Charlotte and I just got back from Oklahoma for the National Church Planting Conference, and we gave away our $3,300 offering to church planters all over America! Each year, around $1M is raised for church planting, and amazing things happen when we work together. Who knew independent Baptists could do that?!
Here are the works that we helped:
- Craig Andresen — $300. I met him on the plane flying into the conference. He was a fireman who had a burden for a neighboring community, and God called him to plant a church there in Boardman, OR.
- Zach Hing — $300. I met Bro. Hing last June at our Southwest Church Planters Conference in Phoenix. He is starting a church in Queen Creek, AZ, in the fastest-growing county in the U.S.
- Andrew Unger — $200. I spent some time with Bro. Unger and several other church planters in our AirBnb last year, and he is a soul-winner.
- Donald Whitecar — $300. This seasoned pastor is now going to Chicago, IL. He planted what is now a thriving church in Idaho, which is now his sending church.
- Charles Harrison — $200. We supported Bro. Hamilton when he was in Mississippi. He played baseball for the KC Royals, got into drugs and went to prison where he later got saved! Now he’s planting a Baptist church in Philadelphia!
- David Pigott — $200. His twin brother Daniel pastors in Mission Viejo, CA, and is his sending church. We gave toward helping this family with adoption funds.
- Parish Plumlee — $300. Another seasoned pastor that we have been giving to off and on for over 20 years. He has planted several thriving churches in the Northwest, and this one is in Benton City, WA. $48k was raised to help him secure a building.
- Franz Remigio — $300. As a schoolteacher in the Bronx, NYC, we were able to give toward him going full-time as pastor. We visited him in 2019 and he is a faithful servant.
- Abel Saucedo — $300. This is a Spanish-speaking church near El Paso, TX, where God is bringing the mission field to us!
- Andrew Montoya — $400. Grew up in Austoria, Queens, NYC and now pastors on Long Island. He is a good, young pastor and is doing a good work.
- Caleb Wardrip — $200. Three faithful ladies kept the church alive in Billings, MT, until Pastor Wardrip finally arrived. They kept the mortgage and missionaries paid for three years. The church is now thriving, but we were able to help them become debt free (raised $90k for them).
- King Family — $100. Pastor Richard King, who is now in the late stages of Alzheimers, was honored with the Faithful for a Lifetime Award.
- Conference expense — $200. Heartland hosts over 1,500 people every year for free, relying on the giving of supporting churches to help with the high expenses.
The National Church Planting Conference is three days of preaching with sessions in the mornings and evenings. Almost 100 church planters registered, and their needs are printed in the conference booklet. When one is called to the platform, he takes about 3 minutes to present his church plant to the crowd, and then section by section, pastors stand up and give toward the needs, totalling anywhere from $12k to $90k (average of about $25k per church planter who presents). It is an incredible sight to see, and a blessing to be a part of!
Thank you for loving church planting. Seeing new churches started or old ones salvaged to the glory of God is what it’s all about!
-Pastor Ryan