FORT COLLINS, Colo.—Money magazine consistently has ranked Fort Collins, Colo., among the top 10 places to live in the United States. Low unemployment, top-ranked schools and scenic beauty top the list of qualities that make the city appealing. But below the surface, Christians who serve there see spiritual hunger and deprivation.
Pastor Allan Reed of Pursuit Church in Fort Collins, Colo., welcomes guests at a preview service.
|
Some Fort Collins residents feel they have been “burned” by the church in the past, and they consequently reject organized religion. Others have crafted their own belief system, pieced together from various religious traditions and New Age philosophies.
With the spiritual climate of Fort Collins in mind, church planters have risen to the challenge—sowing the gospel in a soil that can be difficult to till. Some have adopted an organic approach to church starting—gradually building relationships and earning the trust of their neighbors, and eventually inviting them to share meals and engage in meaningful conversations about spiritual matters.
The method involves a significant investment of time, leaving church planters little freedom to have other jobs or raise funds. That’s where some Texas Baptist churches play a crucial role in providing financial support.
For example, Pursuit Church in south Fort Collins relies on partnerships with Yorktown Baptist Church in Corpus Christi, Lake Pointe Church in Rockwall, Northwood Church in Keller, and First Baptist Church in Canyon.
“Without healthy partnerships like these, a potential new work lacks the spiritual and financial foundation to build off of,” Pastor Allan Reed of Pursuit Church said. “We are so thankful for the Texas Baptist Convention and their passion to see the new churches get started.”
Guests at the preview service at Pursuit Church in Fort Collins, Colo., listen to a worship band. Some Texas Baptist churches played a crucial role in providing financial support for starting new churches in the city.
|
Some Texas Baptist partners not only have provided financial support, but also have sent mission teams to aid Pursuit Church in its efforts—especially this summer, when numbers were crucial to help the church pull off its first preview services to build momentum for weekly worship services starting in the fall.
Sign up for our weekly edition and get all our headlines in your inbox on Thursdays
Crestview Baptist Church in Midland and Lake Pointe Church were among the congregations that sent teams. Each team spent about a week distributing informational door hangers in neighborhoods letting people know about the church, organizing block parties, setting up trailers and equipment for services, performing service projects for small businesses around the church, and being an encouragement to the Pursuit Church leaders.
The block party led by Lake Pointe Church included an inflatable moon bounce, obstacle course, crafts, music and face painting to create an atmosphere of free friendly fun for families, creating a relax atmosphere for young adults to meet leaders of Pursuit Church.
Pastor Nate Templin with his wife Erin and son Joshua. He leads the Inside Out Church in Fort Collins, Colo.
|
Inside Out Church in north Fort Collins has been empowered by having partner churches that catch the church plant’s vision for its ministry, Pastor Nate Templin said.
“The churches that have partnered with us know our character and passion for the lost. They like the vision to reach individuals outside of church and not to ‘rechurch’ people,” Templin said.
“They understand we are here for the long term and that it will take time to start churches. … Every partnership empowers us to be more focused on what matters most—making Christ known to those hesitant about Christianity.”
Fielder Road Baptist Church in Arlington has an ongoing partnership with Inside Out Church, and individual members of several other churches also provide support.
“We are always praying for a new church and individual partners that will help us make a greater impact on the lostness that permeates Fort Collins,” Templin said.
Amber Cassady, a communications student at Texas A&M University in College Station, served this summer as a student missionary correspondent in Colorado with Go Now Missions.
We seek to connect God’s story and God’s people around the world. To learn more about God’s story, click here.
Send comments and feedback to Eric Black, our editor. For comments to be published, please specify “letter to the editor.” Maximum length for publication is 300 words.