Urban Hills Church | Irving, TX

• Caleb Southerland
• Mar 14, 2011
• Series: Church Profiles
• Categories: Church Planting Articles, Latest News

Briefly describe your story of your call to plant a church

As I finished up at DTS I began to seek God for where I was called. I always viewed church planting as for guys who couldn't cut it in a real church. Dr. Malphurs, one of my profs, planted the seed in me to use my entrepreneurial spirit and plant. I began to call mentors and people who poured in my life asking them to pray with me about this and to be straight with me and tell me what they thought. God stirred a desire within me to not plant just one church but be a church planter of many. I met with the pastor of the church I was interning at told him my desire to plant. He said he would like to partner with me and get on board. My wife and I began to pray about where and over a six month time God revealed the need for a Gospel-centered church in Las Colinas. My wife and I pray often about where we could plant next or help assist next.

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

Our sending church sent a few but mostly people I went and asked.

I would tell them not to get their friends. I would make sure each core person has two people they could convince to join your mission as well. I would begin working through the Gospel-Centered Life curriculum immediately and build your "identity" before you word your "mission."

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

We planted a worship gathering and not a church. It took us over a year to "fix" what we created into a Gospel-centered church.

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

I got involved with A29 because of encouragement from some other A29 planters.

The biggest benefits have been encouragement, accountability, and (non-financial resources).

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

If it doesnt scare you to death, dont do it. Not the finances or "unknown" but the known of the spiritual warfare that will be brought on you and your family.

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

Surround yourself with men who will remind you that your identity is in Jesus, to pursue your wife, and disciple small groups of men.

How do you pastor your family?

Pray with, for, and over my wife often. Talk to each other about where we are reading in scripture. Have many gospel-application conversations and read (non-bible) books together.

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

Church Planter by Patrick (and I read it two years into planting, yes, that good)

Church Profile: Urban Hills Church
Launch Date: September 2008
Location: Irving, TX

Mission, Vision, Values of Church 

Love God. Love People. Renew the city.

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

My wife. The leaders God surrounded me with outside the church and the leaders God built up inside the church.

How can we pray for you?

My wife and I are in the adoption process. Five months in we received confirmation that Ethiopia was going to experience a 90% stoppage in cases processed. We will continue to persue adoption but now looking at where and how.