Sojourn Church | Hollywood, FL

• Matt Peavyhouse
• Sep 22, 2011
• Series: Church Profiles
• Categories: Church Planting Articles, Latest News

Briefly describe your story of your call to plant a church

We were called to plant many years ago, and spent time working in a number of replants. When we began to seriously consider planting a new church, we began pursuing connecting with Acts 29. We were led to look into seminary and participating in a church plant. We moved to Louisville with plans to attend Sojourn and Southern Seminary. We ended up helping to plant Crossing Church in Louisville while going to school. As we were finishing seminary we began to discern where we would go to plant a church. Through scripture, the elders at Sojourn, other pastoral friends, and personal discernment and leading from the Lord, we began to pursue planting in South Florida.

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

Engage, engage, engage. We began with the idea of planting a contemporary attractional/missional church in Hollywood, through great advertising, flashy campaigns, and what I was sure would be a huge groundswell of grassroots love for our new church. What actually happened could not have been better scripted. After hand-delivering 10,000 doorhangers and handing out almost 10,000 invite cards, we had one Haitian couple(one of these gentlemen couldn't understand English) attend our preview service other than the people we had invited and connected with in our daily lives. So after being led kicking and screaming to the missional ministry model I had grown up experiencing, we began to really engage with the lost of our city, and thereby see God change hearts and lives, which he has continued to do when we faithfully share with the lost.

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

The weekend of our launch we were defunded by a major contributor, we were kicked out of our building, and I was personally challenged by events. Two weeks later I was also rocked by the news of the death of our coach, David Nicholas(Acts 29's Co-founder). These challenges radically changed our church plant. Through it all God has been faithful and taught me that Christ builds his church, church planters only get to participate on his mission.

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

I began to explore planting with Acts 29 over ten years ago, but connected first at Sojourn in Louisville, and then at Crossing Church. I was an elder at Crossing for a few years before being sent out to plant in South Florida. The camaraderie of Acts 29 pastors and churches combined with solid gospel-centered, missional, spirit-filled living has made it an incredible organization in which to participate and find fellowship.

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

Engage the lost, preach the gospel, go to the hard places.

What’s the most important thing you’d want to share with a new church planter?   

Keep going! When things are difficult, and we've had our share of difficulty, keep going. Trust the gospel, confron your idols, push into community, and live on mission.

How do you pastor your family?

I pastor my wife and kids in the daily rhythms of life. Through ordinary, everyday life we seek to remember our Lord, his gospel, and the identity he has given us as his children.

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

Lots, but I probably recommend Prodigal God, Church Planter, and Starting a New Church by Ralph Moore

Church Profile: Sojourn Church
Launch Date: January 2011
Location: Hollywood, FL

Mission, Vision, Values of Church 

We are a movement of the gospel in South Florida for the glory of God to renew all things.

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

Our marriage is better today than the day we started planting. With all the turmoil of our first year, God has sustained us, and allowed us to train some great leaders to multiply disciples, groups and churches throughout South Florida. I love Jesus, my wife, and the church more today than I did 12 months ago.

How can we pray for you?

Pray for connections. It is still a very slow process here in South Florida. We are wanting to connect with more individuals, but have found growth to be very slow. South Florida is very apathetic, so pray that God gives people a new heart.