Church Planting Stories

[Minister C]

Being young in the ministry, one thing I've often wondered about and wanted to hear, is people's stories of how they packed up their lives, moved it to another city and planted a church there. Anyone have any stories of their ups and downs and their strategies they used when they took a leap of faith and ventured into an unknown city? How'd you maintain your living? Where did you start? What methods did you use to get people to come? Would be interesting to hear from everyone that has started with nothing and suceeded.

[ddc101]

well you have hit paydirt friend.We packed it up and moved to Beverly.
No honestly we heard from Jesus and then I heard that a job was available.
I packed it up on the bus with two children and four suitcases with twenty dollars in my pocket.We stayed with relatives.Jesus gave us a nice new mobile home that someone had bought just a few months before filing divorce.Next the Lord blessed us to move our furniture.We were working out of a nearby apostolic church.The pastor helped encourage us to do the will of God.We weekly had a house meeting in our city.Later we rented another house to have church.Then a four thousand sq.ft.building came available.
Now we have about thirty folks who gather to worship,serve and have bible study,hear preaching etc.
How did God provide?
1.We both went to college to be able to survive on the field.I am a nurse.My husband got a degree in Business Management.I work for a Home Health comp.He has a computer business.Together we work,pray,pastor.We are the Aquilla and Priscilla of Kaplan,La.
2.My husbands business is in a work shop on the back of the church building so he kills two birds with one stone.We pray for people all day in that shop/church area.
3.We witness to and invite people all the time and teach home bible study.

How do we make it? for one working means we do not have to rely on church funds to make it.We have income and are not sweating.That is a must for a planting.Some want to rely on organizations to supply the funds but you are not among the people this way and have little contacts.Its best to pray and seek Gods face and pray that the gifts work in your life so that people can be set free.Its not easy but its wonderful if this is the ministry God has given.If its not you will hate it.If it is then you will see it as so awesome.You have to like digging trenches and waiting for rain.Its hard work and not for those who give up easy.And believe me its well worth the effort for what its going to make out of you.lv sis.c

[Hnovilla]

His NAME is Jesus!

My wife and I constantly passed by a building that looked, for all practical purposes, deserted although it was occupied by a religious group who seemed to have some strange customs. We began to pray as we walked past and around the building for about a month, and one day we dicided to ask if we could "borrow" the building to hold some Bible Studies.
When we knocked on an upper floor door, a lady answered and asked us to come in. When we asked about holding some Spanish Bible Studies, they began praising the Lord. They had been praying that the Lord send someone to minister to the predominantly Hispanic neighborhood.
My wife, two children and I began to open the doors for the Bible Studies on Sunday mornings and nights, and Wednesday and Friday nights. On the first Sunday morning, we had two visitors; on the next service, we had five. Within the next month, we had forty five "regular" visitors.
That was in the days of the first "immigration amnesty", and we saw hundreds of mexicans come in from Mexico, on their way to look for a better way of life. Most stayed around for about three weeks before leaving; but they left with a much better understanding of the Gospel.
A little over a year later, the amnesty program was coming to a close and we saw those same Mexicans going back to their country. They stopped over for a couple of weeks to visit with us before going back.
Many of these people were "trinitarians"; and they all had the same comment: "Brother Villa, no one has ever showed us the Gospel the way you have!"
Matter of fact, there are many apostolics who have also made that same comment!

It's the Gospel, Church!
Brother Villa