Falls UP! Planting Update #4

The following is a brief report on one of the 30-some new church starts the LCMC is experiencing over the last couple years.  

Niagara Falls is one of the most beautiful and powerful wonders you'll ever gaze your eyes upon.  Intrigued, dare "devils" have walked tight-ropes across it, while others have attempted to go over the watery edge in a barrel.  Some have succeeded, but many have not...even to their demise.

I have visited the city of Niagara Falls, located in western New York, a couple times in the last two years.  While the falls is spectacular and its reputation is romantic, the reality is that much of the downtown area is falling a part.  Some businesses are struggling to stay open.  Buildings that have closed doors are now eye sore broken shells.  Niagara, like many other cities, has its share of the poor in pocketbook, homeless and those trapped in addiction.

There is hope, however, because Jesus is leading the Falls, UP!  That's because one of our LCMC church planters lives in Niagara Falls and has a great heart for his city.  He doesn't want to see Niagara "falls"...but seeks God's heart for how the city can "rise!"

The Rev. Jonathan Haseley recently started a missional community in Niagara Falls, calling itself, "Barefoot Community Church"--- as in Romans 10:15, "Happy are the feet that preach the good news!"  Barefoot is Jonathan's first call, sort of.  You see, while going through seminary training, Jonathan served as a part-time associate pastor at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in nearby Sanborn.  Now at age 28, Jonathan is starting an unconventional missional church, while continuing to serve part-time at St. Peter's.  All that, while also being employed in the marketplace--- teaching in the Niagara school district and working at a rec center.  This, while also serving on the board of a local homeless shelter!  I believe Jonathan's sense of call may very well be the norm of the future, with more and more successful clergy keeping at least one foot in the daily marketplace for the sake of missional connections and effectiveness.

Obviously, Barefoot is in its baby-toe infancy, but with Jonathan's leadership heart, I see Barefoot imprinting a prototype foot print---  a kind of church plant that can get off the ground with very little up-front finances, but with a ton of up-front vision to reach a city for Christ!

Barefoot is currently....
...in the midst of forming its core team and laying out a timeline for the multiplication of missional communities and the launching of worship.

...planning on meeting in homes, local coffee shops, community pubs and restaurants in order to embed believers into the community.

...building connections in the greater Niagara region: such as the Niagara Gospel Rescue Mission (for inner city ministry), the Niagara Power baseball team (a local FCA "Fellowship of Christian Athletes" collegiate summer team), the Magdalene Project (an inner city ministry for women and children) and Destination Life Fellowship (an inner city church plant with a clothes closet and food pantry).

A busy guy?  Yes, but Jonathan knows the best way to reach A city is to be IN the city with fellow disciples--- serving a city's felt needs in the name of Christ.  Yet, Jonathan's passion for discipleship multiplication goes beyond western New York, as he also serves with three other LCMC pastors and myself on the first-ever LCMC Mission Team--- a group recently formed to assist in spreading the purpose of planting throughout our association.

Mission Team:
Rev. Jonathan Haseley (living in New York)
Rev. Jonathon Kosec (living in Florida)
Rev. Sean Kelly (living in California)
Rev. Nathan Anenson (living in Iowa)

While Niagara Falls has experienced its share of dare "devils" over the decades, it is now experiencing dare "angels"---  Christians looking to team-up with other Christians for the sake of those who are not yet...Christian.