Growing A Church Growth Movement & An update on the Church in Jellico

The Church in Appalachia is growing. A year and a half ago Edward (E.J.) Kennedy was immersed in Indian Mountain State Park’s lake. Benjamin Meeks was baptized this Spring in the same lake. In early May, Jim and Sarah Packard were immersed by Stephen Greek in the creek below our home. Others in recent weeks or months have professed a renewed commitment to God or shown sincere interest in turning their hearts God-ward, and we're having a steady flow of inquiring visitors.

Internally, we’re growing too. Two years ago Vince, myself, and three local men began meeting to learn “How to Study the Bible”.  Despite a 6 a.m. meeting time (That means they’re getting out of bed between 5 a.m. and 5:30 a.m.!), these Wednesday morning studies have grown --recently we had 12 men in the meeting. The skills gained in these studies are part of a leadership development plan for the Church. [A second Bible Study (a beginners group) has begun meeting on Friday mornings at 8 a.m.] 

Additionally, the Sunday preaching schedule this year now includes several of our members. In April, after two weeks of helping him prepare, Daniel Nelson presented his first sermon. Training men to privately prepare and then publicly present the Truth is a vital part of advancing the Church in Jellico to maturity.

The process of planting and growing a church is often measured in four stages. In the Initial Stage contacts are converted to Christ and constitute the initial church. As numbers increase and the new Believers regularly meet together for worship they are considered an established church. The church in Jellico is now progressing from this Established Stage to the next stage—the Independent Stage—where members assume more leadership duties in the Church. The final stage is the Mature Stage in which some of these leaders eventually qualify as Elders. The Jellico Church is well on its way to a healthy level of independence.

The growth of a church in Jellico is a first step toward GoodSoil’s broader goal to initiate a church growth movement within Appalachia. As our efforts in Jellico bear fruit, my eyes are searching and my mind is pondering how, where, and by whom can a second church be initiated and a movement begun.