When most people hear the word "missionary" they probably imagine a Christian worker in a faraway land who is trying to adapt to a new culture while also trying to share the Gospel with the indigenous people. Church planters, in many ways, view themselves similar to that of a missionary because they have to know the people and the culture they are trying to reach in order to effectively share the message of Jesus Christ.
Five years ago, Jack Thomas and his wife began to feel called away from their home in Washington D.C. to start a new church plant in Pittsburgh, Pa. After serving as staff members at Allison Park Church near Pittsburgh for several months, they moved to the city's Southside community and started LifeStone Church.
Before officially launching the church, however, Thomas wanted to make it clear to the local residents that he wasn't just trying to build a church but that he was genuinely there to help people.
"That first year it was just all serving...and it really set a great tone and foundation for the church we were about to launch," he told CP.
The church began as a small community group, which made its goal to find out what needs in the community were not being addressed. After going door to door and asking residents what they felt was missing, it was discovered that the community had little to offer young families in the area.
"We came up with some really good events that we felt were going to be able to meet some practical needs, add some value to their lives, where they wouldn't feel that we were just trying to cram Jesus down their throats," said Thomas. Read more
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