Transcript Church Plants & Church Planters - Mid

Church Plants
&
Church Planters
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Matthew 18:20
The Mid-Atlantic District
of The Christian and Missionary Alliance
epic life church
Rev. Matthew & Michele Guentner
(Makayla, Brianna, Halle)..
4820 Southpointe Parkway
Fredericksburg, VA
Phone: 540-809-7639
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.go-epic.org
Pg 1-3
 Rev. Matthew Guentner arrived in Fredericksburg, Virginia with his
family on January 1, 2010. Among his first thoughts after arriving
in cold wintery Virginia were those of climate change. Five days
earlier, warm southern California was the home of the Guentner
family.
 Fredericksburg, Virginia is a community of 150,000, growing at a
rate of 10% annually. It is just 45 minutes south of our nation’s
capital, Washington DC.
 The Lord quickly confirmed to Matt and his family His calling to
plant a church among the nearly 78,000 people who call
Spotsylvania, a southern suburb of Fredericksburg, their home.
Pg 2-3
 The first nine months Matt developed relationships through the
community. He and a member of the plant team went door to
door in their neighborhoods meeting people and inviting them to
gathering events at their homes. Soon a core group of new
believers and those who were already followers of Jesus began
to form.
 The epic life Church was launched in September 2010. For one
and a half years the church met in a school, growing to an
average attendance of 75.
 Today, the church is aggressively reaching out to the unsaved in
its community. Men gather early Saturday mornings to strengthen
each other in the faith as they enjoy being together. The
congregation is giving to global missions through Faith Promise
giving to the GCF, and supporting church planting efforts within
the Mid-Atlantic District.
Pg 3-3
 Already one church has been birthed out of epic life.
 On July 1, 2012 the church took possession of a large meeting
hall in a business and shopping complex. This meeting hall will
provide larger space for worship, youth activities and space for
local businesses and families to use as needed.
 Today epic life meets for worship and other church ministry at its
new home.
 While the new meeting location is an intentional step forward for
epic life, pray that the congregation remains vigorously
committed to the evangelism of its community.
 Matt and his wife Michele live to bring people into a relationship
with Jesus and become established at epic life. Pray that they
will nurture times of quietness and Sabbath rest in the presence
of Jesus, and His Word.
 Acquiring the new hall will stretch the church’s income an
additional $2,000 a month is needed in their giving to meet
expenses.
How to support Church Planting across the Mid-Atlantic
Prayerfully consider
how you will partner with
the Mid-Atlantic District
to plant new churches
Give through your church to
and renew churches that
must experience
turnaround.
“Mid-Atlantic District
Home Missions”
Ebenezer Eritrean Church
Pastor Goitom & Sara
Mezghebo
(Yoyada, Elim, Sinai)
1812 12th St. NW
Washington, DC
Phone: 202-527-8868
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.ebenezerdc.org
Pg 1-3
 In early 2008 three leaders of what would become the Ebenezer
Eritrean Church met with Dr. Corbin, District Superintendent of the
Mid-Atlantic District and Rev. Andy Kerr, Assistant to the District
Superintendent, to explore the possibility of starting a church that
would reach out to the rapidly growing Eritrean community of the
Washington, DC region.
 On March 30, 2008 the church officially started, meeting at the
Washington International Church of the C&MA.
Pg 2-3
 A deep passion for Jesus, a moving worship service, and
expectation of the presence of God have been the preeminent
characteristics of the church.
 Today, even after three meeting location changes, the church
averages over 150 in its Sunday afternoon service.
 A year after the church formed, they called Pastor Goitom
Mezghebo to lead the spiritual life of the church. The church is
blessed with a team of five men who are dedicated and gifted in
service to lead the five program ministries of the church.
Pg 3-3
 When asked for some key contributors to the church’s growth and
unity, the pastor answers without delay: “It is our prayer ministry.
One of these prayer services occurs early every morning as we
commute to work throughout the DC area. We join together in a
conference call and we pray for each other, for the unsaved
Eritreans we will meet that day, and for the glory of God to be
shown.”
 Another ministry that is leading the Eritrean people to Jesus is the
Praise Team. Music during the worship service reaches far beyond
a few enjoyable songs, or choruses. The praise team draws people
into the presence of Jesus. People are meeting God through song often weeping, convicted of sin and of the holiness of God.
 The church Prayed for two years for a place to meet near U St and
12th St. in Washington. God gave them their desire. Ebenezer
Eritrean Church now meets near 12th and U St Ave. It has grown
nearly 200
 There are an increasing number of children attending the service
who are more comfortable in English than the .language of Tigrigna.
Ask God for workers who will be able to serve the children in
English.
 Many of the Eritreans work as taxi drivers or in other low income
occupations that often require them to work seven days a week.
This makes it very difficult for them to attend church for Sunday
services. Join with the church leaders in prayer as they seek the
wisdom of God as to how they will reach out to the Eritrean
population given their work schedules and lack of transportation.
How to support Church Planting across the Mid-Atlantic
Prayerfully consider
how you will partner with
the Mid-Atlantic District
to plant new churches
Give through your church to
and renew churches that
must experience
turnaround.
“Mid-Atlantic District
Home Missions”
CrossLife Community Church
Rev. Todd & Renee Cothran
(David, Jonathan, Maggie, Mollie)
1410 Old Brook Road
Charlottesville, VA
Phone: 434-973-9162
E-mail: [email protected]
Pg 1-3
 The CrossLife Community Church in the central Virginia university
community of Charlottesville has perhaps the best location and most
ideal facility for effective ministries to their community. Located on a
major travel route, and in the prime shopping area of the city, the
church enjoys an attractive building able to seat over 300 for worship
on five prime acres of land.
 However the congregation of saints declined to an average of 20 on a
Sunday morning, all of whom are well into their retirement years. To
further compound the challenge facing the church, on January 1,
2012, their pastor moved to Georgia. Now without a pastor, and with a
very meager income, the future looked bleak.
 Many would say this was a hopeless situation. Who would come to
such a ministry that is unable to support a pastor, much less maintain
their facility? However God!
Pg 2-3
 A pastor from Colorado was praying with his wife one day about a
new place for ministry. God led him to think “east coast”. After further
prayer God impressed on him to consider a ministry in Virginia. As
God continued to narrow his search, he learned of the need for a
pastor at what was then called Alliance Bible Church.
 After a conversation with Dr. Corbin and learning the full picture of the
reality of the church, Rev. Todd Cothran said, “God is leading me to
the Alliance Bible Church! How can I allow what is not there to keep
me from being where He is leading?”
 The Cothran family of six will move to Charlottesville to begin pastoral
ministry on August 1, 2012. This ministry at CrossLife Community
Church, their new name, is best described as a church plant to reach
out to new people while at the same time, being careful to honor the
elderly saints.
Pg 3-3
 In the Fall of 2012 a Christian school with a vision to reach the
unsaved and under privileged of the community began using the
facility. They will bring new life and an exposure to multiple families in
need of a relationship with Jesus.
 The church has grown to 45 regular attenders. Over 20 men and their
sons are attending a father- son outreach ministry, many of whom do
not attend the church. All of the new growth is made up of families,
with children. A new life has begun, to the glory of God!
 The Cothran family is on the ground in Charlottesville, Virginia. They
have been upgrading the parsonage, getting settled into their home,
and meeting neighbors. Pray for God’s strength for the Cothrans.
 Earnestly ask the Lord to provide a team with whom the Cothrans
can serve to make community ministry connections.
 Pray that the saints who currently make up the congregation will
clearly know how they are needed to support the massive changes
that will be taking place at the CrossLife Community Church as it
reaches out to people who do not know Jesus.
How to support Church Planting across the Mid-Atlantic
Prayerfully consider
how you will partner with
the Mid-Atlantic District
to plant new churches
Give through your church to
and renew churches that
must experience
turnaround.
“Mid-Atlantic District
Home Missions”
Emmanuel Ethiopian Church
Rev. Daniel & Bethel Berhanu
(Elson, Elroni, Ellion)
2300 Pot Spring Rd.
Timonium, MD
Phone: 443-760-5193
E-mail: [email protected]
Pg 1-3
 In early 2008 Daniel Berhanu came to the District Office asking if
he could serve under the umbrella of the Alliance, and bring in a
church. Pastor Daniel presented a glorious account of how he has
started numerous churches in Ethiopia, and helped these churches
to become a network of which he was their leader.
 A few months later the Emmanuel Evangelical Church International
was embraced into the C&MA family. The focus of Pastor Daniel’s
call includes: expanding the Kingdom of God by reaching the lost,
identifying and dismantling the works of the devil and evil spirits in
the power of the Holy Spirit, leading the saved children of God to
become faithful followers of Christ through biblical teachings and
nurturing and reaching the needy and the unfortunate with a heart
of compassion.
Pg 1-3
 The church quickly reflected the heart of its pastor by beginning
ministry to the new immigrants from Ethiopia, supplying them with
resources to assist them in getting settled in the Baltimore area,
and inviting them to Bible studies.
 The congregation flourished in its love to draw closer to the Lord,
and in numbers.
 Sadly the facility it was using became no longer available, causing
the church to relocate to Timonium, Maryland. While the new
facility is large, its location is outside the easy access for the
majority of Ethiopians, most of whom have no transportation. It has
taken two years for the church to recover from this move.
Pg 2-3
 The church recently baptized 11 and then commissioned a team to
undertake an evangelism trip. The church is growing and has an
average attendance of 85.
 The vision of Daniel is to plant churches among the more than 1.2
million Ethiopians living between Baltimore and Washington DC.
Already one church has begun and joined the Alliance.
 Schooling situation for his children next year-The public schools in
his community are not good.
 A place for the church to meet between exits 20-24 on I-695.
 Jobs for congregants which will allow them time to serve God as
they wish, and attend church regularly.
 Patience for his vision to see a network of Ethiopian churches in
the DC region.
How to support Church Planting across the Mid-Atlantic
Prayerfully consider
how you will partner with
the Mid-Atlantic District
to plant new churches
Give through your church to
and renew churches that
must experience
turnaround.
“Mid-Atlantic District
Home Missions”
Front Royal, VA
Rev. Ross Halbersma & Patti Halbersma
(Kahri, Julia, Caleb, Anna)
Front Royal, VA
540-722-4057
E-mail:
[email protected]
 Currently there are three point people for this church plant effort
being mothered by the New Hope Alliance Church in Winchester.
 One family, with some Alliance background, is a firm supporter of
this effort. They have been meeting as a “small group” as a first
step toward a goal of establishing a new congregation.
 Pray that the people who are part of the core team will be
recipients of God’s protection, provision, grace and favors as
they reach people who live in spiritual darkness.
 Partner with this church thru prayer involvement, asking God
for wisdom, clarity of vision, and contact with key people.
 Pray that God will raise up this new point of ministry to bring
lost people into relationship with Himself.
How to support Church Planting across the Mid-Atlantic
Prayerfully consider
how you will partner with
the Mid-Atlantic District
to plant new churches
Give through your church to
and renew churches that
must experience
turnaround.
“Mid-Atlantic District
Home Missions”