Church planting

I’ve been reading several blogs about Church planting as well as reviews of researxh in the emerging churches literature.

My experience is of a growing congregation overflowing the Church ‘house’ and praying over time about what to do next. About 70 people and families who were commuting agreed to move out to a new venue. The Bishop had offered a big empty historic church building with a small elderly congregation; the priest had left a year before, the building needed at a lot of money to repair it and the Hall was let to a Dancing school! More prayer and a minister from All Souls Church in London with gifts in teaching and evangelism agreed to come and lead it.
The Bishop was involved in the transition; the new vestry would be elected from the old Congregation and the new equally.
With the group from the planting congregation, transfers from other churches who had been waiting for a new vision, and newcomers (mainly students) the 100 or so new church formed home groups, met for prayer, the Hall was reclaimed (we prayed the dance school would find somewhere better-and they did!

The majority of us were either elderly or young with just a few families. Within 6 months the first phase of restoration of the building was due to start and we were told we should pay up £1700 by the end of the month ( a big sum for a church now but seemed enormous 22 years ago!) The Rector announced we would have a half-night of prayer for praise and thanksgiving knowing that God provides resources for His work. So we did that and had a Gift Day-and received £34000 by prayer and sacrifice! Thus we paid our quota and began to pay for a home for the rector and his family. A similar process took place 6 months later this time for mission with the same result £34000. This process of prayer and sacrificial giving twice yearly continues, Now a lively church with new staff , premises and so on and a turnover as young professionals graduate and move on , Visitors come and others who have beend discipled, move on to new pastures. The style is evagelical and charismatic and moving into 21st century discipleship, often rather shocking to a traditional church!
This is a continuing lively congregation and after 22 years one could say a successful church plant. Oh and church finances are also tythed!
However, many new church plants do not survive- perhaps the ground has not been prepared or the new plant nurtured, perhaps it had been planted in the wrong place with old compost!
(See Lings G and Murray S on CHURCH PLANTING, PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE)
Some of the literature seems to be about individual leaders doing the planting but perhaps it is something best done by a Church.
I was once told that a Church should not number more than 100; beyond that there were too many to have fellowship; they should divide off and thus multiply-
What do you think?