I remember where I was driving in St. Louis when I turned the radio to one of the main local Christian radio stations. My taste in worship music is generally not for what’s played on these popular Christian radio stations, but on this day, I listened and got choked up.
I don’t remember the song that was playing. What I remember is the overwhelming feeling that if our city needed a whole radio station so the local Christians would have something to listen to, there must be a lot of us!
The same applies here in BloNo. Think about that. We are a big family. Think about how many great and faithful churches exist right around us. I’ve lived in less-churched places, and what we have here is a luxury!
Just to name a few (and please forgive me if I leave off a good one):
- Eastview
- Christ Church
- Charis
- The Journey
- Victory Christian
- Network bible fellowship
- Vale
- Mount Pisgah
- The Vineyard
- Salt Church
- Calvary Baptist
- Jacob’s Well
- West Twin Grove
- Mount Moriah
- Evangelical Free
- Compass
- Grace
- East White Oak
- Apostolic Christian
…And so many more… (I listed only ones I’ve been to or know the staff).
This begs the question: Why Start Another Church Here?
The reason is simple: the more faithful churches we have to serve our community, the more influence Christ can have here. There are tens of thousands of folks in the area who don’t love Jesus and as long as that is the case I pray a hundred more churches get planted here.
I’ll tell you something else. I work hard every day to consider it a win if one of these other churches is growing, even when we are not. Pray for other churches to reach people, especially when your church doesn’t seem to be.
Pray for the churches in our community to do more to cooperate. We are a family. We will be together for eternity worshiping Christ. It’s a beautiful thing!
The other question this begs: How Will You Plant a Church Here Where There Are So Many Great Churches?
That is a good question. The methods I’m most familiar with cause churches to compete with each other through marketing and selling a product called The Best Sunday Service. I wonder if there is another way. I hope so, and I hope that it is by seeking those who want to know God, loving them, inviting them in, and helping them find a family. We also may very well direct one of those to one of these other churches. It’s a win if we do, and we trust that God is planting Godspeed Church, and He knows who He has called to be a part of it.
If you think you might enjoy being on a church plant team in BloNo, contact me for a meeting and let’s grab coffee!
