Update: The Next Church Plant - 9/17/08

Dear friends,

I promised you an update on the plans for the next church plant. I'll just list the basics here, and put a fuller explanation below if you would like to read it:
 

1. Eric & Alicia have made a very smooth transition into the ministry here. He is serving as an assistant pastor and we are tailoring his 'duties' to prepare him for pastoring church #2.
    
2. David & Heather Wilkinson continue to be excited about the role they can play in church #2.
    
3. Our official target date is fall of 2010 - two years from now. 
4. Eric & David are currently researching two potential target areas, and we would like to have a target area selected by early 2009.
    
5. Our desire is that in the way we plant this church we would take a significant step closer to that goal of an internal church planting movement here.

2010 may seem far away, but we've got plenty to do to launch by then! We would especially appreciate your prayers right now as David and Eric research target areas.

Proverbs 16:9 A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.

Trusting in Him,
Tim Lovegrove


Target Areas
We are looking carefully at two areas that are each about 45 minutes away from our church. Corona is northwest of Menifee at the intersection of two of Southern California's most important freeways. It is a city of about 150,000 people within easy driving distance of at least 500,000 people. "The Pass" is an area composed of several smaller cities (with Beaumont and Banning in the middle) where Interstate 10 heads east toward Palm Springs. This area to our north also has about 150,000 people (from Yucaipa to Cabazon). God could certainly direct us to another area, but we are currently looking carefully at these two areas.

The Goal
The long-term goal is a vibrant church planting movement from within Southern California.

The Model
I presented the elders with a proposal regarding the details of the church plant, especially the financial aspects. It's not only important that we plant another church, but how we plant it. If the Lord would provide, we would love to plant church #2 without having to have the Trues leave GBC and leave Southern California for years of deputation. We have nothing against deputation - but if our long term goal is an internal church planting movement, we would love to head toward that goal as much as possible.

The Trues were able to do some deputation before they moved to California, and the Lord has provided some support for them already. Other churches are also very interested in helping when the time comes for the actual church plant. GBC Menifee has had a church planting fund, and we will continue trying to save as much as we can. We are praying that God would bring all of these things together and allow us to plant a church that is as much "from the inside" as possible. That would be a dream come true!

Ten Reasons We're Excited
 

1. Eric & Alicia are getting to experience Southern California church planting first hand. While Eric serves as an assistant pastor here we are able to tailor his 'duties' to prepare him the best we can for pastoring church #2. For example, Eric will be planning and leading all of our outreach events over the next 15 months. This is tremendous experience both in church planting and in Southern California.
    
2. David & Heather Wilkinson were a huge help in the planting of GBC - but they didn't have a clue what they were doing (neither did we). If the Lord allows them to be part of church #2, He will be providing the Trues with teammates who have years of Southern California church planting experience.
    
3. We are thrilled about the opportunity for the church people in Menifee to be involved. When we talk to them about it, we don't talk about Eric planting a church - instead we talk about GBC Menifee planting a church. It's exciting to consider the ways they can be involved.
    
4. Will God send some families from GBC Menifee to be part of the core group for church #2? We don't know, but we're excited about the possibility.
    
5. We are also excited about the opportunity to provide encouragement and accountability for a church planter and his family. So many church planters feel like they are all alone and struggle with a lot of discouragement.
    
6. We are excited about all the work that has already been done. Eric will not need to spend time reinventing the wheel - he can borrow many things from GBC Menifee and just modify them as needed: the constitution, doctrinal statement, logo, website, design and print materials, evangelism and discipleship materials, etc.
    
7. We are also excited about the good relationship we have with other like-minded churches in Southern California. It is a blessing to know these men, and it is exciting to consider how we may be able to work together on church planting projects like this one.
    
8. We are excited that we have time to pursue core families in the target area. When we came to Menifee we didn't know anyone, and we didn't really have much of a chance to get to know anyone. But now that we are here in Southern California near our target area, we are excited about the possibility that God will open up connections with families that can be part of a core group.
    
9. We are excited about the potential to be good stewards of the resources of God's people. We estimate that it cost about $200,000 of outside funds to start GBC Menifee. (that includes the cost of deputation, all of the Lovegroves' support, the one-time gifts, etc.) That's a huge amount of money! We are extremely thankful for all of the generosity of God's people - but we need dozens of new churches in Southern California. Will each one cost $200,000? We are excited to try to pursue a model that may result in better stewardship of the resources of God's people.
    
10. "Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven." Luke 10:2