Church Planting.
In January 2007, we planted the Stirring Church with a vision to reach families and young adults in our city. Since then, we have seen so many lives changed for God. From the day we planted the Stirring less than three years ago, we knew God was shaping us to become a church planting movement. We have a deep passion to equip leaders who have a passion to plant new churches.
The vigorous and strategic planting of new churches is the single most crucial strategy for reaching the next generation with the life and gospel of Jesus Christ. More than anything else, new churches reach new students, new couples, new families, new cultures, and new generations in the most life changing ways.
According to a recent study, more than 20 million people (and growing) in the United States say they absolutely love God, but they will never go to church again. Most of them are convinced that the church is "irrelevant" to their lives. Tragically, the majority of these are young adults under the age of 35. In fact, whereas more than 80% of young adults were actively involved in a church during their high school years, less than 20% of those will be actively engaged in the life of the church upon graduating high school. Clearly, we are facing a crisis in the church today. Year after year, we are losing the next generation.
This emerging generation of teenagers and young adults is the most broken, suicidal, alone, depressed, confused, neglected, abused, and the most fatherless generation in history. More than ever, they are hungry and desperate for God. In fact, the things that have made them so broken have made them so ready for Jesus. Since they are unloved, they are desperate for love. Since they are alone, they are longing for community. Since they are fatherless, they are searching for a father. More than that, 80% of those who will receive Christ in their lifetime will do so before they graduate high school. Now is the time to reach the next generation with the good news and great hope of Jesus Christ. We believe that God has a burning passion to reach this next generation for Christ, and moreover, that God is calling and empowering a generation of church planters who will give their lives to that cause.
