve their communities, Dino Rizzo also founded Servolution.
In addition, Dino Rizzo is the President of the Association of Related Churches (ARC), where he oversees the planting of over 1,000 churches worldwide. He is also on the Senior Leadership Team at Church of the Highlands and is the author of Serve Your City: How to Do It and Why It Matters.
Published By: Aize Perez
