Mission Alive

We have scheduled our first Coach Training Lab 1 for October 10-11, 2008 in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.  The Coach Training Lab 1, prepares participants to coach church planters and others in ministry. Beyond developing coaching skills, Mission Alive coach training prepares the coach to help those in ministry discern God’s leading and determine the best way to follow His leading. 

Mission Alive is a licensed training organization by CoachNet International Ministries.  Building on the most well established Christian coach training platform, Mission Alive trains coaches using CoachNet's training system customized for coaching church planters.  The Mission Alive's Coach Training Lab 1 is built on a solid coaching philosophy, extensive research and thousands of hours of coaching experience by hundreds of coaches throught the network of CoachNet coaches.

Learn more about this event here

One of the philosophies of ministry that guides Mission Alive is that Christian ministry should move from theology to practice. That is, the impulse for ministry should come from our understandings of who God is and what He is doing on this earth rather than from systems of organizational effectiveness. Church planters who join Mission Alive and come through our Theology Lab and Strategy Lab hear this philosophy repeatedly as they strategize to plant churches.

Last month many of us in Mission Alive spent dozens of hours redesigning our Strategy Lab to more significantly reflect missional theologies and values.

We constructed the lab around what we consider to be six primary ministry tasks of church planting. A focused question(s) defines each task.

• Discovering and equipping a ministry team: How does the church planter discover and equip co-workers to partner with God in His mission?
• Learning the culture: How do Christians discern both the working of God and Satan within human culture to understand impediments and readiness of people to hear and participant in kingdom activities? Six cultural learning tools were provided.
• Connecting with community: How do people of God incarnationally live in a community discovering "people of peace" (Luke 10:1-6), sponsors of good will who experience God's transformation and call other searchers to learn and hear God's Good News.
• Guiding searchers to come to the Lord: How do people of God help searchers journey to Jesus and become participants in the kingdom of God?
• Helping new believers grow up in their salvation (1 Peter 2:1-2): How do new Christians mature as disciples of Jesus so that they grow inwardly, outwardly, and upwardly?
• Equipping God’s people for works of ministry (Eph. 4:12): How are leaders trained to help others journey to Jesus, grow up in their salvation, and become leaders themselves? How are specific types of ministers (home fellowship leaders, children and youth ministers, and shepherds) nurtured and equipped?

After equipping in each module church planters constructed a ministry flow chart, a practical paradigm visualizing a process of ministry for their chosen context. The lab culminated with the sharing of these paradigms and group analysis of them.

During the lab, we worked closely with seven church planting families as they developed ministry patterns for their church plantings. Michael and JoEtta Deaton are just beginning the process of church planting in the campus context of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia; Ryan and Claudia Porche are working with Charles and Julie Kiser in Uptown Dallas, and Brent and Rachel Wells with Chris and Heidi Chappotin in Burleson, Texas. Albert and Trisha Acosta will either be planting with us or taking take a preaching job in California.

Latino leaders and their families from Genesis Alliance, our Latino counterpart, joined us. These included Carlos and Glenda Lopez of Highland Oaks Church of Christ (Plano), Carlos and Gisela Acosta of the Pleasant Ridge Church of Christ in Arlington, and Sixto Rivera. These leaders, along with Albert Acosta, are being trained to facilitate a contextual Strategy Lab in Spanish.

Church planting coach Steven Shaeffer of Carbondale, Illinois, also worked closely with us during the lab.

We were awed by how God worked through our church planters and staff to develop this new paradigm for strategy formation. It was developed synergistically, from the bottom up, based upon developing on-the-field models of doing missional ministry. Chris Chappotin, for example, presented a catechesis, called "Foundations," for searchers coming to the Lord, and Charles Kiser, as a new church planter, modeled contextual tools for cultural learning. Tod Vogt, Director of Planter Equipping in Mission Alive, helped develop the process for constructing the ministry flow chart and prototyped the new Mission Alive model for coaching and spiritual direction within a Partnering Team.

The ability to think in these missional categories was stimulated by the teachings and reflections of our Theology Lab. During this lab I nurture church planters to think and interpret the Bible narratively. The biblical story line becomes like the rudder of a ship guiding the stories and practices of church planters. The biblical narratives include the story of the kingdom of God, missio dei, and incarnation (and crucifixion, resurrection, and inspiration; if time permits). In the second half of the lab Randy Harris, who has a unique ability to help Christian leaders apply theology to practice, begins with "humanity" and takes church planters through the major tenets of the Christian faith, concluding with a theology of "church" and the nature of spiritual formation. These activities equip church planters to form a theology for their own church planting. The final presentation by church planters gives . . .

• Basic Beliefs: What basic beliefs form the identity of the church that God is leading you to plant?
• Beliefs Shaping Ministry: What missional practices are inferred from these basic beliefs? How do these basic beliefs shape ministry?
• A Brief Description of the Church: Based upon these beliefs, describe the identity and focus of the church that God is leading you to plant?
• Entering into God's Story: Which biblical story best describes your identity?
• Core Values: Based upon these theologies, what core values shape your identity?

I praise God to see biblical theologies, rather than popular culture, begin to the shape the identity of our church planters and the resulting churches. The end result is churches focused on spiritually forming people to walk with God.

Our overarching questions have become . . .

• How is God's eternal gospel lived out within ever-changing cultures?
• How does God work through communities of faith to enable searchers "to open their eyes and turn . . . from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me" (Acts 26:17-18)?

We conduct the Theology Labs each March and October and the Strategy Labs each June and December with six Discovery (assessment) Labs interspersed throughout the year.

Mike Deaton aptly describes the nature of the Strategy Lab and how all three labs fit together to form Mission Alive's process of training.

Jo and I certainly reaped huge benefits from the Strategy Lab. As we look back on our journey so far, all three labs seemed to build on each other in powerful ways. The Discovery lab continues to teach us a great deal about ourselves and how God is working and inviting us to join Him on this great mission. The Theology lab expanded our thinking (maybe "blew our minds" is a better description!) by leading us into God's story and how that story is so relevant and powerful today. The Strategy Lab pulled it all together by helping us connect God’s story with our own calling and giftedness and to connect that story with today's culture. It was really helpful for us in the Strategy Lab when we began thinking about how to build our ministry around the spiritual formation of ourselves and those who respond to His invitation. This will all have a profound impact on how we pursue the church plant in Harrisonburg and on the JMU (James Madison University) campus.

So much is happening in Mission Alive that it is hard to summarize.

Working with Churches

Becky and I enjoyed a five-day trip to visit churches in the Greater Chicago area. The schedule of the trip was arranged by Rich Little, preaching minister of the Naperville Church of Christ. During a five-day period, we visited with leaders of six churches, surveyed areas of the city, and spoke at both the West Chicago and Naperville churches. We are praying that God will work with us to plant two churches in Chicago in the next five years.

Last December the Connecticut Valley church in Windsor, CT, sponsored a retreat on missional renewal and church planting. I was privileged to work with five churches during that conference. During the past few days I have enjoyed emails and phone conversations with church leaders from this area of New England. We are praying for this area, seeking church planters who are conversant with the culture, and discovering churches who will faithfully partner with us in God’s mission. In this area of spiritual barrenness, there is also spiritual hunger. One New England minister said, “When we break through the sarcasm of the culture and connect with the heart, we hear their hunger. They miss God; they want God!” I praise God for the developing urgency and momentum toward church planting in this and other areas of the country.

We find that church planting begins with courageous, visionary, mission-focused leaders who connect with other leaders who have similar passions. Together they discover resources that enable them to effectively represent God in his world.

Theology Lab

We recently completed a paradigm-defining Theology Lab. This lab followed three Discovery (assessment) Labs and is preparation for the upcoming Strategy Lab in June. Seventeen church planters, including six families, one church-planting coach, and four Latino leaders attended the lab.

The Theology Lab is the fulcrum of equipping missional church planters because the missionaries are taught how to move from basic biblical understandings to form the practices of church planting. Biblical theology is like the rudder of a ship giving direction to church planters.

The lab was divided into two major sections. In the first section the story line of the Bible was overviewed three times defining the theologies of the mission of God (mission Dei), the kingdom of God, and incarnation with specific applications made to church planting. In the second half of the lab Randy Harris, who has a unique ability to engage learners and help them apply theology to practice, worked through the major tenets of Christian theology. He began with the topic of “humanity” and concluded with “the church.” Throughout the lab application was made to the character of Christian ministers and their ministry tasks.

Shortly thereafter, Tod Vogt, Daniel Rodriguez from Pepperdine, and I met with the Latino leaders who were in this lab to help them develop a culturally equivalent lab taught in Spanish for Hispanic church planters. Sixto Rivera will facilitate this lab for Mission Alive/Genesis Alliance.

The Testimony of Celli

Many searchers with little Christian heritage are beginning their journey with Jesus within newly planted churches. Church planters and new Christians actively participate with searchers in community events. As friendships develop, they invite these searchers into transformative Christian community. The VineLife church east of Denton, Texas, has had seven baptisms in the last two weeks. Most of these were men who were nurtured by their “All-In” men’s meetings, as well as a softball team, the Sunday worship gathering, and small groups. Celli praises God for the spiritual transformation of her husband Kenny. She says that she cannot “stop thinking about how blessed Kenny is to have the support of so many strong and tender men.” Celli is also thankful that “I now have a husband who is an enthusiastic Christian. What more could I ask for? I’m so excited to be able to take this journey with the most generous, loving man I know, my husband and my friend.” We rejoice that searchers are discovering the distinctive way of God in Jesus Christ.

Making Ears Tingle

Samuel grew up during a time when “the word of God was rare” (1 Sam. 3:1). God was seldom speaking, perhaps because of the sins committed by the sons of Eli (1 Sam. 2:27-36). When Eli’s “eyes were becoming weak” but “the lamp of God had not yet gone out” (1 Sam. 3:2-3), God began to speak through Samuel. Samuel, however, had to learn to know God’s voice and listen to him. God’s message was: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle” (1 Sam. 3:11).

Such a time has arrived in North America. The word of God is rare. Sin is ever-present, rampant. But hearts are searching for spirituality and turning toward Jesus. And God is beginning to speak! “See, I am about to do something in North America that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle!”

Like Peter led by the Spirit to the household of Cornelius, we experience God’s surprises.

Surprise #1: The Power of Coaching

God has raised up a uniquely gifted leader to work with us to coach church planters. Tod Vogt, our Director of Planter Equipping, is an avid learner, a good listener, a man of intense faith, and an effective equipper of missional church planters. Over the last eight months Tod has undergone extensive training to become certified as a coach, effectively coaches six church planters, and has begun to coach many others to become more effective coaches.

We are witnessing the effect of godly coaching. Church planters are overcoming entrenched patterns of human pragmatism and moving more intentionally from biblical theology to contextual practice. This coaching enables church planters to more effectively accomplish the four major tasks of church planting: connecting with the communities in which they live, guiding searchers to come to the Lord, helping new believers “grow up in their salvation” (1 Peter 2:1-3), and “equipping God’s people for works of ministry” (Eph. 4:12).

Surprise #2: The Significance of Spiritual Assessment

We are touched by the impact that our Discovery Lab has upon church planting candidates. The lab is spiritually formative, life instructive, direction setting. Participants feel God’s presence, His love and empathy. Dr. John Cooke has worked with others on the Mission Alive staff to take this assessment lab to a higher level.

Surprise #3: Church Leaders becoming Church Planters

We are surprised by the maturity of the church planter candidates whom God is calling and sending to Mission Alive. Last weekend we visited with Bob and Patti Grigg, who are sponsored by the Southern Hills church in Abilene as His representatives in San Antonio. It was a joy seeing a multi-cultural fellowship of believers and searchers who have come together in their first house church. Bob and Patti Grigg are past missionaries to the French-speaking world and once facilitated the St. Louis Internship with Stanley Shipp. Charles and Julie Kiser and Ryan and Claudia Porche are transitioning to church plant in Uptown Dallas (just north of Downtown). Charles has a MDiv from Harding Graduate School of Religion and has done internships with the Alpine church in Longview, Texas; the Pleasant Valley church in Little Rock, the Highland church in Memphis, and Christ Journey in Burleson. Ryan has served as the worship minister at the Highland church in Memphis. The Kisers and Porches are supported by the South MacArthur church in Irving and the Richland Hills church in Fort Worth. Shane and Kara Alexander and Marshall and Lara Jane Coffey are co-laboring as new church planters in Waco, Texas. Shane and Marshall were until recently ministers at the Gatesville and Anson churches respectively. They were roommates at Abilene Christian University, where Shane is finishing is a DMin and Marshall has completed a Masters in ministry. All these families hold one thing in common: Their hearts are attuned to the kingdom of God and they are courageously reaching out to searchers and skeptics and bringing them together as new communities of God. Becky and I had the joy of working with all of these new church planting families during the past week.

Since 2004, Mission Alive has been instrumental in placing 20 church planting families in 13 cities in six states. Our great joy is seeing hundreds of searchers come to the Lord in these missional church plantings.

Surprise #4: Fund-Raising

Last year we asked you to “join us on this journey” of church planting. An increased staff and expanding ministry required enhanced financial resources. We prayed that God would help us meet our 2008 budget by raising $200,000 by December 31, 2007. We praise God that this goal was met. We are overjoyed! Thanks to all of you who joined us on the financial journey.

In a recent Board Meeting Jerry Browder, elder of the Singing Oaks church in Denton and Treasurer of Mission Alive, overviewed our finances from 2004 to 2007 as a testimony of God’s faithfulness when we launch out in faith. He concluded by saying, “How amazing it is that He who owns the cattle on a thousand hills would give us meaningful work and purpose when we own nothing and are nothing before Him. To Him be the glory and praise. . . . God is calling us to be faithful and bold in the future.”

Surprise #5: Hispanic Partners in Church Planting

We praise God for raising up Hispanic leaders with whom to partner in church planting.

During the past three years, we have worked closely with Sixto Rivera. His experience in Hispanic church planting at the High Pointe church in McKinney and the Saturn Road church in Garland was amplified by going through the Mission Alive Discovery, Theology, and Strategy Labs and through personal coaching. The Latino church at the Highland Oaks in Dallas, where he now ministers, has grown over the last three years to about 150 faithful Christians. With the encouragement of the Highland Oaks church, Sixto developed Genesis Alliance, a ministry to plant Latino churches.

In February, guided and encouraged by the Highland Oaks leadership, Mission Alive and Genesis Alliance formed a joint venture to work collaboratively to plant Hispanic churches. It is an honor for us to sit with Hispanic leaders to develop processes for churches to plant churches who plant still other churches among Hispanics in North America. We reciprocally learn from each other.

We held a Hispanic Discovery Lab last month and were blessed to ask three families to enter Genesis Alliance/Mission Alive. Next week three multi-lingual Hispanic leaders will attend and learn from our Theology Lab. We will then collaboratively develop a Theology Lab in Spanish for Latino church planters. We are blessed with great Latino leaders with whom to partner!

We also seek to learn from and to partner with others who are planting Hispanic churches in North America.

Your Participation

• Gailyn and Becky Van Rheenen: (972) 939-4337 or (972) 754-9663 (cell); gailyn@missionalive.org; becky@missionalive.org
• Tod and Candace Vogt: (972) 596-4263 or (214) 364-2756 (cell); tod@missionalive.org, candace@missionalive.org
• John Cooke: (972) 221-4243 or (972) 353-4663 (cell); john@missionalive.org

We know that God is calling both church leaders and churches to minister and participate in church planting, and we would like to join you on the journey. In the process we will discover more fully the holiness, glory and wonders of God – God’s surprises!

In 2004 Becky and I began a journey—a journey to join God in his mission in North America. The planning and dreaming for the journey were exciting but the doubts disconcerting. With little financial support we pursued a vision of helping churches become church planting churches—to once again become parents who have spiritual children, churches with the vision and joy to plant churches that plant still other churches. We frequently felt like pioneers, like Abraham who stepped out by faith believing in God’s promises. We knew only the direction to take but were uncertain of the terrain we would traverse. And at times we doubted and questioned—asking how God could possibility provide the support not only for Mission Alive but for the numerous church leaders who desired to plant churches in the growing cities of North America. Awe and anxiety are part of the journey, even the spice of life, the drama of God’s mission.

We visualized the North American landscape as a forest. Old trees, some grown to maturity, some dying, some providing the seeds for new trees, many existing for their own purposes. Young saplings growing among the older trees, filling in the gaps, extending God’s forest, growing to adulthood, and in the process both reflecting God’s glory and making their own mistakes. God loves all trees in his forest who reflect his gracious love, awesome holiness, and focused faithfulness, who express the joy of God’s Good News.

Stories of the journey have emerged. Stories about courage to continue when finances are inadequate. Stories illustrating that the kingdom is more important than personal ease. Stories of Antioch churches sending out their own preachers and their own members. Stories of generous giving from scant resources.

Stories of sacrifice, rejecting professional advancement and position for the greater purposes of the mission of God. Stories of dozens of people who are coming to Christ and growing to spiritual maturity.

Stories of transformed nominal Christians becoming spokespersons for God’s kingdom. Stories of “opening of eyes, turning from darkness to light, from the dominion of Satan to the kingdom of God, receiving forgiveness from God, and a place among those sanctified by faith in Christ.”

• addicted, broken women and men living on the street become maturing leaders in new churches,
• lay members become vocational ministers and pastors,
• and those poor in earthy substance give generously to help their church toward self-support.

We have felt tears of grief at the deaths of our oldest son, a long-term African co-worker, and my mother within one year. “Satan! Satan! How great is your sting!” But in the midst of grief . . . God, who tenderly nurtures and cares for our hearts.

In the midst of these tears Mission Alive has matured over the last three and a half years into an effective church-planting organization. Seven Christ-formed, outreach-focused churches have been planted from Atlanta to Austin from Denver to Denton. Dozens of un-churched and de-churched people have come to Christ because of the incarnational, kingdom-focused strategies in these churches. They are planted to be externally-focused—distinctive, growing communities of the kingdom of God. New church plantings are just now getting started. They include Charles and Julie Kiser and Ryan and Claudia Porche church planting in Up-Town Dallas (just north of Downtown); Bob and Patti Grigg, who once facilitated the St. Louis internship, in San Antonio; Shane and Kara Alexander and Marshall and Lara Jane Coffey in Waco, Texas. We project seven new church plantings in 2008.

Mission Alive is maturing in two significant ways. First, God has blessed us with qualified co-workers to create a church-planting movement. Dr. John Cooke, elder at the Riverside church and director of the Carpenter’s Shop in Lewisville, works half-time as Director of Church Planter Care. Tod and Candace Vogt have joined us full-time as Director of Planter Equipping and Director of Ministry Support Services. Tod’s major function is to train coaches and spiritual directors who work with him as Partnering Teams to nurture and plan with church planters. We believe that “no one should church plant alone but within a community of equipping and encouragement.” Candace, a lawyer by trade, works to coordinate and plan activities of Mission Alive, develops patterns for children’s ministry in church planting, and works with many of our women involved in church planting. Becky works with me as Facilitator of Church Planting with an emphasis on women’s care. I coordinate the ministries of Mission Alive while working with churches to plant churches and with church planters to develop patterns of missional church planting. We thank God for a wonderful team of co-workers.

Second, with the addition of skilled co-workers, the infrastructure for developing a missional, Christ-formed church-planting movement is coming into place. Tod Vogt is doing extensive training through Bob Logan and CoachNet to receive certification to equip other coaches. CoachNet will work with Mission Alive early in 2008 to certify a new generation of coaches to work with church planters. To a certain degree our effectiveness in church planting is commensurate with our equipping of coaches. In addition, I am now blessed with the freedom to work with church leaders in various parts of the country to facilitate church planting and with church planters to develop theologically-informed, spiritually-focused patterns of church planting for post moderns of the 21^st century.

Would you join us on this journey? The increase in staff and expanded ministry brings an increase in financial need. Specifically, Mission Alive must raise an additional $200,000 by December 31, 2007, in monthly commitments or one-time contributions to operate at our current level in 2008. We have currently raised almost $100,000. A Swahili proverb says, “Haba na haba hugaza kibaba” (“A little here and a little there fills up the measure”). Would you help us “fill up the measure?” If God touches your heart . . . if you are able, would you make a monthly commitment or a one-time gift to God’s mission through us in Mission Alive?

Please send your tax-deductible contributions to:

Mission Alive

P.O. Box 117575

Carrollton, TX 75011

One final note to those 70 ½ or older: Congress has provided an excellent tax incentive for charitable contributions. The Pension Protection Act of 2006 allows individuals 70 ½ or older to make tax exempt charitable contributions up to $100,000 directly from their IRA assets to an eligible charity like Mission Alive. The transaction must be made by December 31, 2007, as it is not certain that this provision will be extended. This allows for contributions in excess of the normal IRS limitations. It also allows a tax benefit for those who normally take the standard deduction. Note www.themoneyalert.com/PensionProtectionAct.html

For the sake of His kingdom,

Much has occurred this summer. New co-workers joined Mission Alive. Lives in newly planted churches were transformed. Church planters’ lives were touched in our annual Church Planters’ Retreat. Interest for church planting grew in Atlanta. Fresh Water is beginning to flow in New Orleans.

Thinking together for God’s Glory

Becky and I thank God for our new co-workers in church planting. We are experiencing the benefits of synergy and creativity which come from frequent interaction with co-workers Dr. John Cooke and Tod and Candace Vogt. Each brings unique gifts to amplify and expand the ministry of Mission Alive. John Cooke is a master counselor who compassionately assesses and counsels church planters. Tod Vogt is a trained church planter who intuitively knows the struggles and processes of planting Christ-formed churches. Candace, a lawyer by trade, is beginning to coordinate and plan Mission Alive activities (Some might say that she is bringing order out of chaos!!). We praise God for our team.

Transforming Lives, One Community at a Time

This increase in staff is needed to more intentionally and incisively equip church planters, provide church planter care, and work with churches for missional renewal and church planting. Christ-formed, outreach-focused churches have been planted in SW Fort Worth (Burleson), Denver, Atlanta, Forney (east of Dallas), Savannah (east of Denton, TX), Austin, and Lexington (KY). Partnering churches and church planters are working to plant churches in New Orleans, San Antonio, the province of Saskatchewan in Western Canada, Waco, and somewhere in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area. Our goal is to transform lives, one community at a time.

Church planters Tim and Annette Broadwell are equipping an army of 60-70 people in small groups and connection events to transform Cherokee County, north of Atlanta. They plan to launch as a public church at Sequoyah High School on October 7. We were touched by the testimony of Rebecca Brenner earlier this month at the Southeast Church Planting Workshop at the East Cobb church in Marietta. Rebecca told of her fear of church buildings and the “holy” people who congregated in them. She knew she did not belong. Rebecca, however, was accepted into the neighborhood connection events and a cell group of the Northern Hills family. She found that the Northern Hills family was a non-judgmental community “who accept people where they are, and then lift one another up as we live life together.” Within this fellowship she learned the story of how God in Jesus Christ would save even a sinner like her. In this growing fellowship older Christians are learning how to evangelize and searchers are coming to the Lord. Their web site is http://www.northernhillsfamily.org/.

Higher Point in Denver has grown to a fellowship of approximately 70 members. Higher Point is being built upon a foundation of home churches called Connection Groups, equipped through spiritually forming groups called Formation Groups and leadership groups called LINC’s (Leadership IN Connection), and inspired by dynamic Worship Gatherings, Children's Ministry and Community Events. They currently have six Connection Groups meeting each week, five Formation Groups, and one LINC. The church finds its identity within their smaller communities of spiritual formation, where searchers and Christians are nurtured to spiritual maturity and equipped as leaders. Higher Point member Maria Slotten says that in the Connection Groups “there is such an overwhelming sense of genuineness – you check your pretensions at the door and come in and God knocks you down in the moment and meets you in a very real sense. I wan’t prepared for that but it has been incredible.” During this preliminary period of church planting, the entire community meets every other Sunday night at Prairie View High School but plan to launch publicly on September 30. Their web site is http://www.higherpoint.org/.

The new but growing New River Church in Forney, Texas, is currently meeting in two house churches of about 25-30 in each group. House church leaders are being equipped so that New River can birth into either four or five groups next month. They meet publicly each Sunday in a sports center and have 45-60 in these unpublicized meetings. They plan to launch publicly in January, 2008. Church planter Ben Stevens will conduct their first membership class next month for about eight searchers coming into their fellowships. They are seeing broken-hearted, sin-filled people turning to the way of God in Jesus Christ. Their web site is http://www.newriverforney.com/.

We are witnessing transformed lives, one community at a time.

Church Planters’ Retreat

God in His spirit gave focus to His messengers.

Atlanta – A Growing City in Need of Kingdom Transformation

Understanding of and desire for church planting continues to grow in the great urban center of Atlanta, GA. In August the East Cobb Church of Christ hosted our third annual Southeast Church Planting Workshop. The Workshop was preceded by a conversation on church planting by a few significant church leaders in the city.

Workshop participants were able to learn from the first-hand experience of those involved church planting. Tim Broadwell, church planter of the Northern Hills church, led a discussion of church planting followed by testimonies from Northern Hills members, including new Christians, about God’s mighty work in growing this church. Then elders of the East Cobb church along with preaching minister Ray Hawkins described the history and process of planting this church. Another highlight was Tod Vogt’s excellent presentation on “Equipping for Church Planting.”

The kingdom of God is breaking into Atlanta and like a tiny mustard seed becoming a tree where birds perch (Matt. 13:31-32). Atlanta is more than the Braves . . . the Falcons . . . news of Michael Vick . . . CNN. It is a growing city in need of spiritual transformation.

FreshWater for New Orleans

Mission Alive invites you in join us in the spiritual reconstruction of New Orleans. Fresh Water, taken from the Ezekiel 47 metaphor of fresh water flowing from the temple of God making salty water fresh and bringing life where there has been death, seeks to “participate with God in the spiritual transformation of New Orleans by planting Christ-formed churches.”

God’s fresh water is already beginning to flow! Three families with the goal of church planting in New Orleans have come through Mission Alive’s June and July Discovery Labs. Several churches have already committed to partnering in bringing fresh water to New Orleans. White’s Ferry Road Church of Christ in West Monroe, LA., who have raised money for various disaster relief efforts, are now working to raise money for FreshWater. The Richland Hills church in Fort Worth is also an active partner in this endeavor. Mission Alive has asked Mark Berryman, an experienced African researcher, to work as an outside consultant to research the greater New Orleans area to determine priority areas for evangelism and church planting.

What can you do? What can your church do? First, learn more about FreshWater by attending a meeting during the Abilene Christian University lectureship (Tuesday, Sept. 18, 3:00 p.m. in the Missions Strategy Room of the Undergraduate Bible Department in the Bible Building) or by calling Tod Vogt at (214) 364-2756 or Gailyn Van Rheenen at (972) 939-4337. Second, attend a 2-day prayer trip through New Orleans in either late November or early December. Third, help us find qualified church planting families. Finally, pray for this ministry and for the spiritual renewal of New Orleans. John Ogren said, “Imagine a New Orleans where the sobriety of Lent and the Joy of Easter have eclipsed the debauchery of Mardi Gras. . . . Imagine a New Orleans known for its holiness. . . . Dream of a physically and spiritually devastated city rebuilding on the foundation of Christ and the hope he offers.”

• Sept. 18 – FreshWater Interest/Information Meeting, ACU Lectureship (3:00 p.m. in the Missions Strategy Room in the Undergraduate Bible Department in the Bible Building)
• Sept. 19 – Mission Alive Breakfast, ACU Lectureship (6:45 a.m. in the Living Room of the Campus Center)
• Sept. 20-22, Oct. 18-20 – ACU Course in Dallas on Planting and Developing Churches (email gailyn@missionalive.org for a syllabus)
• Oct. 5-7 – Retreat for Harding students at HUT on Joining God in His Mission
• Oct. 10-13 – Theology Lab for Church Planters (with Randy Harris)
• Nov. 12-16 – Strategy Lab for Church Planters (with multiple resource people)
• Nov. 29-Dec. 1 – Discovery Lab for Church Planters

Christianity in North America is in free-fall, and people wonder why.

David Olson of the American Church Research Project states that in 1990 only 20.4 per cent of the population attended church on any given weekend. In 2000 the percentage had dropped to 18.7 percent and in 2005 to 17.5 percent.[1] A recent Christian Chronicle article, entitled “Population outpaces church,” states that the population of the United States has increased 32.2 percent since 1980 (from 226,545,805 to 299,398,484), but Churches of Christ have only grown by 1.6 percent (from 1,245,540 to 1,265,844).[2] An estimated 45 per cent of Church of Christ young people will abandon the church when they leave home for college or work.[3]

A few years ago I preached in a large Bible church in Southern California. Over 3,500 people attended three services. The church met in a beautiful building. Their music was professional and inspirational. Their staff was well-trained and professional. Their leaders, however, were running scared. One confessed, “I am not sure if I like what we have created. Only 75 per cent of our people attend only a weekend service. Our church is very fragile: Our families are fragmenting, our young people as immoral, and members medicate their problems. Christianity is not making a significant difference in our lives.”

The decline in Christian influence is due to many reasons. Christianity is segmented from life, embedded in rationalistic rather than spiritual frameworks, and seen by postmoderns as a power employed by religious leaders to force them to follow political, social, and religious agendas.

The decline also stems from how pragmatic North Americans define Christian. A Christian is seen merely as an attendee at a church which provides them with religious goods and services. These churches develop activities and hire staff that will attract and involve. Church then becomes a fraternity which one joins to have religious and social needs met - or leave if they are not.

Christ, however, has called us to “make disciples” (Matt. 28:19) who “are being transformed into [God’s] likeness” (2 Cor. 3:18) within a spiritually vibrant community (1 Pet. 2:4-5). The expectation of growing to spiritual maturity is inherent. We should no longer be “infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching. . . . Instead, speaking the truth in love, we . . . grow up into him who is the Head, that is Christ” (Eph. 4:14-15). The Apostolic Tradition, written by Hippolytus around A.D. 215, defined this process in the early Christian church as having four stages: The seeker phase was “a time of Christian inquiry,” the hearer period “a time of instruction,” the kneeler stage “an intense spiritual preparation for baptism,” and the faithful period “a time after baptism for incorporating the new Christian into the full life of the church.”[4] Today many call themselves Christians without actively seeking, hearing, and kneeling. The result is nominal churches, who have “a form of godliness” but deny its transformative power (2 Tim. 3:5).

Ancient practices of spiritual formation have been largely lost in contemporary culture. Therefore, Mission Alive’s community of church planters continually envision and develop, with God’s creative imagination, contemporary practices of spiritual formation. Two of these are discussed in this Mission Alive Update: Renewal Retreats and Formations Groups.

Renewal Retreats

Even after sinners turn to God, many entrenched habits and addictions remain. Renewal retreats give encouragement and opportunity for all Christians to purify their lives so that they stand before God as holy people. Those who attend expect transformation and renewal, like when Jacob was asked to return to Bethel with his family to “get rid of foreign gods” and “purify [themselves]” (Gen. 35:2). I have personally experienced how God not only leads us to repent of overt sins but also peels back the layers of consciousness to reveal concealed sins festering just below the surface.

One of the most important lessons learned in the retreats is the ability to both receive and give ministry. We receive ministry by submitting to God, identifying areas of Satan’s control, and confessing our sins. We give ministry by affirming God’s forgiveness, renouncing the flesh, the world, and the Devil (James 4:1-10), and speaking blessings into others’ lives. This pattern of ministry slowly becomes a part of community life as they understand that our God brings healing to broken lives as they submit to Him. The retreats typically begin on Friday evening and continue through Saturday afternoon.

The themes of these retreats vary. Rob Knight of the Farmers Branch church in Dallas, who has helped us prototype these retreats, uses the title “Prepare for the Battle,” emphasizing the spiritual warfare passage of Ephesians 6:10-20. Higher Point in Denver employs the theme “More than Conquerors.” Christ Journey in SW Fort Worth/Burleson utilizes the metaphor of Light/Darkness and calls their retreat “Marvelous Light.” Northern Hills in Atlanta uses “Walk to Emmaus” (a retreat which transformed my spirit and touched my heart as a participant last month) and are developing their congregational retreat called “Clear View from Bethsaida.”

Charles Kiser describes the Marvelous Light retreat at Christ Journey:

The power of the retreat is located in three venues: teaching, testimony, and triad. Teaching segments lay a scriptural foundation and help to create a biblical worldview about the reality of sin and grace. Testimony serves to give a concrete picture of the life of someone who has left the darkness for life in God’s light. One woman offered a testimony about her journey to forgiving her parents for years of physical and sexual abuse. One man testified to the darkness he experienced as the high priest of a witch coven and the path he took out of the occult and into the light of God’s kingdom. Another man shared his liberation from a legalistic religious mentality. Yet another person shared his recovery from sexual addiction. The final venue, triad, represents the heart of the retreat: gender-based groups of three that join together for the purpose of confession, repentance and the reception of grace. Imagine the impact of confessing your darkest sin and having a brother or sister-in-Christ look you in the eyes and say with confidence, “Your sins are forgiven.” I was privileged to witness God’s work of transformation firsthand. You can see why this was one of the best ministry experiences of my young life.5]

Heidi Chappotin of Christ Journey testifies, “We had a retreat at Christ Journey called Marvelous Light...and, man, was it ever marvelous....I have told many people that I had the most amazing encounter with God this weekend that I have ever had in my entire life...I have never truly walked in His grace and light like I have since the retreat. Some things that were strongholds in my life were revealed this weekend and I feel set FREE!!!”

Tears come to my eyes when I hear of the life transformations that take place in these renewal retreats. I have experienced these transformations myself. For us, these retreats have been significant transition points. We have confronted the demonic within our souls and turned more fully to God, who graciously grants forgiveness and fullness.

These retreats illustrate the journey of God’s communities as they help each other become authentic disciples.

Formation Groups

Those coming into our new churches frequently trust more in their own expertise than the sovereignty of God. They know little about the Bible and thus seldom use it as a resource for living. Like many nominal Christians, their families are fragmenting, their young people are immoral, and they medicate their problems. To become Christ’s disciples, a paradigm shift must occur – a turning from secular self-sufficiency to reliance on God.

These searchers are encouraged to come into one of the House Churches within the larger church. This small community helps them and their family on the journey to spiritual maturity. Participants in each House Church live in the same or adjoining neighborhoods so that they can connect not only on weekends but also throughout the week. They learn to eat, play, and share life together. Their children attend the same schools and play on the same soccer or baseball teams. Thus participants minister together in the context of the broader community.

Within the house churches Formation Groups are formed. These gender-specific groups of 3-4 people meet weekly for an hour and a half of intensive study of Scripture, concentrated prayer, and mutual accountability. Participants covenant to meet for five months to help each other grow to Christian maturity. Formation Groups are non-manipulative, non-hierarchical, community-oriented – a place where God uses others to speak into our lives.

Significant transformation takes place in these Formation Groups. One man, for example, shared that he became a Christian so that he could be a good husband and father. The result, he confessed, was that he became a good Christian in the evenings and on weekends but left his “Christian self at home” when he went to work. He believed that “God was relevant to Family and Community life but . . . not to our modern day work place.” The prayers, scriptural applications, and accountability of the Formation Group helped him bring Christ into all areas of his life. God guided him in dealing with an unpleasant employee, pulling out of an impossible contract, and negotiating graciously with notoriously obnoxious leaders of a major company. He testifies that his Formation Group helped him to understand that . . .

Jesus’ teachings apply to the workplace as much if not more than anywhere else. Ultimately, we are dealing with other people whether they are customers, vendors, or employees. While at work, He expects us to take up the cross daily and to have a servant attitude when working with these people. We deny ourselves when we go the extra mile to help a co-worker complete his task to save them from having to stay late. We deny ourselves when we give a vendor a second chance after a late delivery or quality problem. We deny ourselves when we turn negotiations over to God and allow him to work through us.[6]

Basic understandings about Formation Groups can be found in Greg Ogden’s Transforming Discipleship.[7] His Discipleship Essentials[8], used by many of our church planters, is one practical guide for nurturing of Christians to maturity. Eventually we will develop our own guide for Formation Groups, which provides a broader historical framework through which the principles of Christianity can be understood. We feel that the flow of scripture, i.e., the biblical narrative, should shape our story as Christ’s disciples.

In addition to equipping Christians to follow the way of Christ, Formation Groups equip leaders as Jesus taught Peter, James, and John. Many who are discipled in a Formation Group and have begun another are spiritually prepared to lead a House Church.

For months it has been evident that Mission Alive had outgrown the ability of Becky and me to develop and coordinate the many tasks of God’s ministry through us. Even with help from multiple resource people working with us in areas of their particular expertise, we could not adequately accomplish the basis tasks of Mission Alive: equip church planters; provide training to mentors and coaches working with the partnering teams in our church plantings; and work with churches to plant churches. Mission Alive has been like a spreading vine needing a larger trellis to enable it to grow and mature. We asked God to give us wisdom and patience so that co-workers with the gifts to facilitate specific ministry areas of Mission Alive would surface.

We praise God that we can introduce three co-workers who have joined or will join Mission Alive in 2007.

Dr. John Cooke, Director of Planter Care

• facilitating the Mission Alive Discovery (assessment) Labs.
• equipping spiritual mentors of church planting families.
• working personally with church-planting families to help them develop cohesion.
• phoning and visiting church planters to help them with interpersonal issues within the team and developing church.

God has given John the gentle wisdom and practical understandings to help church planters and their developing communities of faith.

Tod Vogt, Director of Planter Equipping

We believe that church planters and their partnering churches should not work alone but within a network of support, encouragement, and equipping. Mission Alive provides care for church planters through a Partnering Team made up of (1) a mentor, frequently an elder of a partnering church, who shepherds the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the church planting family, (2) a coach, who focuses on the practices of Christ-formed church planting and knows from experience what is needed to form and nurture an authentic Christian community, and (3) the Director of Planter Equipping, who equips coaches and coordinates the newly developing Partnering Teams in Mission Alive. This support network greatly enhances the likelihood of success.

We praise God for raising up Tod Vogt as the Director of Planter Equipping. Tod ministered as a church-planting missionary in Benin, West Africa; served as campus and executive minister of the Homewood Church of Christ in Birmingham, Alabama; and is currently the preaching minister of the Tammany Oaks Church of Christ in Mandeville, Louisiana (just north of New Orleans). Tod holds a M.A. in both Human Communication and Missiology from Abilene Christian University. He has an instinct for people and an understanding of processes of spiritual formation, leadership equipping, and community formation.

Tod, as Director of Planter Equipping, will . . . .

• equip coaches of church planters.
• facilitate the Partnering Teams working with each new church planting.
• work with churches in two urban contexts to facilitate area church planting movements (including Mission Alive’s ministry for the renewal of New Orleans through Christ-formed church planting).
• work with John Cooke in the Discovery Labs.
• work with us in organizing and facilitating the Strategy Labs.
• work in areas of administration and fund-raising.

God has uniquely gifted Tod to train church planting leaders.

Candace Vogt, Director of Ministry Support Services

A big part of any ministry is organization and administration. Currently Becky and I spend much of our time organizing the various activities of Mission Alive, including workshops, retreats, and training labs.

We are thankful that God has raised up Candace Vogt to work with us in these and other ministries. Candace has a BS in Economics from Auburn University (a most important credential!!) and a JD from Vanderbilt University. Professionally, she practiced law for twelve years in the areas of estate planning and property law in Birmingham, AL, and served as Professor at the Jones School of Law at Faulkner University in Montgomery, AL, for three years.

Candace, as Director of Ministry Support Services, will . . .

• work with us in areas of ministry organization and administration.
• help in developing an endowment for church planting.
• work with Becky in organizing and facilitating women’s care.
• develop models of children’s ministry in church planting.

Christ Journey, Southwest Fort Worth

“Like the wind, 2006 has come and gone, and the Christ Journey community looks back with thankfulness at the provision of the Lord. With hands held high, we praise God for new relationships, new believers, new searchers, new house churches, new staff members, new emerging leaders, new ministries, and new opportunities to serve. Eagerly, we continue journeying with our Shepherd and each other into 2007 seeking spiritual formation in the image of God and participation in His story as the hands and feet of Christ in our community. In April 2005, 8 people came together in a living room marking the first meeting of Christ Journey Church. Today, the LORD has grown CJ into a network of 85-90 participants. Currently, Sunday morning gatherings take place in a storefront facility in Burleson, TX, and five house churches rooted in worship, community, mission, and spiritual formation meet once a week throughout the area. For the latest testimonies, blogs, field reports, pictures, and videos, check out http://www.christjourney.net/.”

                                                           -- Chris Chappotin, Church Planter

Higher Point, Brighten/Reunion area (north of Denver)

“It is breath-taking, awe-inspiring, humbling and even a little frightening to stand on the peak and admire the surrounding mountains that God formed with a word and raised with a breath. Those mountains are a constant reminder here in Northeast Denver that the same God is forming and raising His church at Higher Point Christ Fellowship.

Higher Point is a new church planting with a long history. Over a decade ago God began stirring in my heart a novel idea within the churches of Christ – plant churches. During these past ten years, I've seen Him gather a team, create vision, choose a location and bring together a broad collection of co-laborers.

Higher Point is being built upon a foundation of home churches called Connection Groups, is being equipped through spiritually forming groups called Formation Groups and leadership groups called LINC's (Leadership IN Connection), and is being inspired by dynamic Worship Gatherings, Children's Ministries and Community Events. We currently have three Connection Groups meeting each week, several Formation Groups, one LINC and we're meeting with everyone every other Sunday night at Prairie View High School as we build a strong core team expecting to launch in September 2007.

It is breath-taking, awe-inspiring, humbling and even a little frightening to stand on the peak and admire what God is forming with a word and raising with a breath – Higher Point Christ Fellowship.”

                                                           -- Robbie James, Church Planter

Northern Hills, Cherokee County (North Atlanta area)

God is greatly blessing the growing Northern Hills church in Cherokee County, north of Atlanta. Church planters Tim and Annette Broadwell are equipping 60-70 people, from children to 80 years of age, to launch the new church. Paradoxically, in the middle of this suburban community, a farm house serves as their staging ground—a place for planning, equipping the team, and connection to community. Spiritual renewal is at the heart of this church planting. All team members attend a Walk to Emmaus as Tim also develops a renewal retreat for the church called Clear View from Bethsaida. Northern Hills is targeting young families with children. Their goal is “to make God look so appealing that children are inspired to walk with Him everyday and be the best Christians that they can be," Tim says. “We have to think about the next generation.” The current focus is equipping God’s people for works of ministry, especially in spiritually formative small groups.

The Northern Hills church is being planted by the East Cobb church in Marietta. Tim writes that if East Cobb “had not been ‘Kingdom Focused,’ it would not have made the decision to plant Northern Hills. . . . Northern Hills will be thankful throughout all eternity for the faith, forward-thinking, confidence, prayers, and optimistic spirit that East Cobb has given us.”

New River Church, Forney Texas (East of Dallas)

“I’ve never been a part of a more faithful group of believers than the ones at the Kaufman Church of Christ. Their generosity and willingness to send a team of their own members to a neighboring city so the gospel can be shared truly shows their hearts. We have a team of 12 that plans to begin meeting in homes this summer and to launch publicly some time later. Our hope is Christ being formed in the hearts of the lost. We are not attempting to attract members of other churches. Our goal is to seek the lost and share with them the good news of Jesus. This journey has been filled with excitement, joy and some fear. There are times we have a lot more questions than answers. All that means to us as a team is to turn to the One who has all the answers. Church planting stretches your faith but also rejuvenates it. May God be praised in all we do as we seek His lost sheep and continue the ministry of reconciliation. Please pray for us at New River that we trust in God more than ourselves.”

                                                            -- Ben Stevens, Church Planter

Vine Life, Savannah, Texas

“When we look back over the last four months we cannot believe the amazing things that God has done and is doing in the 380 corridor (Savannah, Paloma Creek and Providence Housing Developments), 10 miles east of Denton, Texas. In September my wife Heatherly and I told Singing Oaks Church of Christ that we were ready and able to take on the task of planting a church in this area that they had selected as a prime area of need. What was I thinking in saying those words?! Despite my own ego God has humbled me and shown me his power in amazing ways. God has provided us with opportunities to walk as Jesus walked, meeting people along this journey, sharing our faith as we meet them on their terms in their homes, their "pagan temples" of fleshly appeal. In dining with our fellow sinners we are finding our long lost brothers and sisters in Christ come forward as authentic relationships are developed. Whether at the elementary school magic show or over "Baby Got Back" (90's hip-hop song) at the New Years Eve Party, God is moving both his wayward sheep and us his humble disciples to live and share the gospel and our lives as we represent him to those who desire authentic community. God has shown himself in all places, in all circumstances, to be the God over all things. We are thankful he has placed us in the paths of our future brothers and sisters in Savannah, Paloma Creek and Providence areas. May God continue to bless the people in our path and may we reveal him more and more each day.”

                                                           -- Les McDaniel, Church Planter

Immanuel, Austin, Texas

Our web site is at http://www.immanuelaustin.com/.”

                                                           -- Kester Smith, Church Planter

Bluegrass Christian Community, Lexington, Kentucky

The Dwelling, North Little Rock Area

A few weeks ago I finished editing a book for the Evangelical Missiological Society called Contextualization and Syncretism: Navigating Cultural Currents. In the introductory chapter I give an example of Jim, the church planter who launched a church which accommodates to popular culture.

When Jim planted a church two years ago, the guiding question forming his strategy was “How can we meet the needs of the people of this community and make this church grow?” Jim developed a core team, launched with an attendance of 300 after six months of planning, and now has an average attendance of 900 people each Sunday. By all appearances he is very successful. However, Jim is inwardly perturbed. He acknowledges that his church attracts people because it caters to what they want. The church is more a vendor of goods and services than a community of the kingdom of God. Jim sees that those attending have mixed motives: Attending is their duty, a place to meet people of influence or where children receive moral instruction. Church attendance assuages guilt and declares to others (and to self) that “I am religious.” A spiritual responsibility has been discharged. Therefore, all is well. Observing the worldliness of members leads him to privately ask, “What have I created?” (William Carey Library 2006, 2; http://www.missionbooks.org/)

Too often church planting has been reduced to drawing people to a meeting on Sunday morning rather than spiritually forming searchers to come to Christ and grow to maturity as his followers. A theme of the book is that the Evangelical Movement, molded by modern rationalism and the desire for relevance, frequently truncates, abuses, and loses the essence of the gospel (William Carey Library 2006, 3). It is one thing to call people to a commitment to “attend church” once a week; it is another to nurture disciples to grow to maturity in the Lord within a community of faith.

Therefore, we are in a process of learning new Christ-formed patterns for the planting of churches in North America. Learning, learning, learning . . . . There seems to be no end. . . . There can be no end of the active engagement of the Gospel and culture. We are learning from the Gospel and our Culture Network about the movement from theology to practice (http://www.gocn.org/). We are learning from the simple church network about community in home fellowships (http://www.house2house.net/). We have learned from Christian Church agencies some processes of training and equipping and the use of mentors and coaches in church planter care (http://church-coaching.com/planterlab.html). We are learning from church-planting churches like the NorthWood Church in Fort Worth how to train apprentices to become church planters within vibrant growing churches (http://glocal.net/v2/index.php). Above all, we are learning from both our successes and mistakes within our community of church planting. We believe in learning . . . learning . . . learning and praise God who is leading us forward in this process.

This enhanced learning is reflected in what is occurring is the church planting training labs.

Church Planting Strategy Lab

We completed our third Church Planters’ Strategy Lab on October 23-27. This was the most focused of the three labs because we concentrated on developing practices of spiritual formation from the point of community connection with searchers and unbelievers, through conversion, to incorporation into the Christian community, to becoming co-laborers and leaders in the mission of God. Each family reads four texts before the lab (Note the first four entries of the annotated bibliography under Resources at http://www.missionalive.org/). Various resource people worked with the church planters in areas of expertise. Rob Knight of the Farmer’s Branch church, for instance, tutored on congregational processes of spiritual formation and spiritual formation in small groups. Holly Allen guided us to experience how children are spiritually nurtured in intergenerational Christian settings. Robbie James not only led us in worship and praise but also guided us to understand the mystery of discovery as themes develop in inductive forms of missional worship. On the final day of the lab each church planting family shared with all participants an initial working plan for a missional church planting.

During the lab, Becky and I found how indispensable we were or how God raises up leaders to step up in times of need. My mother Lorna passed away on Tuesday afternoon, October 24. Thank you for your many cards and calls giving us comfort during a time of grief. Mother lived to be 86 years of age. We miss her greatly, but it was her time to go to be with the Father. On the 25^th, we were able to bring together resource people to take our places and the lab continued to an effective conclusion.

Four church-planting families progressed through the lab. Les and Heatherly McDaniel are working with the Singing Oaks church in Denton, TX, to plant a church in the emerging area between Denton and McKinney called Savannah. Charles and Julie Kiser are partnering with the South MacArthur and Richland Hills Churches of Christ to plant a church in either Dallas-Fort Worth or Southern California. They are currently doing an apprenticeship with the Christ Journey church in Southwest Fort Worth. Ben and Shannon Stevens are being sent by the Kaufman Church of Christ, southeast of Dallas, to plant a church in