Beyond Church planting dreams

It was the night the Living Faith Lutheran Church community at Murrumba Downs in northern Brisbane had been planning and praying for.

On 14 June 2015 the latest church plant in the LCA was launched with more than 100 people attending worship.

Called Beyond Church and based at Living Faith Primary School, Murrumba Downs, it is designed to reach the unchurched in the second-fastest growing community in the region, where the average age is between 25 and 30.

Beyond Church is reaching a generation of people who have never walked inside a church in their life.

The small church-planting team which formed out of the ‘sending church’ (Living Faith) is amazed by what God is doing as they see new people becoming followers of Jesus.

Beyond Church is reaching a generation of people who have NEVER WALKED INSIDE A CHURCH in their life.

I recently visited Beyond Church and am now working with Chris Podlich, the lay worker leading the Beyond Church planting team.

Chris is part of a new breed of Lutheran lay workers blazing fresh trails in church planting in the LCA.

Due to sound research and preparation by the sending church leadership team, all of the elements that make for sustainable and successful church planting have been applied here.

These include a sending church with a supportive pastor (David Schuppan) and leadership team; a team approach; contextualised relational evangelism; and team training and coaching for the leaders in the field.

People often ask me how they can support exciting new outreach ventures such as Beyond Church. The most important thing you can do is pray, so keep all the people involved with or touched by this thriving new church plant in your prayers.

Dean Eaton is the LCA’s church-planting mentor.

To find out other ways you or your congregation can be involved, email dean.eaton@lca.org.au

Impact above and beyond

Team leader Chris Podlich says Beyond Church is making a real impact. ‘Its leadership team is growing, lives are being changed and people who have never even considered going to church are inviting their friends along to hear the message of a Saviour who gave it all for them’, he says. ‘The church for unchurched people is changing lives and leading people to become fully devoted followers of Jesus.’

Contact Beyond Church at:

a: 50 Brays Rd, Murrumba Downs Qld 4503

e: office@beyondchurch.com.au

p: 07 3886 5496

More information: Beyond Church Facebook page. 

This feature story comes from The Lutheran April 2016. Visit the website to find out more about The Lutheran or to subscribe.