Stop Funding Church Plants? David Fitch Stirs the Pot

I have friends who have invested their lives into bringing Jesus' message to people who don't know what it means to be part of a community of people who are loving God and each other and caring for their neighbors - in other words, a church. These friends are real heroes to me. They are church planters. (I'm looking at you Tim Fowler and Joe Gnatek) Bunny and I were involved in a church splant early in our ministry with a group of people called Grace Baptist Church in Juliette Georgia. It was the best of times and the worst of times, but those people were awesome and things happened among us that still give me goosebumps.

So when I share this article from David Fitch, I am not anti-planting. Planting works... when it works. Tim and Joe have proven that as have many others.

But I do think that we need to step back and look at what we are doing and what the real costs and benefits are. Here at New Hope, we run the leanest we can, and will get leaner still when I am teaching. I think we'll do more ministry then, meeting more people and being able to help more. I like the idea he puts forth of teams of people rather than one family, and I like the idea of people working in the community alongside the folks they would do life with in a church.

So I guess I would give Fitch more a listen than most. Click over and check the article out.

STOP FUNDING CHURCH PLANTS and Start Funding Missionaries: A Plea to Denominations

Church Planting - The Church at Skyline Valley

One of the critical needs as we seek to have the message of Jesus heard by as many people as possible is simply venues to hear it in. The culture has changed, and most churches have lost much of their effectiveness at reaching out into it. So new churches are desperately needed.

My friend Tim Fowler is a church planter. This time around he's planting a church outside Ft Hood Texas in a town called "Copperas Cove." The fledgling congregation will meet for their first preview service this weekend. Previews are a time to try to draw people who are looking to find a church, to work out the kinks behind the scenes, and to form a core of people who are totally sold out to what God is calling them to do and be. I can tell you that getting that "core" means everything. I wouldn't take anything for the core of people God has gathered at New Hope, so I'm praying like mad that God would send Tim exactly who he needs.

Tim is a hero of mine. Please pray for him and the church. If you'd like to send an email of encouragement, or something else encouraging $ :)

Phone: 254-285-8668

E-mail: church@skylinevalley.org