Karis Community Church | Columbia, MO

• Kevin Larson
• Apr 1, 2010
• Series: Church Profiles
• Categories: Church Planting Articles

Briefly describe your story of your call to plant a church 

As a seminary student, I was struggling with where God was calling me. Seeking a position in an established church seemed like a bad idea. I took a church planting class, and it seemed clear that I had "wiring" that made pioneering a community a better fit for me. People around me confirmed that. I then began praying about where to go and seeking out opportunities, and God opened a door for me to come back to my favorite city, my college town that I had left about 10 years earlier, Columbia, Missouri.

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

Finances. We went in with a decent amount of outside support, but not nearly enough. In a college town, our demographic is really young, and it's been very hard for us to be fully self-sustainable. 

Kids. We have three young children. It has been hard to come in and literally "grow" a children's ministry from scratch. Only now are our people having their own babies. People are so consumeristic these days, that if you don't have a lot of kids and something dynamic for them, they look elsewhere. But it's part of the deal.

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

First, you must make sure your wife is totally on board, and she has to be tough as nails. Or, I promise you, you won't make it. She is going to take tons of hits. You must protect her, but there's only so much that can be done.

Second, sort out your rationale for planting. Make sure it's not because it's the hip thing to do. Planting is amazingly, shockingly hard on you and a family. Coolness won't sustain you.

Third, get the gospel deeply planted in your heart. It's very hard to not have your identity going up and down based on how your church is going. It's hard not to compare yourself to others in your town or across the network.

Fourth, make sure you're setting out to build a community that's different or don't bother. Plant something that really is built around the gospel, where people are tightly connected relationally and speak the gospel into each others lives. Don't just be another Sunday service. But this is much, much harder than you think.

Fifth, be committed to labor by God's grace to impact your community. Seek her good or shalom. Share the gospel message. Make sure you don't just want to have a church where you can preach and, because of that, it's definitely cooler than where you've been.

Sixth, make sure you can train leaders. Planting, or any real ministry, all has to do with leadership training. Are people following you? Do people gravitate to you? This isn't a pride thing. It's a movement thing. If the thing's only as deep and wide as you, it's not going to go anywhere. Make sure you can raise up leaders, that it's in your makeup. Don't start planting until you have a better handle on this.

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

I ran into my friend Jonathan McIntosh during fundraising. He handed me Driscoll's Reformission book, I read it, and things took off from there. Relationships like I have with him have been the best. Having people you can call and vent to and ask questions of is worth millions. There is so much deep, rich brotherhood in Acts 29.

How do you pastor your family? 

This is something I'm still learning. I try to think of it partially in terms of formal, structured times where we read Scripture, sing, pray, and talk through theology together. But most of it is in the course of real life. It's seeking to know your wife and talk to her deeply. It's really listening to your kids when they talk to you. This is very hard to do, as you can get so distracted while pastoring the church family, and royally mess up with your family at home. Be sure that you're "there" when you're at home, not distracted and worried and "out there." I'm getting better at this, I think, by God's grace.

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

The Radical Reformission by Mark Driscoll

Church Profile: Karis Community Church
Launch Date: April, 2006
Location: Columbia, MO

Mission, Vision, Values of Church 

We are striving to be a confessional (seeing and delighting in the glorious God of Scripture and His amazing gospel of Jesus), relational (living out that gospel and applying it to each other in everyday life), and missional (taking that gospel, as a community, into our cities and our world, seeking shalom) church in the heart of Columbia, Missouri's downtown "District."

What is your biblical perspective on authentic community, and evangelism? How is this practically seen in your church? 

Authentic community is, as Chester and Timmis say in Total Church, not juggling the church among all the other responsibilities of life, but rather having gospel community in the center, with everything else revolving around that family. We see that beautifully in our church with 15 Community Groups who are truly sharing life, speaking the gospel into each other in both encouraging and challenging ways.

Evangelism is sharing the message of Jesus. But it's also seeking a relationship and platform for being heard. It's resisting all of the arrogance and rudeness that have characterized the church for far too long and seeking to be "for" your city, sacrificing for her welfare. In our city, we have come to be known for our willingness to serve her, and this has led to people hearing our crazy gospel message that says that people are depraved and deserve hell.

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

I've seen people come to faith in Jesus that have become leaders. I've seen timid men become leaders who can be bold, loving shepherds. I've seen religious people have their lives radically changed by the gospel. In my life, I've seen growth, having my identity rooted more in Jesus. I've seen my ministry gifts grow. I think my preaching is better. I think I know better about what I'm doing now, in general. I believe I have a healthy marriage, by God's grace. My wife is a joy and is God's grace to me, right before my face each day. I look around and see amazing men/leaders in Karis, and I'm humbled and blown away by the mercy of God.

Please add any additional information that you would like to communicate to those that would be reading this on the Acts 29 website.

Columbia, Missouri is the home of the University of Missouri. It's a wonderful Midwest college town. But it's the home of the finest journalism school in America. We're training people here who will have international impact, much like an Ivy League school. Come join us in Columbia on our mission. We're always looking for more interns who can be trained and sent out.