Getting the Team Together: October Update

​On October 20th, our team had the opportunity to travel to Pittsburgh for the weekend. This trip served three purposes. Primarily, it was meant as a scouting trip to pray over and consider potential communities to target for the church plant. It was also our hope that this trip would continue to help us grow a deeper love and passion for the city and people of Pittsburgh. Finally, this trip served to strengthen our relationships with each other and helped us better understand our team dynamics.

The team together at last!

​Send in the Spies
I am amazed at how similar church planting in a new city is like the taking of the Promised Land. The obstacles are steep and any sane person might, like the ten spies who surveyed Canaan, encourage us to turn back and try something a little more manageable. However, like Joshua, our confidence does not lie in our ability, but in the promises and commands of Christ. The more we learn about Pittsburgh, the more we understand why church plants have largely been unsuccessful there. Pittsburgh is steeped in tradition and Catholicism, and even the geography itself acts as barriers to thriving church plants. However, we are confident in the God who is sending us to Pittsburgh that He will build His Kingdom, and He will draw His people to Himself, even the people of Pittsburgh.

​Our scouting trip took us to three communities or groups of communities, the first being the Belview and surrounding communities in the Northern Hills. We were fascinated with the lack of church planting work in the area and had a heart for this very traditional and established neighborhood with little access to a gospel-preaching church. Secondly, we toured the Sharpsburg and surrounding communities along a thin strip that runs between the Alleghany River on the South and hills to the North. This nestled community was alive with young families walking the streets and enjoying outdoor events and shopping. Finally, we traveled to a suburb of Pittsburgh, Monroeville. This once thriving community has seen better days, but the opportunity to establish a gospel presence is immense.

​Loving Pittsburgh
Long distance relationships are hard, and if you’ve ever been in one, you will understand the difficulty that miles create when attempting to develop a relationship. Texting, phone calls, and video conferences just cannot replicate what happens when two people come together in the same space. We believe the same applies to loving your target city. We don’t just want to read about Pittsburgh, watch videos of Pittsburgh, or talk about Pittsburgh; we want to experience Pittsburgh up close. We want to meet the people, eat the food, and see the land. We knew that if we really wanted to love our city, we needed to be there as much as possible. So, we did just that.

We met Bob, a retired mill worker who works as a janitor in a local church. We met Don, the pastor of a different local church, who was worried about the opiate epidemic in his community. We ate. We ate quite a bit actually. We experienced some of the many fantastic original diners and sandwich shops that make Pittsburgh a great foodie destination. Finally, we saw the sights. We saw the gorgeous but mostly empty old catholic cathedrals that line Pittsburgh streets. We saw the rolling hills and the many bridges that make Pittsburgh one of the most unique cities in America.

​I can with confidence say that our team mourned having to leave Pittsburgh and return to our homes and our jobs. Pittsburgh is a great city and we long to be there.

​Coming Together
Despite the many meetings we’ve had separately and the video call we’ve enjoyed together, this trip represented the first time that the entirety of our current team has been together in the same place. This trip provided a great opportunity for all of us to function as a team and learn more about our team dynamics. I think we’ve all walked away from this trip having all the more confidence in each other and excited to see how God will use us in Pittsburgh.

Thankful for the hospitality of PA Baptists.

One of many amazing meals in Pittsburgh.

What Now?
Pray

1. Pray that God will continue to give is clarity in wisdom in choosing a target community.
2. Pray that we will continue to be united strongly as a team.
3. Pray that we find someone who can lead worship for the plant.
4. Pray that God would give us favor with the city and community leaders.
5. Pray against the opiate addiction gripping communities in Pittsburgh.

Give

1. Give online at www.missiodeicc.com/give
2. Look out for an upcoming social media campaigned aimed at helping us reach our goal of raising $175,000 for our first year’s budget.

Go

1. Consider joining our launch team. Learn how at www.missiodeicc.com/launch-team-application
2. Like and share our social media posts. We want people to know we are here, but we need your help.
3. Consider inviting one of our team members to speak at your church. We’d love to hear from you. Email us at info@missiodeicc.com