Friday, July 25, 2008

Local Church Planting Highlight - Charles and Julie Kiser, Dallas

The DFW area is an exciting area for church planting. One local plant to be praying for is led by Charles and Julie Kiser. Charles and his team are planting a church in the heart of Dallas, working with both young, upward professionals as well as the inner city poor. Charles went to Harding University and was trained in church planting through Mission Alive (http://www.missionalive.org/), which also partners with Genesis Alliance, a Hispanic church planting partnership between High Pointe and the Highland Oaks Church of Christ.

You can follow the Kisers' story at http://www.inthestoryline.com/. I have added this link to a new section on my blog, New Church Plants.

I met Charles in a graduate class at Harding University Graduate School of Religion. He also interned at the Pleasant Valley Church of Christ (http://www.pvcc.org/) in Little Rock, AR, where my friend Chuck Monan preaches. Charles is a top student and has a great heart. I recently contacted him to let him know that others in the area care for him and are praying for the success of this plant.

Charles’ team is in a “pre-launch” stage. They are developing relationships with non-Christians by having neighborhood parties, joining social clubs, and seeking to integrate into the community. Let’s be praying for Charles & Julie!

For some statistics on church planting, see http://www.highpointechurchofchrist.org/reaching-out/4.

How much do you know about church planting?

7 comments:

Kiser said...

Thanks, James, for your support and encouragement. Looking forward to getting together with you soon.
Charles

James Nored said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
James Nored said...

Absolutely, Charles. We need to give church planters all of the encouragement that we can. I too am looking forward to getting together with you.

Anonymous said...

I am always encouraged to hear about people willing to follow God in the adventure of planting a church. James, thank you for promoting and making us aware of the new works God is doing in and around Dallas. I hope you and High Pointe will get involved with the Kiser's and be a real catalyst for changing the spiritual landscape of the DFW area. Check out how our new church plant here in Kansas City (http://www.restorecc.org) is doing. God is at work.... all the time!

Terri said...

Hi, I know this might sound stupid but what exactly is church planting and how does the program work ,and how did it get started? Terri from lakeside, member of Azle Church of Christ.

James Nored said...

Hi Steve. Great to hear from you. I know that you have been a tremendous supporter of church planting. So glad to know that you are leading that baptism class at Restore. May God bless you as you reach out to the community.

James Nored said...

Hi Terri. Actually, this is a good question. Thank you for bringing it up.

Church planting is a purposeful starting of a new church with the intention of reaching a new area or people group for Christ. If you see this original post, I list some links that tell more about this movement.

Many churches in our fellowship were at one time "planted." Unfortunately, over the last two decades many have experienced "church splits" rather than purposeful church plants with the intention to reach the lost. There is a huge difference. How the church begins sets not only the personality but the "DNA" for the church. As the statistics on my website show, new church plants have shown to reach many more people for Christ than the vast majority of established churches.

I hope that you will continue to dialogue with us.