Winter 2015 Church Planting Update

Brrrr! Man what a winter we are having huh? Even my southern friends are getting a taste of the below freezing temps and snow and ice. My northern friends and I have gotten much more than a “taste” of the awful temps and snow…..it is I’m afraid the norm:/ I keep crossing my fingers for a snow day at work….but I don’t think it’s going to happen!

I have lots to update you on with the Church Plant!

Our Launch Sunday could not have been much more awesome! The Lord blessed us with 83 people at our Launch Service! It was amazing to see the Lord fill the auditorium with people. One of our partner churches, Mt. Airy Baptist Church from South Carolina, sent a team to help us pull the Launch Service off. We had a blast with them that weekend serving the community and getting the word out about Gateway Church Old Brooklyn. They even helped us throw a Pancake Palooza at our local Rec Center! It was a major hit!

 We are coming up on our 6th service this Sunday! We have been averaging right around 40 people at most of our services, which is right where we were hoping we would be when we started. Our core team has been awesome and so faithful to be there each Sunday to help ensure everything is set up and all the details are taken care of!  Many of our visitors that have come just keep coming, which is so cool to see! Impressive too! Out of our 5 services so far……two of them required a snow plow for the parking lot…..and one of them was a high of 2 degrees! That’s dedication people!

We have had a community group meeting in our home for the last year and a half. The Lord has grown this group for us to now multiply in to two groups! One group will remain on Wednesdays but at another member’s home, and the second group will meet Sunday nights at our home. Tony and I will continue going to both groups for now and are praying for a leader to take over the second group in a few months.

Tony is still both music leader and preacher…..and while I may be biased…..he’s totally rocking it out at both. Just consider me his little groupie:) Other core team members have jumped in on drums and guitar, and we continue to pray for the Lord to bring us a music leader.

One quick story, and then I’ll wrap my update up I promise! We recently moved in to our new home, and one of the bummers about moving was losing our old neighbors Jerry and his sons. I’ll be honest, they weren’t the quietest bunch….but we sincerely loved having them as neighbors and had countless conversations about Christ and the Church over our fence line. We invited and invited them to church and Bible Study, and they never came. We hated to move and lose that relationship, but we knew God was in control. Well guess what…..our God is bigger than moves. A few weeks after we moved, Jerry decided he wanted to visit Bible Study one Wednesday night. And since, he has been to the last 4 Bible Studies and 2 Church Services bringing his sons every so often with him too. How Cool! Don’t give up inviting people….you never know when the Spirit will work in their hearts!

Friends, please pray for us as we transition in to two community groups starting this week. Pray for the Lord to grow Gateway Church Old Brooklyn through this multiplication of groups.

Please also pray as the Lord forms His leaders for Gateway Church Old Brooklyn!

Thanks SO much for keeping up with our updates, friends! Stay warm and remember Spring is coming!