Citylight Church | Roanoke, VA

• Derek Lam
• May 6, 2010
• Series: Church Profiles
• Categories: Church Planting Articles

Briefly describe your story of your call to plant a church

While a seminary student at Gordon-Conwell, I took a class with an adjunct professor who had planted and was pastoring a church in New Haven, CT near Yale. This was my first encounter with a church planter, and it was intriguing to me because my view was narrow in thinking that seminary was just preparing pastors to empty pulpits, missionaries to the field and teachers to the classroom. I was awakened to the opportunity of church planting for advancing the gospel mission of the church.

Several years later, like Nehemiah for Jerusalem, my wife and I began to have our hearts broken again for our hometown of Roanoke - the “Star City of the South.” Though a city in the Bible Belt South, surveys estimate that there are over 100,000 men, women and children in Roanoke who do not profess saving faith in Jesus Christ. This cannot be accepted. We need new and renewed gospel-centered churches in the Roanoke Valley. After a season of discernment and assessment, my wife and I moved back to Roanoke to plant Citylight.

How did you build up your core? What advice would you give to guys in the core-stage?

Even though we had supporting churches, the distance from these meant that we were parachuting into Roanoke (as opposed to a mother-daughter model). After a time of reacclimation to our hometown (living, working, observing, connecting), we began a Thursday evening dinner and Bible study in our home. These was a both beautiful (as folks gathered together to consider what it could look like to be a new gospel community) and awkward (as it sometimes felt like a Pampered Chef or Mary Kay party in this church-is-a-building culture). Since then we have transitioned twice - to Sunday evening worship and diner and then this past summer to Sunday morning worship and mid-week small groups.

In our experience, there may be the person who connects through website or city bulletin board, but the core is built in relational connections with me and my wife.

Advice for guys in the core-stage: Pray often. Cheer on the ministry of other gospel-centered churches in your area. Be humble (on the good days) and confident (on the bad days) in your call. Be social in neighborhood and city events. Throw parties. Meet with people, but don’t neglect study. Keep a Sabbath. Remember that it is Jesus that builds His Church, not you. Keep Jesus as your first love.

What were the biggest challenges you faced in planting your church (and/or currently facing)?

As a pioneer planter, I was the do-it-all man from day one. I didn’t plant with a team of established leaders, but rather have had to be patient and discerning in developing leaders for the work of ministry. Trust is developed and competence is evidenced in shared life over time. Therefore, in developing leaders in this pioneer plant, I’ve had to be slow on the draw, steady with the aim, but ready to pull the trigger in empowering leaders.

Another challenge in church planting is knowing how and when to “clock out”, especially I sometimes office out of my home. At the end of the day, there can always be something else to do, someone else to call. Nonetheless, I have a family that needs my loving time and attention. I have a mid-30s body that needs exercise and mind that needs a break. As best I can, I must order my life so that I have energy and endurance for a marathon of gospel life and ministry.

How did you become involved with Acts 29? What have been the biggest benefits of being in the network?

Several years ago I called Chris Atwell (pastor of Portico Church in Charlottesville, VA) out of the blue, drove an hour and took him out to lunch. I asked a lot of questions and listened to his call and story of church planting.

In February 2006, my wife and I took a “vacation” to Seattle to attend a boot camp at Mars Hill. I didn’t dare wear my Steelers gear as Pittsburgh defeated the Seahawks in the Super Bowl that week, but I did listen to and connect with the church planters gathered as we were discerning a call to church planters. I continued my connection with pastor Chris Atwell, and last year I was assessed at the Raleigh Boot Camp.

The biggest benefits of being in the network are 1.) the gospel brotherhood of fellow church planters, 2.) the gospel partnerships in church planting - regionally and globally, 3.) the shared wisdom and resources for leadership development.

What advice do you have for men who are wrestling with the decision to plant?

As Elisha was to Elijah and Timothy to Paul, submit yourself to a godly leader/mentor, especially one with wisdom and experience in regards to church planting. While you may sense a call to church plant, this probably needs to be developed in the context of a church planting internship for a season. If you are inwardly confident of a call to church plant, submit yourself to a church or network for assessment and commissioning.

How do you pastor your family?

I have been married to my wife fourteen years this June. Along the way, we had three boys, and three years ago we welcomed three girls into our family (whom we are in the process of adopting).

Pastoring my family means that I shepherd both my wife and kids to being faith-filled, faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. This happens in structured times of devotion and prayer around the dinner table and on family room sofas. With our kids, my wife and I have appreciated the Jesus Storybook Bible and Bruce Ware’s Big Truths for Young Hearts. Along with Scripture, my wife and I have recently read Paul Miller’s A Praying Life and Russell Moore’s Adopted for Life.

Pastoring my family also happens in the pauses and interjections into everyday life. In observations, instruction, discipline, and prayer, there are moments everyday that can used to teach the truth and reveal the glory of the gospel. I sometimes miss these in the rush or busyness or life, but when these moments are captured by the Spirit’s leading, I am awed again by the joy and responsibility of pastoring my family.

Outside of the Bible, what is the most helpful book you have read for church planting?

Instead of a particular church planting book, I would say that Acts 29’s boot camp sessions (archived mp3s online at www.acts29network.org) have been most helpful.

How can we pray for you?

Pray that I continue to be gospel-shaped and Spirit-led as a man, husband, father and pastor. Pray for my family in the adoption process of our three girls. Pray for Citylight and gospel mission here in Roanoke, VA.

Church Profile: Citylight Church
Launch Date: July, 2009
Location: Roanoke, VA

Mission, Vision, and Values of Church

Citylight is a church community in Roanoke, VA - "The Star City of the South." Roanoke's most notable landmark is the world's largest freestanding star in the world - Mill Mountain Star that overlooks the city and valley below. Every night Roanoke's cityscape is illumined by the downtown citylights and the neon glows of Mill Mountain Star - a visual reminder of how light overcomes the darkness.

Citylight is about Jesus. Jesus declares, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8.12). In the extreme cosmic makeover to come, there will be no sun or moon, but rather Jesus will be the constant illumination for God’s glorious and eternal city (Rev. 21-22, Isa. 60). Both in this world and the world to come, Jesus is the one true cityLight.

Citylight is about following Jesus. Jesus says to those who follow Him, "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden…let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matt. 5.14-16). In this we find both our name and our mission, for Jesus calls us to be citylights.

Citylight exists to bring glory to God by being a Spirit-formed, Gospel-shaped community of faith that makes disciples of Jesus Christ - in our homes, in our city and to all the nations.

We desire to see our lives transformed by the gospel through these shared values.

• Communion with God. We desire to be a worshipful and prayerful people... living for and with God in all spheres of life... living tuned to the heart of God the Father, the way of Jesus and the move of the Spirit. In our worship and prayer together, we value reverence, awe, truth and passion.
• Community with one another. We believe that life is best lived in “below the surface” relationships, in community which lives deeply with one another - loving liberally and truthfully, confessing our sins, encouraging one another in the faith, and sharing our gifts, joys and struggles. In our relationships together, we value honesty, interdependence, grace and forgiveness.
• Compassion for our city and world. We desire to live beyond ourselves, beyond “us-them” divides. As God has loved us, we want to show and share the love of Jesus with those in need, all the while realizing that we ourselves are still needy of God. In our missional living together, we value humility, generosity, justice, commitment and sacrifice.

What is your philosophy of community in your church and what does that look like practically in your church? Of evangelism?

Too often (especially in the South) church is seen as just a super-sizing of life - some extra friends and a taller drink of self-esteem. Instead of these empty calories, we realize that our food is enduring to eternal life (cf. John 6:27) - life in Christ and in Christ’s Church.

Citylighters love one another. This cannot be socially engineered, but rather has been communally experienced by the move of the Spirit. This practically happens in our rhythm of life together - Sunday morning worship, mid-week city group gatherings, city service opportunities and seasonal parties. This also happens off the church calendar as Citylighters live out the “one another” commands of the New Testament - loving one another, honoring one another, serving one another, confessing our sins to one another, forgiving one another, bearing the burdens of one another, and building up one another in the faith of Christ Jesus.

Our experience of gospel community then propels us to gospel mission (e.g. evangelism) for there are family members, neighbors, co-workers and others who need Jesus. Evangelism is sometimes narrowly seen as cold calls or door-to-door sales, and sure, there are occasions where people come to saving faith in first encounters. However, we believe that evangelism best happens over time - in shared life, in gained trust, in truth-in-love relationships.

What are some examples of God's grace that you have seen in your life and/or the life of your church?

One of the greatest graces to me has been my family - fourteen years of marriage (and counting) with my bride and best friend, the love and admiration of my six kids, the support and encouragement of extended family.

I also thank God for the love of our young church to my family and myself. We have been well loved by Citylighters, and we have had deep joy in seeing them share life and faith in biblical community.