Church Planting Requires Healthy & Effective Leaders
The vision of the Citylight Family of Churches is to see the good news of the gospel spread throughout our region, the nation, and to the ends of the earth through multiplying disciples and churches. It is our scriptural conviction that the church is God’s ordained means to reach the world with the gospel. Therefore, our strategy for fulfilling the Great Commission is planting churches that plant churches. While Jesus Christ is the head of the church, he has appointed men to serve as his under-shepherds and to lead local congregations. Churches will only be as healthy and effective as their leaders are therefore, the aim of our church planting residency is to raise up and release healthy gospel-centered men who will plant healthy gospel-centered churches that plant churches.
Recently, Citylight Fort Collins invited Greg Larson to a two-year residency with the intention to plant in Colorado in the coming years. Greg and his wife Amy and two girls are in the process of finishing well in and moving from Florida. Since surrendering his life to the Lord over 15 years ago in college, Greg has had a thirst and burden to learn and share God’s word.
“God saved me from a life of pursuing purpose and meaning in athletic performance and academic achievement,” Greg said with clarity. “I thought I was a relatively good person but understood I was not, and no one is perfect. I no longer wanted to do what I was doing.”
After a few years of being discipled and mentored by a staff member in a para church ministry in college, Greg was then drafted and played professional baseball for two years.
“The guy who mentored me challenged me to consider a career in ministry,” Greg shared. “It never crossed my mind. I did an internship with his campus ministry. The Lord confirmed that calling to vocational ministry when I retired at 24 from baseball. I came on staff with Fellowship Christian Athletes as an Area Rep. and worked with Central Florida high school and middle school students. I was on staff for seven years. I then moved to Louisville, Kentucky for a Master of Divinity degree program.”
After completing the program and marrying his wife Amy, they left for a three-year international mission post in Mexico. Greg helped with church planting in Central Mexico and caught the planting ‘bug.’ Two years ago, Greg and his family moved back to central Florida where he’s been an Associate Pastor for a local church.
“It was when I was heading into year three of our mission work in Mexico,” Greg described the calling for church planting. “We started to pray. Amy and I asked ourselves “What does moving back to Florida look like?” In Florida, I had a friend of who also had that desire for church planting. He’s involved with a Salt Network church in Gainesville. So, I looked at the Salt Church plants and reached out to the one in Greeley, CO. After talking to Jon Randall and Keith Brauneis, they flew us out for a vision trip. We also met Phil Robinson from Fort Collins.”
After that trip, Greg knew it was not the right timing. The transition from Mexico back to the states and then right into church planting was not the plan God was calling them to. Jump forward to this past January, Greg attended the Salt Network Conference in Ames, Iowa where he reconnected with the pastors from Colorado.
“I randomly ran into the guys,” Greg revealed. “We started talking and Amy and I caught up with Phil and his wife Paige. I shared that we were looking at church planting again. Asked if it was back on the table. Phil said yes and asked us to consider a residency at Fort Collins. We flew out in February and had such a great experience. We loved the church and the vision. A couple of weeks later we accepted their offer.”
This time, Greg and Amy’s conviction to church plant was undeniable. Greg’s burden to share God’s word, a gift of teaching the Bible and being affirmed by others, and the internal affirmation to read, study and share God’s word all pointed to plant and with Citylight Fort Collins.
“We were captivated by the gospel centered, intentional burden to get God’s word out there,” Greg said with conviction. “Getting involved with a healthy church planting network and serving alongside with people who have that passion is exciting.”
Currently, Greg is raising financial and prayer support. They are 70% funded and hope to move in July with a start date in August. They are encouraged by the people who have reached out to support them. And it’s been an overwhelming support so far. They’ve seen God’s hand, presence and grace in that with some of the people coming out of nowhere and giving more than expected. When asked how the Citylight Family could be praying for him and his family, Greg responded with,
“I think prayer for finishing the work the Lord has entrusted me at Keystone Heights and to finish well. To be able to not look too far ahead and to take care of what I have been entrusted with. Prayer for my family with two littles … For wisdom, grace, and help to be a good husband and father. That the Lord would prepare our hearts and give us wisdom. Prayer for the transition to FOCO and for the right time. Lastly, to raise up laborers in the next few years.”
Greg concluded with a word of encouragement to our Family of Churches,
“Whenever we are doing something by faith that’s in line with God’s will with the intent to glorify him and build his kingdom, we might see immediate results, and we may not. Our responsibility is to entrust God with the results. May we go out and work diligently for the glory of God and with the whole understanding he is in control and sovereign. Press on. Not on our strength but on his. Trust him with the results.”
Praise God. He continues to provide and raise up men and women for the harvest. In Luke 10:2, Jesus said “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” As a Family of Churches, may we pray continuously, equip generously and send out laborers for the harvest.
Join the Larson’s planting team with your prayers and support. Please consider financially supporting Amy & Greg and help launch a church in Colorado.
