Summer greetings, ALIVE family -- and all who are interested in PROJECT 20!
We are 2.5 years into this legacy initiative to start 20 Christ-centered communities in 10 years. So far, we’ve invested just over $350,000 (roughly $140,000 per year over 5 locations) to reach spiritually hungry people and introduce them to a personal relationship with Jesus and an active role in healthy Christian community. Through PROJECT 20 we’ve been able to start new works, to recruit, train, and coach church planters and to help local ministries.
Here's what’s happening. . .
West City Church (PROJECT 20 CCC#1) launched weekly services in May 2023 at Unlocked Coffee Roasters in West Greenville for the first year and are now meeting in the Dunean Fellowship Hall at 21 Allen Street in Greenville. Pastor Jason continues to preach and teach -- revealing Jesus in and through God’s Word. As Jason and Morgan continue to share ministry where people live, work, and play, please keep them in your prayers for health, spiritual protection, and impact in people’s hearts and lives (especially health). Find out more about West City Church, their Men’s and Women’s group meetings, by visiting westcitychurch.org or on Facebook at West City Church.
PROJECT 20 continues to partner with Mt Moriah Wesleyan Church in Candler, NC, as PROJECT 20 CCC#2. Since June 2023, ALIVE has supported Mt Moriah by live-streaming our Sunday messages and providing leadership to assist our greater church family! PROJECT 20 is pleased to continue to partner with this community church and the North Carolina West District of the Wesleyan Church to make sure that the Good News is shared in Candler and in the western communities of Buncombe County.
Upstate Community Church (PROJECT 20 CCC#3) officially launched in January 2024 and has been really making an impact in the Spartanburg/Boiling Springs area. Pastor Connor Guerzini has seen an incredible response with new people finding connection, salvation and baptism as Connor invites all to live intentionally for Jesus. Connor and Kayla are making a difference and are providing a spiritual home for families in this rapidly growing region. Find out more about Upstate Community Church at upstatecommunity.com or on Facebook at Upstate Community Church. Pray for Connor, Kayla, Wesley, Jovie, Margo – and the newest addition to their family expected later this year!
In April 2024, we welcomed Encounter Church in Richmond, KY, as PROJECT 20 CCC#5. Encounter is pastored by Jamie and Stacy Jordan, longtime friends and supporters of ALIVE. Encounter launched as a Global Methodist Church in November 2023 and entered our PROJECT 20 pipeline in January 2024. As we partner inside and outside the Wesleyan Church, PROJECT 20 is pleased to help support this new work in center-city Richmond through connection, coaching, and financial investment. Please pray for Jamie, Stacy, Hannah, Drew and Caleb – and for the great ministry team working to share the Gospel in Richmond.
Additional information:
Not numbered as a Christ-centered community, PROJECT 20 is also partnering with the Hispanic Church Planting Network (along with SC District, United Wesleyan, and Welcome Wesleyan). Edinson Comacho is leading a cohort of 35 Hispanic pastoral candidates through training in Theology, Church Leadership and Discipleship looking to plant churches in the Greenville-Spartanburg (GSP) corridor when their training is complete. PROJECT 20 is sharing in the financial support of this endeavor and each partner is eager to work with the graduates of this program to plant new works in the region.
Our PROJECT 20 pipeline includes a microsite in northeast Alabama. . .I am eager to share details as they firm up and excited about the prospects of this new form of multiplication.
Lastly, in mid-May, Pastor Zach Dillard (Pursue Church in Fort Mill/Rock Hill, PROJECT 20 CCC#4) informed us that he will not be moving forward with the Wesleyan Church nor with PROJECT 20 to plant Pursue Church. While we understand the high risks and uncertainties involved in church planting, we undertake every project anticipating great outcomes from our investments of coaching, training, and financial support. Our PROJECT 20 team is praying for Zach as he navigates “what’s next” and that God provides a clear path forward and we encourage you to do the same.
With each outcome of PROJECT 20, we humbly seek God and Godly wisdom to shape our best practices derived from our “lessons-learned.” We are continuing a start-to-finish review of this project so that we can learn from our experiences and then faithfully multiply more Christ-centered communities.
I continue to believe PROJECT 20 to be the boldest faith-filled initiative that I’ve seen emerge from a local church in our generation. Thank you for the privilege of serving our ALIVE community through our PROJECT 20.
