Second Mile Church | Gilbert, AZ

• Luke Simmons
• Apr 5, 2010
• Series: Church Profiles
• Categories: Church Planting Articles

Briefly describe your story of your call to plant a church 

I graduated college in 2002 thinking that I'd like to be part of a church plant and wondering whether I was called to vocational ministry. After moving to Arizona, volunteering at a healthy church, and completing a 3-year church based ministry training program, I had a growing desire to plant and older, wiser men affirming that desire. It was tough to determine where to plant. We considered Denver (where I grew up), Toledo (where my wife grew up), and Phoenix, where we were living and doing ministry. We were excited about the existing partnerships in the Phoenix area and what it seemed like God was doing in the Valley, so we landed in the Southeast Valley of Phoenix.

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

The biggest challenges have been a) creating a culture that honors God and you won't regret in the years to come, b) developing leaders who can shepherd people and lead them on mission, and c) keeping our people focused on the mission.

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

Get firmly rooted in gospel-centered spirituality so that you don't plant a church in an effort to justify yourself before God

Serve in a healthy church with wiser, older leaders who can provide candid input to your calling and direction. Humble yourself and be willing to learn from older generations who are doing things differently than you would.

Take longer than you would naturally take to build a team and do things well so that you don't have to try to change the DNA later.

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

I knew some local Acts29 guys and as we cultivated relationships I became increasingly attracted to the vision of the network. The biggest benefit is exposure to guys who are like-minded on the most important things, but with a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and giftedness to sharpen one another.

How do you pastor your family? 

I date my wife and daughters, make sure I'm home for dinner every night at 5:30pm, and pay attention to what my wife needs. I model humility by asking for forgiveness when I blow it, asking my daughters to pray for me in my weakness, and demonstrating that I am under the authority of Christ. We occasionally do family worship where we read the Jesus Storybook Bible, sing songs, dance around, and pray. More than anything, I try to treasure Christ in front of my family so that they will see that he is supremely satisfying.

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

Driscoll's Confessions of a Reformission Rev.

Church Profile: Second Mile Church
Launch Date: January, 2009
Location: Gilbert, AZ

Mission, Vision, Values of Church 

Mission: “To embody Jesus’ message and mission in every place that God sends us.” 

Vision: “To saturate the Queen Creek/Williams Gateway community with Gospel-centered churches who work to love and transform the community.”

Values: Gospel-centeredness > Love > Authenticity > JoyMission > Sacrifice > City-positive > Multiplication

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

Though they are incredibly counter-cultural, authentic community and evangelism are the normal part of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. They work together: community is a tremendous apologetic for the gospel and evangelism happens best in community. In terms of formalized church structures, Community Groups provide the outlet for these functions in our church.

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

We've seen people get saved, we've seen others revived in their faith, we've seen complacent Christians embrace servanthood and mission. One lady in particular has embraced her calling as a missionary to her gym and has seen multiple women come to faith as she incorporates them into biblical community and consistently exposes them to the gospel.