My good friends Jason and Renee Exley are planting a new church in Midlothian, TX, and I'm excited for them.
They are now building through "pre-launch small groups" and preparing for their launch on Easter Sunday, April 16th. Did I say I'm excited for them? This is really a neat time for them. Jason is a missionary kid that grew up planting churches in Argentina and Renee is the daughter of a pastor who God used in growing a church from 70 to 800, so I'd say they have a great practical background for this. They've also been great youth pastors for 6 years.
I've been thinking a lot about church plants and models where large churches give birth to smaller ones. I feel like I'm involved in a church body that is currently inward facing, and I don't know that this is bad at this time in the church's life based on recent events, but I want to start facing outwards. However, I do feel like I'm in the church where God wants me to be right now, so perhaps during our involvement things will begin shifting outwards.
In a letter Jason sent me describing this new venture he stated an interesting comment that church plants have historically be highly effective evangelical tools and that 80% of people who come to Christ do so in a church that is 2 years old or less. I don't know where he got that statistic, but it's an interesting idea to consider.
Anyway, I'm excited for them. If anyone is interested, here is their website:
They are now building through "pre-launch small groups" and preparing for their launch on Easter Sunday, April 16th. Did I say I'm excited for them? This is really a neat time for them. Jason is a missionary kid that grew up planting churches in Argentina and Renee is the daughter of a pastor who God used in growing a church from 70 to 800, so I'd say they have a great practical background for this. They've also been great youth pastors for 6 years.
I've been thinking a lot about church plants and models where large churches give birth to smaller ones. I feel like I'm involved in a church body that is currently inward facing, and I don't know that this is bad at this time in the church's life based on recent events, but I want to start facing outwards. However, I do feel like I'm in the church where God wants me to be right now, so perhaps during our involvement things will begin shifting outwards.
In a letter Jason sent me describing this new venture he stated an interesting comment that church plants have historically be highly effective evangelical tools and that 80% of people who come to Christ do so in a church that is 2 years old or less. I don't know where he got that statistic, but it's an interesting idea to consider.
Anyway, I'm excited for them. If anyone is interested, here is their website:
www.lifeunusual.com
Technorati Tags: life church, emerging church, church plant
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