Jeannette

When it comes to the world and culture, Christians can adopt a variety of stances. Theologians and social philosophers have described these in a variety of ways (Tim Keller perhaps being especially helpful in this regard). However, we have four basic options. For our purposes, we'll call them incorporation, isolation, insulation, and integration.

This month, we will begin a prayer team specifically devoted to upholding the City of Jeannette and our plan to plant a new congregation in that community. Would you consider joining us? Would you want to become a Jeannette "Pray" Hawk? If so, watch for more information here, on the Jeannette Community Church Facebook page, and in our church bulletin. More soon!

Hello, everyone!

It’s a new year! 2011 is almost gone, and 2012 is almost officially underway. Whether you’re rejoicing, grieving, or find yourself feeling a curious mixture of both with the close of the new year, let’s all remember that God is working together all things for the good of those he’s called according to his purpose (Romans 8). We don’t need to dread the passing of an old year or fear the advent of a new one. Our glorious future in Christ is certain, and we’re closer to it now than ever before.

This week, our elders will consider the preliminary church planting vision for Jeannette. If approved, we will then share the vision with our deacons and then the church as a whole. A formal request will also go to our Presbytery’s Mission to North America committee later this month. If approved there, it will go to our Presbytery, ideally in January.

Right now, we envision exerting most church planting efforts in 2012 toward preparation. Three things would mark our effort in this coming year:

Fifteen or so people and I just finished up a Sunday School class called Why Plant Churches? We looked at the Scriptures using a church planting document by our sister denomination, the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. We then considered various models of church planting (mother-daughter church, parachute drop, multisite, etc.). Finally, we listened to an expert on that very question, Tim Keller, with discussion.