Hey friend,
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We won't be the biggest church around, but we hope to reach people that other churches aren't. Thank you for spending time to see the vision God has given us for Belleville.
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-Sean
Making a table for Belleville
The path below is our hope for many in Belleville who are seeking to discover the grace, truth and love of Jesus.
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In bigger letters, you'll see our mission (love God, love others, and multiply disciples), coupled with the application of our mission (a family, a field, a few).
A Family
My first calling as a church planter in Belleville is to gather and disciple a family of believers who are growing in our knowledge and love of God.
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We 'do church' as missional communities, weekly church gatherings dedicated to worshipping together, caring for each other, and living on mission to serve a specific people or place in Belleville.
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Currently, we meet as one Missional Community at our home on Thursday nights. We have been focused on serving broken families, such as partnering with a local children's home, taking care of a few single moms, and connecting with families in the Highland neighborhood.
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For some, coming to our home is less intimidating than a traditional service. And after sharing a meal, gathering around the table, and adjusting to loud kids, it feels like family!
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Love God
We have had a couple new families join us recently, and the house is getting a bit crammed! We plan on multiplying this Missional Community sometime this year. Our other pastor (Ryan Spriggs) will lead this new group.
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Once we multiply MC's, we will meet for a monthly worship gathering in addition to weekly MC gatherings so that all missional communities can unite in attendance as Redemption Downtown.
One day we hope there are dozens of missional communities scattered around our city and giving every person a chance to be a part of a family of believers.
A Field
Love Others
Over the last 8 years of living in Belleville, God has significantly answered our prayers for Gina and I to be friends with the lost, so that we may be like Christ in being both Gospel-centered and community-centered.
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I think of the way that God...
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gave me the role as the Belleville Fire Department chaplain...
put us on the team to launch the Belleville Mural Project...
gave us a lovely home in the Highland neighborhood...
put us on the core team to launch Redemption Community Church...
connected me with Belleville General and Community Assistance...
gave me a role in the launch of the Belleville Heart Garden...
connected me with Belleville businesses by starting a BLV souvenir brand...
blessed us with a great workout community at the YMCA...
and, of course, put us on Belleville schools weekly through First Priority...
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God has given Gina and I favor in this city.
We are missionaries here.
I believe He wants me to give more time towards it.
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There are so many opportunities that God has given me to give away to our people. I'm certainly a project starter, so the greatest joy is handing away opportunities to our church to own, depending on their gifting.​
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We don't want to serve Belleville with one-time, fleeting opportunities that just make us feel good.
Every group or person served is someone we invite to be family with us.
I also believe that every follower of Christ in our church has a specific mission field. It is on the mission field where God applies our faith and gives us opportunities to sow seeds of the Gospel.
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My role as pastor is "to equip the saints for works of ministry so that the body of Christ may be built up" (Ephesians 4:12).
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Search your camera roll for "tables"...
I guarantee you'll smile at good memories!
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Here are some of mine...
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family...mentoring students...First Priority...caring for youth pastors...
A Few
Multiply Disciples
We all have a few people God has put in our lives to show and share the love of Christ in hope that we are making new disciples.
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Redemption Downtown isn't a few who are reaching many, but many who are reaching a few.
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Tables are our way of illustrating the challenge to make disciples.
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Jesus shared tables with people, even with adversaries. It showed that he was humbled to love and care for them personally. In a digitalized world with cheap ways to care, sharing a table makes us listen and love others well.
We challenge and equip each other to show hospitality by sharing your table with your few.
We make a table as a church for the community to join us at our table, such as missional community nights, serve days, and worship gatherings.
But at every opportunity, we bring others to the Lord's Table to know the love and sacrifice of Jesus.
What's next for us?
Multiplying Our Missional Community
If all of our families attended a MC night, we would have 19 adults and students around the table and 12 kids in kids service.
I am spending time developing the Spriggs as our new MC leaders so we can multiply our MC into two groups. I am also preparing a MC multiplication training and process that can be replicable as God continues to grow our church.
Investing
More Time
There are many ponds that need to be fished in Belleville. Thankfully, God has given me favor with several opportunities – I just need the time now.
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In July, I am going part-time with First Priority to dedicate more time to pastoring our church and living on mission for Belleville. This will continue to equip our church with more missional opportunities.
Seeking
Financial
Support
Although we have designed our church to be sustainable by eliminating the burden of building rent, we will financially support leadership that is dedicating their time to equipping our church, which includes Ryan Spriggs and me at the moment.
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I am seeking to raise $1000 in monthly salary support to dedicate more time to our church plant.
If God has given you the desire to be a monthly supporter, I would be overjoyed to know that you are joining God's work here.
Please click the Give button below to make a gift.
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Be sure to select the "Pastoral Support for Sean" Fund.
If you are giving a monthly gift, select the "recurring donation" option.
