Our church is a part of a movement that is much larger than ourselves. Although I care greatly about the health and the wellbeing of our church, although I hope that we continue to grow, that we continue to reach people far from Christ, and that we are able to see many more people equipped and sent out on gospel mission in our community, the gospel movement is bigger than any one church. We are a part of an incredible movement that unites all of us in Christ. Our local church is a part of this global, historic, and powerful movement under Christ, and the gates of hell can not prevail against this global church! (Matthew 16:18)
I’d like to tell you a true story that shows the power that this idea can have in a community.
Four years ago, a church in Garden Ridge, TX called Northeast Bible Church* had the idea to start a new church in a community of San Antonio, TX. They prayed and felt like God led them specifically to North Central San Antonio, to a community known as Stone Oak. So, over three years ago, Northeast Bible Church brought a church planter on their staff with one goal; plant a new church in the Stone Oak community.
Northeast Bible Church poured their time, their money, their people, and their resources into this church planter and into the team that was forming. For fourteen months, the team grew, the vision become more clear, and this new church was forming!
God was moving, and in January of 2015, a church named Hope Fellowship* from Frisco Texas, heard the vision of this new church and chose to get involved. Although this church was not in the same network, or even the same city, they presented the vision to their church, gave the people an opportunity to give, and encouraged them to be generous.
On Palm Sunday, March of 2015, this new church launched, and Stone Oak Bible Church* was officially planted.
In the summer of 2015, Stone Oak Bible Church began to feel God’s leading to plant another church. Although they were young, they had vision and they were willing. As modeled by the example set by Northeast Bible Church, Stone Oak Bible Church brought on a church planter to join their very young staff with one goal; plant a new church on the far west side of San Antonio.
We poured our time, our money, our people, and our resources into this new plant, and over sixteen months, the new church began to form and to grow.
As this new church was nearing its launch, two additional churches heard the vision of this new church and chose to get involved. First, Northeast Bible Church. Northeast had made such a profound impact on Stone Oak Bible, and now again, they stepped in and gave their people an opportunity to give financially to see this new church launched well.
Second, a church called Life Church* in La Vernia, TX heard the vision to reach the west side of San Antonio with the gospel, and they got involved. They presented the church with the vision, and encouraged their people to give and to pray for this new work, and even sent people to help and to volunteer.
On Palm Sunday, April 2017, this new church will launch, and Mission Community Church* will officially be planted.
Here is what I want you to see through this story… What began as a simple idea, an idea by a church in Garden Ridge, TX to start a new church in a different community, grew and took shape in some truly powerful ways. From this simple idea, two churches have been planted in two different areas of San Antonio, and both of these churches are reaching individuals and communities with the gospel who were not being reached before.
Think about this… In April 2017, there will be five churches who have come together for this mission, worshipping Jesus in five different communities, spanning four different cities. This is a kingdom impact that is not limited to the seating capacity of any one building, the leadership capacity of any one leader, or even the geographical location of any one church. This is exponential gospel growth, and this growth has taken place in just three short years.
We are a part of a movement that much larger than ourselves. God is doing incredible things in our church, He is doing incredible things through our church, and He is doing some truly incredible things in churches across the world, across the nation, across the city, and even across the street.
Let us continue to pray for God’s favor in Stone Oak Bible Church. Let us continue to pray for God’s favor for our sister churches. Let us celebrate the success of others, come along side of those who are in need, and partner with each other to continue planting more churches for the glory of God. Lets pray for exponential gospel growth beyond the walls of our church!
Most of these churches belong to the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA). The EFCA is a movement that exists to glorify God by multiplying healthy churches among all people. For more information about the EFCA, visit their web page at http://www.efca.org/explore.
*To find out more about the churches referenced in this post, you can visit their webpages below:
Northeast Bible Church
Hope Fellowship
Stone Oak Bible Church
Mission Community Church
Life Church