So as we press into 2010, there are three major goals that God has laid on our hearts as we lean into our vision – one local, one regional, one global.

Goal #1: One person (see last week’s post).

Goal #2: Plant a church. So at the heart of Life’s vision has been the idea that as God blesses us with growth we would express that growth in planting new churches. And sure enough, some of our greatest moments of joy as a church have been in planting our two daughter churches and seeing God do great things through them. This year, Lord willing, we will plant our third church.

Why, you might ask, do we need another church? Aren’t there plenty of them out there? The answer is: (a) there are not as many as you might think, and (b) there are very few that are reaching younger adults. The church in America is in sharp decline. The best figures indicate that only 17% of people attend a church any given weekend, and as you might imagine, in Los Angeles (if you set aside for a moment our large Catholic population) that number is less than 6%.

What’s more, over 3700 churches close for good each year. That’s 71 in an average week. And as you might guess, the churches that are out there are populated almost entirely with older adults. Wonderful as that is, there are very few churches reaching the emerging generations, and we as a congregation feel a special burden to start more. In fact, our prayer is that God would use us (and those churches we plant) in planting 1000 churches before our time is done.

I’m especially excited about the new approach we are taking to planting this year. In the past we have assumed sole responsibility as the parent church for each project. But the question of how we can mentor other young churches in planting (only 4% of churches ever plant another church!) has led to a strategy of planting as part of a small network of churches. So this plant will be done with a couple of partner churches, which will reduce the financial burden on any one church, and pave the way for other churches to become reproducing churches as well. But more on the nuts and bolts of this later . . .

Your role at this point: PRAY. If the timing works right, this church will be in Las Vegas, and if not we are looking at another project here in So Cal. Either way, we are pursuing this goal pretty hard (favorite quote from a recent leadership meeting: “The only way we won’t plant a church this year is if God closes the door and leans against it”). Pray that God will prepare us in terms of spiritual and financial strength to undertake this project. Pray that God will prepare the pastor and team who will lead this new church. Pray that God will prepare the hearts of those, both Christian and yet-to-be-Christian who will be part of this new work. And prayerfully ask: “God, what does my role in this look like?”

Friends what we do has eternal significance. I can’t think of anything I’d rather be doing.

Lord bless you, and we’ll look forward to being with you this weekend –

[And this Sunday as Lent begins we are talking about, you guessed it, grace. Specifically, the grace to live a Jesus-like-life.]

Tim
Mt 6:33