Greetings from California! I am currently in southern California to meet with our church planting partners at the North American Mission Board. As you know, part of our Light the Way generosity initiative includes a new mission’s partnership with the church planting movement that is happening in metropolitan Los Angeles.
Over the next two years, ABC will help fund NAMB’s church planting residency program in LA. This program attracts the best aspiring church planters in southern California. We will come alongside these men of God by helping fund their training and seminary education. In the coming months, we will prayerfully choose one of these men to partner with in his church planting work. We will support his church by praying, giving, and sending people to assist in the evangelistic effort.
I do find it providential that God opened this door to us during such a tumultuous season in Los Angeles. It is heartbreaking to witness the wake of destruction that these wildfires are leaving behind in southern California. However, I am also encouraged that God is building strong local churches in this same region for such a time as this.
NAMB has planted 79 southern California churches in the last 5 years and witnessed over 700 baptisms through those congregations. These LA churches preach God’s Word effectively in 14 different languages and minister to the 18 million people who live in metropolitan LA. God is on the move in southern California, and I believe man’s tragedy provides a divine opportunity for Jesus Christ to do a fresh work in the hearts of people.
Join me in praying for those who are suffering unthinkable loss. Pray for those who have lost loved ones and pray for those who have lost their homes, businesses, and churches. Pray for the local church to shine its light through disaster relief efforts. And pray for these men that God is preparing to send on mission for Him. I’m excited to see the lives that will be changed forever because of our partnership at ABC. Because you give, God continues to Light the Way forward as we eliminate our debt, expand our mission, and extend our message.
Pray for me and our team, and I do look forward to returning to Austin later this week. This Sunday I will press on in our new sermon series, “After God’s Heart.” Be sure to join us at 8:45am or 11:15am for a special Lord’s Supper weekend. Invite a friend and I look forward to seeing you there.
Onward and upward,
Jonathan Spencer
www.jonathanspencer.org 