Over the past 2 years God has radically changed my life. See, in January 2016 I went from being on staff at a church to being a missionary to the church. I went from serving mostly within the church walls to not having any walls. God has called all of us to be missionaries and “share the good news” wherever we are. For me that has always been within a church building where I worked. I would wait for people to come to a worship service, bible study or counseling session to look for opportunities to share.
Now my reality is different. I am as called to vocational ministry now as I have ever been. But, instead of being a “pastor”, I am a “missionary” with a ministry called 5Stone Ministries. Probably like many of you, I always considered a missionary as being someone called to another country. Someone who sells everything and takes their family to a foreign land and share the gospel to an unreached people group. My call to be a missionary is somewhat different. I am called to help build the Bride of Christ (The Church), one church plant at a time. This calling to plant churches is not just in foreign countries, but right here in the United States as well.
This journey of planting healthy, sustainable, reproducible churches has taken me from Willow Park, TX, all the way to India. This beautiful country of over 1.3 billion people accounts for more than 17% of the world’s population but only 2.3% call themselves Christian. There is a tremendous need for churches to be planted there and change people’s lives.
Please let me share just a few things regarding 5Stone Ministries. 2017 was an amazing year of ministry! God used 5Stone Ministries in some significant Kingdom ways.
- We partnered with 19 brand new church plants worldwide. 15 in India and 4 right here in the DFW area.
- We helped 1 church relaunch, 2 churches open additional campuses, and 1 church move into a permanent facility.
- We launched the DFW Church Planting Network which brings churches with a passion to plant new churches together for collaboration. This network has already grown to over 30 churches who want to make an impact for the Kingdom.
- We participated in 3 international trips to India and Canada to further the church planting movements in those countries.
These were just a few ministry highlights that people like you helped make possible. We are so humbled to be used by the Lord in this capacity. Please pray as we trust God with our 2018 Visionthat God has given. Here are some of the specifics that we are seeking for God to fulfill:
- Plant 25 new churches worldwide. 15 internationally, 5 nationally, and 5 locally to extend and advance the Kingdom of God.
- Grow the DFW Church Planting Network to over 50 local churches who meet monthly to win the DFW area to Christ.
- Participate in 5 international trips – 3 to India and 2 to Canada. If you would be interested in going with us, please let us know.
- Partner with 12 new established churches in this missional movement of church planting.
As you can see, there are great things happening around the world and YOU are invited to be a part of this Kingdom-changing ministry. How you might ask? GO! Come be a part of one of the international trips we have planned or join us for one of the local church planting network meetings. Consider yourself invited. PRAY! Please continue to be in prayer for the 5Stone Ministry Team, my family and myself. Pray for the pastors on the front lines of establishing new churches. And most of all, pray for lives to be changed. GIVE! Every vision needs provision. The vision to extend the Kingdom of God through the Bride of Christ has always been God’s plan. Please join us financially to see dozens of churches planted and see thousands of people reached with the Good News.