Acts 29 Network: Seattle, WA

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Journey The Way | Wichita, KS

Chad Pearce
Mar 31, 2010
Series: Church Profiles
Categories: Church Planting Articles

The Pearce Family

Briefly describe your story of your call to plant a church

While working as a Youth Pastor I took our students on a mission trip to work with Church Planters in Seattle. It was there that I felt an unusually pull toward church planting. That was the summer of 2005 and Shaina and I began praying that if God was calling us to plant, that He would prepare us for the task. It was more than three years later that we were assessed by Acts 29 and we moved back to Wichita in May of 2009 to begin gathering our core.

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

Our story is unusual, at least I think it is. Upon moving to Wichita we starting looking to see where God was already at work in our target area. We got plugged into a college bible study meeting at a coffee shop in downtown Wichita. A guy named Matt Redmond was leading the bible study. He was a youth pastor at a church on the east side. He and I struck up a friendship and it was clear that God had brought us together. Through the summer of 2009 God was working on Matt's heart to move to Birmingham and plant. He moved in October and we took over the bible study at the other churches request. About 12 of our core group (some of the first) came from this group. This gave us some momentum as we headed into 2010.

It is clear to me that God had gone ahead of us to prepare people for the new church. I would encourage guys thinking about planting to pray that God would raise up people to be apart of the church. We prayed for nearly two years before we moved that God would lay this on other peoples hearts. It is clear to me that God answered our prayers. I would also encourage guys to look for where God may already be a work, and see how you can join Him there.

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

We are very young and so one of our biggest challenges is consistent giving. We fluctuate a lot from week to week. Another challenge that breaks my heart is that existing churches are not happy about our presence in the city. We are praying that this will change as we focus on the gospel.

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

I started listening to Mark's sermons and then when God called us to plant it seemed like a natural fit for us.

The benefits have been amazing so far. I love that I can post a prayer request and know that there are men who will pray for us. I love that I have brothers all over the country, and we have already had people check us out at the suggestion of another A29 church in another part of the country. We have already had one of our core team members move to another state and we were able to get her in touch with an A29 church in that town.

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

Pray hard and make sure this is what God is calling you to. This is by far the hardest thing we have ever been involved in. It has stretched us and at times harmed us. We didn't believe it when others told us hard it would be, and we have gone back to our call to know that this is what God has for us. I think that for some there is a real temptation to find your identity in church planting. Your identity is not church planter, and if you think you will please God or earn His favor by doing something He hasn't called you to you may wreck your marriage or ruin your kids in the process. Your identity is "in Christ", and you need to be who God has called you to be.

How do you pastor your family?

In a lot of ways the same way I pastor people in our church. I try not to put unrealistic or legalistic expectations on my wife and kids. We pray together, and read the bible together as a family. We try to bring to truth of the gospel to bear in each others lives. For example when my wife hears me putting my identity in the church she reminds me that Jesus loves me even if the church folds tomorrow. When I see her struggle to forgive, I remind her of God's scandalous grace for us. We try to teach our young boys about the ripple effects of sin, and also about Jesus' sacrifice for their sins in their place. All that to say that there are structured times, but I also have to be listening and looking for opportunities to bring the gospel to my family.

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

Confessions of a Reformission Rev.

How can we pray for you?

Pray that I would be faithful to live and preach the gospel and that I would love and lead my family well.

Church Profile: Journey The Way
Launch Date: April, 2010
Location: Wichita, Kansas

Mission, Vision, Values of Church

Love God, Love People, Turn The World Up Side Down

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

Community is already a huge part of our church. We are like a broken record telling people about community and their need for it. We want to see the gospel brought to bear on people's lives through community. If we truly love one another then we will seek to gospel sin and false belief in each other. We also want our community groups to seek out mission together. While on mission together the bonds of community get stronger. Our community groups have been somewhat of a front door for us and we want to see this increase. There is something powerful about seeing the family of God in action, and we believe that this is a great environment for unbelievers to find faith and join the family of God.