Spotlight: Nicolas Kyalongalilwa & Lephare-Bukavu, Bukavu
We are honored to support Nicolas and Lephare-Bukavu in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Please keep Nicolas in your prayers.
Nicolas and his wife, Rachel, have been married for five years. They have two children, Benaiah (not pictured) and Ronnelle.
What is the name of your church and roughly how many attendees do you currently have?
Our Church is called Lephare Bukavu (le phare is a translation of lighthouse in French). We have two services: French and English. The French service meets in the mornings and averages 100 people (70 adults and 30 children) while the English service meets in the evening averaging 30 adults. We have 14 mid-week bible study groups (ten in French and four in English). We are planning, God willing, to plant a second church in our city by the second half of 2018.
Where are you originally from and where is your current church located?
Our church is located in the city of Bukavu, eastern of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). I was born and grew up in that city. I then went to do my university studies in South Africa (Johannesburg) where I spent ten years before coming back to Bukavu again.
Tell us the story of how God called you to plant churches and why you chose the current location for your church plant.
I became a Christian when I was in South Africa. I had the privilege and grace to come to Christ through the student ministry of a Bible-Gospel-centered church. Over time it became clear to me and to the leadership of the church that God had gifted me to lead his people and had put in my heart a great concern for my people.
What is the spiritual temperature in your community/country? How does this reflect your church’s mission and focus?
My community is very religious. Most people claim to be Christians but have not been encouraged and challenged to be disciples of Jesus. Over 60% of those who claim to be Christians are Catholics. Less than 5% of the Christian group is evangelical.
Tell us one of the most difficult situations you have faced during your years as a church planter. How did God work through that particular situation?
There has been many difficulties along the way, but God has been good to us. One of the hard one has been the lack of stable and suitable venue we could rent for our meetings. In October 2016 we were evicted without notice from the venue we were renting because of some ownership conflict within the family of the people we were renting from. We were without a venue for over four months. Then God provided for us a better venue, bigger and at a more affordable price than the one we had lost. That was again a sign to all of us of God’s had and favor upon his work.
How are you seeing God work?
We are seeing God’s hand in ways words cannot easily explain. People join our church (or small group) and are radically transformed by the Gospel as it is preached and lived out in the community. Patient is one of those stories that remind us again of the power and beauty of the Gospel. Patient was a young man full of guilt and uncertainty. He was never sure if he was right with God. He would have periods in his life where he will try to be good and do church then he would go through a season of total rebellion followed by a season of guilt and remorse over his actions and choices. He was angry and bitter with God over how his dad had left the home and gone to marry elsewhere. By God’s providence Patient found his way into our community. He heard the Gospel and trusted in Jesus. He has been with us for over 18 months now, growing and finding peace, joy and security in Jesus.
Please list any prayer requests we can share with our SRC family.
- Me, Rachel, Benaiah and Ronnelle that we may be able to do effectively the work God has called us to do in Bukavu.
- For our small groups to be “harbors” of light within their neighborhood and shine the “light of the knowledge of Christ”. Please pray for their leaders. I have started meeting with them (a total of 24) as well as some potential small group leader on Wednesday evening for training. We hope to start six new small groups by the end of the year and some of these leaders will be leading them.
- That God will help us make and strengthen disciples of Jesus in our midst. We plan to do more training of leaders with the aim of doubling our small groups’ numbers.
- For our work in local universities, that God will use these groups to bring many to a personal knowledge of Jesus.
- For our country and region; we are in a turbulent period, the rest of 2017 seems very obscure to most of us. Please pray that things did not get to a civil war scenario. Please pray that peace will continue to prevail and that the political landscape will be clearer each day.
- That God may continue to give us-as church- opportunities daily to reach out to people and to talk about Jesus.
- For finances to be able to sustain the growth that we see actually in our midst and particularly as we ready ourselves for the new church plant in 2018.
- That God shall send the right people to join the new church and He will use them to grow His work in Bukavu.
If you would like to reach out to Nicolas, you can visit the church's website at http://lepharebukavu.org/.
Spotlight: Peter Roberts & Trinity Church Everton, Liverpool
Peter and Ruth Roberts have been married for six years and have two children, Chloe (2) and Isaac (3).
We are thrilled to support Peter Roberts and Trinity Church Everton in Liverpool, England. Please keep Peter in your prayers.
What is the name of your church and roughly how many attendees do you currently have?
Trinity Church Everton and we have about 50 adults and 20 children attend on a Sunday.
Where are you originally from and where is your current church located?
I am originally from a market town on the edge of Liverpool called Ormskirk. I moved into the city 15 years ago for University. Our church is located in an economically deprived neighborhood of Liverpool called Everton. Both of our cities Premier league soccer teams (Liverpool and Everton) were established in our area over a 100 years ago.
Tell us the story of how God called you to plant a church and why you chose the current location for your church plant.
Whilst I was working/being trained by Christ Church Liverpool, I led a small team to think through where CCL should consider planting in the future. As we investigated various areas it became apparent that whilst there were a few encouraging church plants and several thriving churches in the south of the city, there were very few gospel-driven, culturally-sensitive churches in the North of the city. There are approximately a quarter of a million people who live in different communities in North Liverpool and most have never really engaged with the gospel.
We dreamt of planting a church planting church into one community of North Liverpool, which once established could then plant further churches into other communities in North Liverpool. We decided to plant in Everton due to three reasons. Firstly, it was a strategic decision, Everton is an area that acts as a gateway to the rest of the North Liverpool. Secondly, it was a pragmatic decision, our core team needed move to the area we where going to planting into. Everton is close enough to the city centre that no one in the initial core team had to find a new job. Thirdly, it was a theological decision, we noticed that most of the growing gospel ministry in our city was amongst the middle classes, but we believe the great news of Jesus is for everyone. We felt compelled to try and plant a gospel church amongst poor people who were not engaged by the great news of Jesus.
What is the spiritual temperature in your community/country? How does this reflect your church’s mission and focus?
I estimate that in our community over 98% of people do not go to church, most people round here think that Christianity is irrelevant. On the face of it most people say they are not interested in the gospel and being a Christian is a waste of time. The reality, however, is that everyone is longing for something that makes sense of their lives. We encourage our church to get to know the people around them and build relationships of trust. We find that when non-Christians trust us they begin to open up about things and there are opportunities to share the gospel into their lives.
Most people don't go to church so we do lots of things to engage people where they are at. Every week we stand on the main shopping street and give out hot drinks to get chatting with people, we run an addictions group and a mental health group, and we run a toddlers stay and play session. We are always seeking to talk to people and introduce them to the Lord Jesus. We want to be a church for people who don't normally go to church
Tell us one of the most difficult situations you have faced during your years as a church planter. How did God work through that particular situation?
The hardest thing for us so far has been dealing with people who seem to be making progress, maybe even they have made professions of faith, but then turn their backs on Christ. It has been hard investing lots of time with people and then seeing them turn around from Christ and rejecting us personally. God has used these disappointing experiences to humble us and remind us of the truth of his word. It has been a great encouragement to reread Mark 4 and see that Jesus explained this rejection will happen by some, but some will be good soil that receive the word and produce a large crop.
Tell us about how you have seen God working - maybe share a particular story.
When we dreamt of planting this church we were very aware that we came from a different background to the people we were trying to reach. All 10 of the core team had been through university, most had done further studies (doctors, PhDs, Masters), but most people in Everton had failed to complete college and many had dropped out of school early. It was always our dream that we might reach local people with the gospel and see them grow to then take the gospel out further.
God has been kind by slowly making those dreams a reality and given us some local people who are now growing as Christians. They are really helping us to contextualize the gospel to people's every day struggles. We are praying that one day they might become future leaders in the church.
Let me tell you about one guy. He is in his mid-30s and has spent over 12 years in prison for various convictions. He got connected to our church through our family member and started attending our addictions group. We seemed to be making some progress but after a few months he disappeared from church for a long time. Last year he contacted us and explained that he felt really convicted. He had come to realize he couldn't just play at being a Christian, it was an all or nothing thing. He knew Jesus was Lord so knew he needed to commit to following Christ. Since making that decision he has had to serve a sentence for a previous crime he had committed, but since being released has become a vital part of our church. He was baptized at Easter and recently became a member!
Please list any prayer requests we can share with our SRC family.
- Thank God for the miracles he has done in our small church. We have seen dead sinners come to a living faith in Christ. Praise God!
- Pray for our plans to plant a new church in 5 years time. We are in the process of training up new leaders for this.
- Pray for this year that we would see a good crop of people coming to faith. Pray especially that they might help us better reach our area for Christ
- Pray for our church that we would rejoice in the Lord always in the midst of trails and struggles.
If you would like to reach out to Peter, you can email him at peter@trinitychurcheverton.org or visit the church's website at http://www.trinitychurcheverton.org.
Spotlight: Chan Kilgore & CrossPointe, Orlando
Chan and Stacy Kilgore have been married for over 25 years. They have three beautiful daughters, Abigail Kilgore (25), Aubrey (18) and Amber (15).
We are honored to parter with Chan Kilgore and support CrossPointe Orlando, FL. Please keep Chan and his family in your prayers.
What is the name of your church and roughly how many attendees do you currently have?
I pastor CrossPointe church in Orlando, Florida. We run over 700 in average weekly attendance at CrossPointe Lake Nona. We have six other congregations averaging over 1200+.
Where are you originally from and where is your current church located?
I was born in Orlando but grew up in Rockledge, FL, Virginia Beach, VA and Huntsville, AL. Our church is located in the southeast part of Orlando known as Lake Nona/Medical City.
Tell us the story of how God called you to plant churches and why you chose the current location for your church plant.
Seventeen years ago my wife and I were driving on the highway 417 passing by what has become the Lake Nona area of Orlando, and God just spoke to me and called me to plant a church in this area. At the time this part of Orlando was filled with old orange groves and cow pastures. I had no idea how this area would explode in growth. I planted in this part of Orlando simply out of faith and obedience to God.
What is the spiritual temperature in your community/country? How does this reflect your church’s mission and focus?
Lake Nona is a community in which people live in a highly contested space. So much competes for their hearts' devotion, time and resources. The options vying for people’s time and resources our near endless in Orlando. We are seeing a rapid spiritual change in the culture of Orlando (reflective of what is happening across the country). It’s not that less people are going to church, it’s that people are going to church less. According to a recent Barna Report states that Orlando ranks as the #6 dechurched city in America and #9 unchurched city in America. See report here.
We are learning to contextualize the gospel in a highly contested space. We are learning to share the gospel in a culture where the pursuit of pleasure is everywhere, and yet people seem to struggle with weariness, emptiness, depression and loneliness at epidemic proportions. We are learning to how the gospel is not only good news for eternal life but for everyday life.
Tell us one of the most difficult situations you have faced during your years as a church planter. How did God work through that particular situation?
We walked through a very painful experience of having one of our lead pastors having an affair and walking away from his wife and children. We saw God’s grace in the midst of brokenness in ways you cannot experience a part from pain and disappointment. We saw God’s grace in raising young, strong leaders to navigate our congregation through this difficult season. We also saw God raise up an associate pastor to lead this congregation with wisdom and grace through this season of healing.
Tell us about how you have seen God working - maybe share a particular story.
God seems to be working in a number of different ways throughout CrossPointe. Perhaps the two I'm most excited about is CrossPointe Espanol and the recent planting of CrossPointe Jupiter. Pastor Miguel Medina continues to lead CP Espanol to reach the rapidly growing of first generation Latino population in Orlando.
Pastor Brian Sullivan who came to Christ shortly before beginning an internship at CrossPointe. A few years later, he joined Pastor Jamie Hart to plant CrossPointe Winter Park and is now planting CrossPointe Jupiter. We are seeing God use Brian and his wife Corrina in amazing ways as they are pulling together a core group to plant our newest congregation.
Are any other stories or information you would like to share?
One of the great stories in the brief history of CrossPointe is seeing Ryan Walker go from a pagan to church planter. He was one of three young men who were baptized before we ever began our Sunday morning services. We were faithful to disciple him. When he graduated college he began an internship with us and ultimately raised support to come on staff. He became an associate pastor at CrossPointe Lake Nona and then two years ago transitioned to replant CrossPointe Downtown. We desire to see God use us to reach more lost people who will be discipled and plant the gospel around the world.
Please list any prayer requests we can share with our SRC family.
- Please pray for CrossPointe to be able to engage more deeply in our city to see lost people come to Christ in greater and greater numbers.
- Please pray for our marriages and families.
If you would like to reach out to Chan, you can email him at chan@xpointe.com or visit the church's website at http://xpointe.com.
Our Kingdom Platform - Church Planting
We are honored to support Church Planters throughout the world.
At SRC we believe that church planting is the best way to meet practical, spiritual and emotional needs, and that it is vital to advancing the Gospel. As a church family, it is one of our Kingdom Platforms, and we give 20% of our annual budget to Spanish River Church Planting. This ministry supports church planters through finances and theological training.
We ask that you continue to pray for our church planters and their communities. God is doing amazing work, and we are honored and blessed to be a part of it!
Ron On The Road: Lucknow, India
Throughout the year, Ron Tobias travels to meet church planters all over the globe. These trips include opportunities to see how God is working through the churches and to make connections for future partnerships. In March 2017, Ron went to Lucknow, India with John Slavic, Hannah Mezzell and David Slavic.
Lucknow, India Update
Lucknow is located in Utter Pradesh state of India. It is only 1% Christian. The major religion is Hindu, but there are also a large number of Muslims. There are no large Christian churches in this area.
We arrived in Lucknow the morning of March 10th. After a quick nap to recover from the 22 hour flight, we met with 16 Pastors and trainees of the Good News Presbytery. They shared updates from both the churches and the training they are receiving. There are currently two active and thriving churches in this presbytery. Both of them are over 80 in attendance for their Sunday morning worship. Their pastors are training other interns for future church plants in the area. The churches also have a large small group ministry. One of the churches has over 250 people attending their small groups or cell groups has they call them. Transportation is difficult in Lucknow and so the cell groups are the only effective way of reaching many of the members.
On the following day we held a seminar on Reformed theology. All 16 pastors and trainees attended this seminar. It was a long but a productive day for these men. It was the first time some of them had been exposed to Calvinism, so there were lots of questions.
Sunday morning we attended services at both churches. We were able to share with the aid of an interpreter. It was amazing to be able to worship with our brothers and sisters in this beautiful country. Khen Tombing from Manipur state also joined us on Sunday. Khen is the director of the Presbyterian Church in India.
On Monday, we once again spent most of the day at the training center. John Slavic and I trained them in the Gospel Boot Camp. The pastors were eager to learn this material.
Tuesday morning before we left, we spent time discussing the struggles of planting in this region of India. While we were here the people of India elected a new government that is considered to be radical Hindus. This new government will be hostile to the spreading of the Gospel. This will present new challenges in the planting of churches.
The rest of Tuesday and Wednesday were travel days as we made our way to Manipur State. This state is in the northeast of India.