Bethany and I sensed God leading us to this area for a number of reasons. Here are a few that I believe create a unique opportunity for this new Christian community to do something significant for our area and the Kingdom of God...
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Upon initiating conversations with the team at Watermark over a year ago, we immediately knew there was a strong kindred spirit in the ways we saw the world and desired to be a constructive influence in it for Christ! That, along with the fact that there are a number of other like minded churches in the area, create a rare opportunity to plant a number of new churches that will reach many new and different people for the Kingdom of God.
- We love the beauty and outdoor opportunities that this area provides in terms of our social interests and felt those would fit well with an experiential style of discipleship.
- The most significant “God’s audible voice” factor for us in this process was seeing this unique and incredibly diverse area and one in which affluence and neediness intersect, and feeling a burning desire internally to share Christ with both worlds!
- One final thing that stood out to us from our first visit to the area was how the retail development around the Lakes Mall has become a rallying point for the entire area. In a place where little towns tend to keep more to themselves, we believed it was a significant indicator that we felt called to plant in a place that draws the surrounding communities in a pretty significant way.