Some days I wish I could be physically present in more than one location at a time. Last Sunday was one of those days. Why? Three church plants that are a part of SENT Network all reached significant milestones worth celebrating. They launched!
I was able to be a part of the launch of Veritas Church at their first public worship gathering in Warrenton, Va. Zach Ritz, Lead Planting Pastor with SENT Network, has been meeting with and training his planting core group for months to prepare for their kick-off. It was a joy for me to be there to pray for them during this milestone event, and for me to hear Zach preach and cast vision.
Just outside of DC, Moses Lee, another Lead Planting Pastor with SENT, spearheaded the launch of the first worship gathering for Rosebrook Presbyterian Church. Moses has been teaching and forming his church planting core group in grassroots disciple making for about a year. They delayed their launch date last year due to the coronavirus restrictions but finally kicked off last Sunday with a strong start.
The third launch differed from the first two, but it was truly a significant milestone launch day for Eastpoint Church in Easton, MD, another church plant in our Network. Eastpoint was part of an intentional church planting strategy that began several years ago as a satellite campus of Bay Area Community Church (BACC) in Annapolis, MD. It started with a vision to eventually become untethered to better contextualize the gospel and reach more people on the Eastern Shore. Sam Cassese onboarded about a year ago to be Eastpoint’s Lead Pastor and he has been preparing to take this local church body toward independence and even greater kingdom impact. Last Sunday’s worship gathering was the day that marked their launch as an autonomous local church with the blessing and prayers of BACC elders.
Triple launch day of public worship gatherings for three church plants. Exciting progress! These gatherings were significant for more than marking a special day in their history. God’s people in these locations will now experience something significant in the days, months, and years ahead. Word and worship.
In Colossians 3:16, Paul wrote and instructed the church what his coworker Epaphras had planted. He wrote to this church plant,
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Word and worship. Paul did not plant the church in Colossae, yet he wrote to them to ensure they experienced the word and worship – the message about Jesus Christ and genuine worship of God with thankful hearts. Though Paul could only be in one place at a time, he cared deeply that these church plants thrive with gospel-centered faith and grateful hearts that would compel them to reach others every day of the week (Col 4:5-6).
Join me in praising God for last week’s triple launch day and pray that those who become part of these church plants will advance the disciple making mission of Jesus in their communities.
Thank you for investing in SENT as we coach and encourage planters and pastors like Zach, Moses and Sam to equip their churches to make disciples.
For the gospel,
Mark
