They're calling it New Church Initiative. It's goal is to partner with other church-planting efforts and organizations to start new churches between Northern Kentucky and Dayton.
"Church planting is the most effective means of evangelism on the planet," Jeff Metzger told the crowd. "I heard Donald MacGavran say that in the 80s, and now I've experienced it myself." To highlight the need in our area, which we think of as "churched," he shared some research he did. "On a typical Sunday, 8.4% of the population in Clermont County attends church. In communist China, the figure is 8.3%!"
"We want to create a high-output, no-overhead organization," he said. He will serve as a trustee of the new effort, along with Don Sams, Stephen Sams, and Larry Travis, who will also serve as the director. (Larry is also serving as associate minister with the Riverhills church where he will have his office for both jobs.)
"I believe every church, every Christian should be involved in new church planting," he said. And every speaker encouraged us to remember that the gifts of many Christians throughout the area can combine to make new church planting happen here.
This is a worthy goal, pursued by men with pure motives, it seems to me. I'm glad I was there to witness something close to the birth of New Church Initiative.
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