Greetings, friends!
As we continue to search for our next leaders and locations, I am excited to give you this “under the hood” look at our ongoing work to pursue PROJECT 20. I mean, 20 Christ-centered communities in 10 years... we ought to be able to just add water and stir, right? Nope! This crazy audacious vision is challenging us to our very core. So far, we are energizing, coaching, and providing key funding to two church plants and one strategic partnership. Then, we have a cadre of new candidates that we are interviewing for both church planting and campus expansion. This God-breathed vision is alive and well -- and the landscape is changing every day.
As we entered 2023, we began our second year of PROJECT 20. In the middle of March, we will celebrate one year working with Jason Vonbehren to plant our very first Christ-centered community: West City Church in Greenville. Through prayer, hard work and persistence, West City Church has moved through interest gatherings, core team development, administrative preparation, and pre-launch configuration enroute to their public launch at Easter. As they near this incredible milestone, Jason has shared this video to provide a state of the work to update and encourage their friends at ALIVE and beyond. What an incredible start to the life of this new church plant!
Our strategic partnership with Mount Moriah Church in Candler, NC, is a cooperative effort led by ALIVE to breathe life into a church that has been without a pastor for a year and a half. Pastor Tom literally pastored this church over 20 years ago and they reached out for help when they heard about PROJECT 20. In May of 2022, we began to live-stream our messages and coach their LBA. In their search for a pastor, ALIVE is using it’s influence to help locate their next leader, in cooperation with our neighboring NC West District. Pastor Grant Mills will meet their LBA on March 19th to explore this opportunity. Our strategic partnership is continuing to make a difference in this small mountain community just west of Ashville, NC.
Pastor Connor Guerzini is leading the P20 charge at Upstate Community Church—our church plant in Spartanburg (technically located in Boiling Springs). Connor joined the ALIVE team in September and has been engaged in the renovation of the former Spartanburg First Wesleyan building. Multiple work days and multiple churches have participated in this process as we first prepare the building, then begin to build the Upstate Community church. On Saturday, March 4, Graham Chapel will assist in some demolition and reconstruction designed to expand a coffee area in the lobby meeting space. Please pray for Connor and all our tasks related to getting this building ready. Next month, we begin to set our focus on the people of the Spartanburg/Boiling Springs communities.
Pastors and church leaders are discovering the coaching available in the ALIVE network and are adding horsepower to expanding new Christ-centered communities. The DNA of expansion and multiplication is being fanned into flame. A church planting candidate will be here interviewing on March 19th so please pray for God’s leading and clear direction. And please pray for me and our team at ALIVE that God would send us the right leaders and identify for us the right locations. Your prayers will continue to fuel this God-breathed vision, so thank you!
God bless you!
