Start Right Here

At the start right here rally at the 2022 District Council, I shared a challenge that I believe God wants stxagm to plant 200 new churches in the next ten years. We were reminded that, “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit…was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. (Luke 14)”

While 2020-2021 was a difficult season, ecclesiastes tells us that “there is a reason and purpose.”

Chapter 12 opens with one of the most profound insights on what life is really all about…

V.1 - Remember now! - I want us to be able to say that, “we lived our season of power!” We cannot waste our opportunity! God has given us a season of power - a space of grace!

During Jesus’ temptation! When confronting the enemy… doubt…frustration…opposition…

4Jesus answered, “it is written!!! We’d better get used to saying… it is written! “The Lord will never leave us – nor forsake you!”

As we face a future with uncertainty… it is written – “the Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear?"

The Lord is the strength of my life – of whom shall I be afraid? It is written – “He is my present help in the time of trouble!”

During Jesus’ wilderness temptation – He was taken to the pinnacle of the temple… that’s the highest heights of religious institutionalism!

We must remain cognizant of the fact that without God - we are nothing! This is not about us! It’s about the lost in our communities!

“We have not been called to isolation. We have been called to activation. “ ~ Hal donaldson

There are enough lost people in our communities to fill every church in our district multiple times per week and we still haven’t scratched the surface of reaching the lost???

Let’s declare today that territorialism has no place in STX! We aren’t in competition...We are all on the same team!

Since 2011 we have planted 67 churches in our District! Praise God!

Without a real initiative or goal we’ve planted that many new works!

By launching the church health initiative (lead by Jim & Melissa Kautz) we are seeing an increase in the overall health of our churches increase for which we are grateful to God!

Today, we stand at a crossroads! We have been abundantly blessed to be a blessing!

Why is this so important? Just to increase our number of churches? Just to add ministers & ministries to our ranks? No - it’ because Jesus’ return is upon us and we still have lost people to reach! This is our season of power! We have returned from our wilderness the past few years in the power of the spirit!

God has anointed us for this moment! And, we are not going to waste it! And, it begins right here with me and starts right now!

We are one church - one team - in 300 locations to reach district!

Your success is my success! Your failures are mine! That’s how a team works! We aren’t in competition! And we don’t care who gets credit!

Remember ....Your church was once a plant!

We just want to see a healthy church lead by healthy pastors in communities from the Neches Valley to the Rio Grande Valley!

200 new churches in the next 10 years....

Because He is, I am, Tim R. Barker