New Planter Spotlight: Danny Slavich
The Slavich Family
Danny Slavich
Danny Slavich IS THE HEAD PASTOR FOR Cross United Church IN Lighthouse Point. WE ARE HONORED TO PARTNER WITH HIM AND THE CHURCH COMMUNITY BEGINNING IN 2018.
How have you seen God working in your life?
One of the kindest things God has done for me in recent months is forcing me to embrace more actually, functionally and existentially what I confess to believe about him. The character and conduct of God for me in Christ has become oxygen in a profound way. Planting a church comes with a built-in temptation to want to impress other people and somehow “prove myself.” It’s also a fairly “risky” venture. This means that I have been battling both pride and fear about my identity (can I do this?), my reputation (what will people think of me?), and my security (what if we lose everything?). But God has graciously been reminding me that I am united to Christ by faith. And therefore his word to me is, “My Beloved with whom I am well-pleased. You are not what you do, and you have nothing to prove. You are not what people think or say, and you have no one to impress. You are not what you have, and you have nothing to lose.” In other words, God has used the pressures of planting a church to accelerate his sanctifying work, the process of me actually “getting” the gospel.
How have you seen God working in your family?
My wife, Laura, and I were anticipating the pressure of planting a church upon our family in all the “expected” ways: financial, emotional, relational, and spiritual. Planting a church has definitely strained us in these ways, but it has also provided unexpected and beautiful ways to deepen our trust in God together in all of them as well. It has provided opportunities for us to work together in ministry like never before, trusting and serving God, tasting our desperation for his goodness and provision. Likewise, our kids get to see God provide people and partners “in real time,” directly answering prayers they have prayed. Every morning, they pray with us at 10:02 a.m. from Luke 10:2, “Lord, the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few, please raise up co-laborers for your harvest.” When we meet a new family willing to join the mission, they see the Lord answering their prayers. When we get word that a financial partner we've been praying for has committed to partnering with us, they rejoice in God's provision. What could be more thrilling than seeing the character and ways of God for us in Christ coming to life before their eyes?
How have you seen God working in your church?
Planting a church has been a strong reminder that this is God's work! One verse that has encouraged our team is 2 Samuel 7:10, "I will designate a place for my people Israel and plant them, so that they may live there and not be disturbed again." Here, in the LORD's promise to David, ultimately fulfilled in and for Jesus Christ, we see foreshadowed the promise of Jesus himself: "I will build my church" (Matthew 16:10). Jesus has been meeting us on the frontline of his mission, what Lesslie Newbigin called, "that frontier between the kingdom of God and the usurped power of the evil one." We have been seeing Jesus show up--in the lives of people, in providential connections and provision, in a group of people start to become a family of faith. The sheer depth of our need for him to show up is a beautiful opportunity to trust him and know his presence.
Church Mission & Vision
God created us to experience fullness of life. Jesus said, “I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance” (John 10:10). We believe that we find life like God intended at the intersection of relationships and mission. Cross United Church is committed to helping people find life like God intended by bringing people to God and bringing people together through the cross of Jesus Christ. When we are connected to God in worship, connected to others in community, and engaged in a meaningful mission in the world, we experience joyful and abundant life.
Northeast Broward County, Florida (Lighthouse Point/Deerfield Beach) is a densely populated, ethnically and economically diverse community. Well over 65,000 people inhabit our target area (approximately 2 miles east-west by 4 miles north-south), centered at Sample Road and N. Federal Highway. The east side of Federal Highway (closer to the ocean) tends to be more Anglo and wealthier. The west side tends to be more ethnically diverse (Anglo, Haitian, Latino, African-American) and economically diverse. We long to see “both sides” of Federal highway brought to God and brought together through the cross of Jesus Christ.
If you would like to learn more about Cross United Church please visit their website at www.crossunited.org.
New Planter Spotlight: Derrick Parks
Derrick Parks IS THE HEAD PASTOR FOR Epiphany Church of Wilmington in Delaware. WE ARE HONORED TO PARTNER WITH HIM AND THE CHURCH COMMUNITY BEGINNING IN 2018.
How have you seen God working in your life?
I have seen God change me through the gospel by affirming character as I reflect on the scriptures. I get to see the continuous narrative of God's faithfulness in the scriptures as I read them. God has been calling me to trust the narrative of the scriptures in my life.
God is working on my patience in seeing the narrative unfold. I can want the things that I want, when I want them. I forget, too frequently, that Christ is for his church prospering are than I am. I need to rest more in the reality of God's incredible faithfulness.
How have you seen God working in your family?
My initial thoughts about cultivating a healthy relationship with my wife and kids were too anemic. I believe that if I just prioritized my family then we would have a healthy relationship. I believed if I set up date nights for my wife and attended all of my children's activities that we would have a healthy relationship.
Planting this church has taught me that those things just aren't enough in order for us to cultivate a healthy relationship. Spiritual warfare is a real occurrence that I was not prepared for as it pertained to the health of my family relationships.
God began to challenge me to cover my family in prayer more that I have done before. Our prayer life, not strategies, has been the new key to our relational health.
How have you seen God working in your church?
God has been working in the life of our church in powerful ways. We have a diverse and vibrant community that has not stopped seeking to serve Christ, the community and the church. God is preparing us to be his church.
The most impactful thing that I have learning during the process of planting this church is that Christ is the one who builds his church. He is the one who draws people to himself. He is the one who gives people the passion to serve his bride. By the power of the spirit he is the one who causes people to grow in maturity.
Therefore, I have learned to stop trying to kill myself trying to accomplish the work that only Christ in his resurrected power could accomplish. I am now able to rest in the work that I am able to do and to request the power of his spirit in all of the work that I cannot accomplish.
Church Mission & Vision
Our mission is to join Jesus in seeking the glory of God the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit by being On the Block, in the Middle of it, showing off the glory of Christ. We desire to see “Murdertown USA” become “Mercytown USA.”
Wilmington is in desperate need of more gospel communities to be planted there in order to transform the city. The inner city structure of Wilmington has been declining for several decades. Although Wilmington has a great church history, with one of the oldest churches in America being there, Wilmington is in great need of the gospel of Jesus Christ to transform its deteriorating conditions.
We envision People Restored to Grace, Communities Renewed with Love and a City Revived with Hope.
We want to reach individuals living in poverty that are influenced by hip hop culture between the ages of 14-45. We have identified the West Center City section of Wilmington as our target area. We believe that the West Center City section is prime for the gospel of Jesus Christ to infiltrate hearts.
Success looks like having individuals from our community walking to church and being involved in discipleship groups. Success looks like five new families a year partaking in the sacrament of baptism.
In the next five years we hope to see the violence in West Center City reduced by 50% through the partnership and collaboration of our church with the city. We hope to see a thriving church flourishing in the city of Wilmington.
If you would like to reach out to Derrick, you can visit the church's website at www.epiphanywilmington.org.
New Planter Spotlight: Jonathan de Groot
The de Groot Family
Jonathan de Groot
Jonathan de Groot IS THE HEAD PASTOR FOR Christ Church Glasgow, Glasgow, scotland. WE ARE HONORED TO PARTNER WITH HIM AND THE CHURCH COMMUNITY BEGINNING IN 2018.
How have you seen God working in your life?
I've been grateful for God's work in my life as I have grasped more of God's amazing grace through the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have become more aware of my own sinfulness and have grown to understand, in a greater way, his covenant love for me. As I look back on my life as a Christian I am aware that God has guided me, his ways have been right, and he has enabled me to persevere through trials and the testing of my faith. In seeking to be faithful to him and unashamed of Jesus Christ and his words, I have needed to depend on God more and more. I trust my past experiences of life and ministry have been the necessary preparation for what is to come in the future. I am conscious that there will be many opportunities as well as challenges, besides great joy and satisfaction, in following Jesus and making him known.
How have you seen God working in your family?
God has been good in blessing me with a wife and three children. Our family is excited about starting a new church. My wife Sheona has always supported me, feeling equally called to serve alongside me in the work of the gospel. While our chief desire has been to serve God and other people, we have been aware of the need to take care of ourselves amidst the demands of ministry. By God's grace, he has given us the strength and looked after us and our children. As we have grown older, we have learnt lessons, often the hard way, but they have enabled us to make changes for long term sustainability in ministry. It has been a privilege to see how the experience of moving towards a church plant has impacted my children. They have learned the need to obey God’s Word and stand up for Jesus even when it is difficult. The experience has also helped to shape their understanding of why the church exists and brought great encouragement to us, as parents, and others as we have listened to them praying for God to use our church so that people in Glasgow will come to know Jesus as their Saviour.
How have you seen God working in your church?
For the past 10 years I have been a Senior Pastor serving within the Church of Scotland but, because of my Biblical convictions, I made the decision to leave and have stepped out in faith to begin church planting in Glasgow. While there are good churches doing good work in the city, the percentage of the population attending church is small and there are many areas where there is little or no gospel witness. During my time in Glasgow, I have increasingly felt a burden for the many people who have little opportunity to hear the gospel as well as an increasing conviction that we need more reformed and contemporary churches which can engage with people where they are. While plans are at an early stage, God has been gracious by giving many tangible confirmations in this new ministry. In seeking to church plant we have lost the security of home and income, but God has been good and we can testify to his provision in many ways. The process has been a challenging and testing one for us but the most vital lesson we have learned and also need to keep being reminded of is fact that God is sovereign and it is Jesus Christ who builds his church. So while we have a plan, we are aware that it is God’s work and not ours, “So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow” (1 Cor. 3:7).
Church Mission & Vision
Christ Church Glasgow seeks to be a Christ-centred church to make disciples of all nations and impact Glasgow for the glory of God. We want to obey the Great Commission by establishing a sustainable church in Glasgow by 2020 and be a church that plants churches that plant churches. Glasgow is a mission field and a strategic city to reach as the biggest in Scotland and the fourth largest in the UK. Glasgow is vibrant, thriving and cosmopolitan with significant influence and cultural impact, but Glasgow’s greatest problem is spiritual. The city has as its motto, “Lord let Glasgow flourish through the preaching of thy word and praising thy name”. While everyone wants Glasgow to flourish, many know nothing of the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ. We want to preach God’s Word and praise his name amongst the many people who are lost in our great city. Since Jesus came on a rescue mission and sends us out on his rescue mission, our new church has an intentional mission to reach unbelievers. We don’t want to be like passengers on a cruise ship concerned for our own comfort; rather we want to be the crew of a lifeboat concerned about saving others. We need to be a church engaged in our particular urban context where people can hear the gospel, see it lived out and come to believe it for themselves.
If you would like to reach out to Jonathan, you can visit the church's website at www.christchurchglasgow.org.
New Planter Spotlight: Mark Robertson
The Robertson Family
Mark Robertson IS THE THE HEAD PASTOR FOR The Heights Presbyterian Church in Cleveland, Ohio. WE ARE HONORED TO PARTNER WITH HIM AND THE CHURCH COMMUNITY BEGINNING IN 2018.
How have you seen God working in your life?
It's been a joy to experience the movement of the Spirit in my own heart, played out in a renewed sense of excitement for the gospel and transformed lives in our community. I have experienced, by his grace, the depth of my own sin before him, but that has resulted in experiencing, by his grace, just how much he loves me. This has been reflected in my preaching of the Word, in my discipling the flock, and seeking the lost in our neighborhood. I am refreshed and excited about what God can do!
How have you seen God working in your family?
My family has always enjoyed being part of the family of God, but lately my wife especially has been using her gifts to share the love of Christ with the body of believers. She feels an urgent need to care for others in the church, and our children have picked up on that as well. Having started something from nothing, they have been able to see the different members of the church care for each other radically, and it's created in them a sense of belonging and intentionality that they might not have felt in a more established church. We have understood the need as a family for worship in our home, the necessity of prayer, and the joys of singing his praises in the house and even in the car!
How have you seen God working in your church?
I have learned that God is gracious in bringing together a variety of personalities and gifts to allow the church to flourish in areas of hospitality, service, and worship. We need the guy who plays the guitar - we need the couple to open their home - and we need those who will get in the trenches with us and do the hard work of caring for the poor. I have learned that we need all of these things - and somehow God has brought them together. Now people see our church and see a dynamic representation of who God is and what he wants to do in the world. I could not have done that alone, or even with a few folks, but we need the whole body of Christ coming together, shining the light of Christ in myriad ways.
Church Vision
Our vision statement is this:
We are a city on a hill, for the city in which we live;
shining the light of Jesus, for the glory of God.
We like to think about our local context: that we focus on our efforts to strengthen believers in our midst so that they can pour themselves out for their neighbors and for this community. We ask our folks to do three things: Love God. Love Each Other. Love This City.
The third facet especially will vary from individual to individual, but the Christian should be active in all three areas, fulfilling the greatest commandment given to us by Jesus himself. Our hope is by living out this vision, we will disciple-makers in this community, and the believers we have will grow in their Christian maturity.
If you would like to reach out to Mark, you can visit the church's website at www.heightspres.org.
New Planter Spotlight: Rudy Rubio
The Rubio Family
Rudy Rubio IS THE THE HEAD PASTOR FOR Reformed Church of Los Angeles in Lynwood, California. WE ARE HONORED TO PARTNER WITH HIM AND THE CHURCH COMMUNITY BEGINNING IN 2018.
How have you seen God working in your life?
God has been doing amazing things in my life since we’ve planted RCLA! He’s humbled me by reminding me over and over that I/we need to be completely dependent upon Him, yet work hard for the sake of the Gospel and the ministry we’ve been called to. He’s grown my marriage, my kids, and to see my family as a whole take on the task of leading the way by planting has been amazing. He’s been working on me by stretching me, in loving folks at all times, making me think twice about the things I say and do, that I would be very mindful of my CORE Team, encourage their strengths and help build up their weaknesses. I’ve witness the Gospel of Christ transform a group of people that according to the world should not be hanging out, but for the sake of Christ and our ministry we are, and everyone is using their gifts to do what we’ve been called. I’m blessed in learning how to maintain a healthy relationship with my co-pastor Chris, appreciating how we complement each other and sharing responsibilities.
How have you seen God working in your family?
My family has always been close, not perfect, but close. We’ve been serving the Lord in ministry for close to 8 years now. It’s a joy to see how we’ve remained faithful throughout the course, though we’ve had stumbles, we’ve matured in our love of each other and Christ. The subject of planting has been something we’d been talking about for the last 4 years and we’d actually put that conversation on hold, thinking we wouldn’t be planting for a while, but God had other plans. There’s been additional pressures and at times even strains, but we’re a close knit family that has been through so much in the past that the things we encounter now aren’t even close. I think that we’ve all matured and in essence our love has grown stronger, my wife and I know when it’s time to sit down and talk about things that need to get addressed, we listen to each other, and make sure Christ is at the center of what we’re talking about and deciding on.
How have you seen God working in your church?
The most impactful thing I’ve learned in planting a church is that things don’t always happen on my time schedule. God has really been teaching me to be patient, to lean more on Him, and to remain flexible in modifying, adapting, and changing things up. I’ve learned that I need to stop and listen more, process longer, pray more often, and then move forward. I’ve learned to step out of my comfort zones in fundraising, asking for help, and being reminded that I/ we can’t do it on our own. I’ve also learned to be ok with being vulnerable, and to have a much deeper appreciation for accountability with multiple men in my life. I used to always struggle with time management and by planting a church it’s taken me to a higher level of doing this not just for ministry purposes, but also school, and especially time with my family.
Church Vision
As a church, we are committed to building a community of believers that are passionate about knowing God and walking in obedience to him. We seek to accomplish this by preaching the Bible in an expository fashion with passion and clarity, and by making disciples of Jesus Christ through small group communities. We are also devoted to engaging and impacting our neighborhood through evangelism, social justice and cultural renewal. We believe the Christian faith is best articulated by the historic reformed creeds and confessions, but we also believe in teaching these truths in a way that is authentic and understood in the language of the people we are ministering to.
We hope to impact our community by targeting the 2nd and 3rd generation Latinos for the first 18 months and when we’ve stabilized CORE Team begin preparing for a Spanish service to target 1st generation (Spanish speaking) community and have two separate service instead of a bilingual service. We’ve already made great partnerships with local government and school district with plans to commence multiple community project bringing them both together as well as involving other churches as we’ve learned from the Compton Initiative (www.justdogood.org). We hope to partake of the efforts to drastically reduce prostitution along the Long Beach Blvd. corridor that runs through Lynwood and Compton and plant a church by our 5th year’s end.
If you would like to reach out to Rudy, you can visit the church's website at www.reformedchurch.la.