Multiplication Involves Hard Work and Hard Knocks
By Rob O’Neal, Director of Church Multiplication
Building momentum requires telling the stories about what God is doing around the Conference through church multiplication. That story is indeed amazing. No matter how you look at the facts, new churches have begun, and they are making more disciples for Jesus. As we tell those stories, we do not want to neglect the fact the church multiplication is hard work that comes with hard knocks. As our planters do the work and take the knocks, those downsides come as costs to them, their families, and the people closest to them.
Mosaic Church is reconsidering its future.
Mosaic Church, led by Matt Reed, has been attempting to reach Canton, Ohio with a vision of helping people discover their unique, God-given talents and using them to serve God wherever they are. Their vision of whole-life discipleship offers exciting possibilities. At the same time, the call they extend is difficult for many to embrace.
After years of working hard, Mosaic Church is taking a break from public worship gatherings. The leadership sensed that they were not getting the traction they had hoped. Currently, they are backing up, working on putting down new roots in the community, and practicing using their gifts where God has placed them. They are praying for God to put people in their path who embrace their vision.
The Meetinghouse Church is retooling.
The Meetinghouse Church in Salem, Massachusetts finds itself in a historically Christian place with limited evangelical presence these days. The pluralistic culture of the city has little tolerance for historic orthodox Christianity. Yet at the same time, the MeetingHouse church has found many people open to Christians and acts of love that demonstrate God’s goodness.
The Meetinghouse Church has endured in this difficult environment for years. Still, the leaders of this congregation have struggled to find a strategy that leads them to thrive. Currently they are searching for God’s direction for them. They are shuffling their leadership and looking for allies to help them reach Salem.
Community Church Richfield has endured disappointments.
Community Church Richfield, located in the Twin Cities in Minnesota, has not even launched public worship yet. They are still in the heady days of gathering a core group and preparing to “unveil” themselves to their community. These are exciting days for Jeremy Peters and his team.
At the same time, this group has already experienced frustrations. For instance, they thought they had a worship location secured only to find at the very last minute that the location they had selected actually was not available. With mere weeks left before their first preview worship service, they were looking for a new venue. God was good, however, and he provided a more suitable space at a better price that came with new community connections.
I tell you these stories not to warn you away from church multiplication. Instead, I tell you these stories in part, because it reminds us all just how big our God is. Every church that comes into existence faces spiritual and temporal roadblocks that would stun most people. However, our movement is not ordinary! It is God-ordained and fueled. Churches come into existence and thrive, because God propels them forward.
I also tell you these stories, because our requests for prayer and help for our planters are real. Our church planters need your prayers. They need your support. They need you to believe in their very big God and in them. Would you join me in praying for and standing behind our church planters?
