Church Planting by Pastor Scott
Church Plant Weekend! Wait what, is LivingWaters planting a church?
No, but we are open to learning and listening to God’s vision for our church and denomination.
Converge (our National Denomination) and Converge North Central (our regional office) is presenting their vision and five year goals for planting churches at many Converge churches this weekend and throughout the month of June: “Converge has a goal of planting 312 churches across the country before 2026. That includes a commitment from Converge North Central to see 50 new congregations planted during that time. This is a critical moment…” (come hear more from Regional President, Rev. Mark Bjorlo, this Sunday).
But why are we participating and why now when we are small, so stretched and preparing to send one of our staff & families to the mission field?
Converge Church Plant focus – why participate?Because of 5-G
Gratitude, Great Commission, Grace, a God-sized Vision & Generation Next
Why participate now? Two reasons, followed by a short story of God’s grace and a renewed vision to support Kingdom building ministries
Two reasons: Gratitude & Great Commission – we will participate in the Converge Church Planting weekend because of gratitude and the Great Commission. We are filled with gratitude for the vision of Converge, Berean Baptist and other Converge ministries that started and supported our church plant journey and we believe that God is not finished yet with the call for churches to fulfill the Great Commission.
LW story of Grace: In the spring of 2001, the idea of a new church plant was conceived by the leadership of Berean Baptist (Burnsville) in response to the growth in the Lakeville area. Twenty-five adults committed to serve as a core group to develop the vision & values of this new church. The name, LivingWATERS was chosen, Century Junior High in Lakeville became the initial gathering place and our first public worship service was an Easter Celebration held in March of 2002. Today we are blessed to have two buildings (Ministry Center & Worship Center) and 22+ acres of land for future ministry development. Over the past 19 years we have been blessed by our “sending church” Berean Baptist, strengthened by many Converge churches & ministries, baptized new believers, commissioned new missionaries and sent out equipped disciples into Kingdom ministry.
God-sized Kingdom Vision: God is renewing our vision as a church to disciple, develop and deploy leaders & ministries for His Kingdom by creating a center for discipleship & equipping on our campus: starting, strengthening & sending kingdom ministries. So let us start by planting seeds of growth for being generous with what God has provided – we have been blessed to be a blessing. Participating in the Converge Church Plant Sunday is a good way for us to pray & seek God’s direction and His plans for our future.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20
Generation Next: I love our church (small “c”) and I love our people, but will we be able to reach the next generation for Christ without a clear sense of God guiding and leading us to spread the Gospel to grow His Church (capital “C”) and His Kingdom?
Pastor Scott
Are we willing to worship, prayer and even fast, to seek the Holy Spirit’s leading?
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” – Acts 13:2
