Well, how about that. Sometimes our Lord surprises with quick hits on things that we’ve been waiting on for some time. That’s what happened with Ty Gooch.
It’s really exciting to welcome Ty Gooch as a church planter in the FiveStone Churches network. Ty and I have known each other for several years and, when I heard last winter that he was considering planting a church, I had to talk with him.
But he wasn’t ready to plant a church. He still was considering his future steps in ministry. He was on staff as an associate pastor at Park Community Church in Chicago and knew he was heading elsewhere in ministry. He just wasn’t sure of his next steps. So, of course, I waited for him to figure out that he should plant a church.
But 2011 began and the spring came, and still no word from Ty about what the Lord wanted him to do . . . plant a church, take a senior pastor role at an existing church or something else in ministry. The months of spring passed and summer came, and I was frustrated and disappointed. This was just moving too slowly. I knew Ty would be an outstanding church planter. All he needed was the conviction of heart to act. But he wasn’t ready.
Then finally, in July, Ty called me out of nowhere and said: I just wanted to let you know that I am all in for planting a church.
Ty said he was dropping his candidacy for the senior pastor role at a couple of large churches and was convinced the Lord wanted him to plant a church. I’ve been processing and praying a lot with men I hold in high regard and who hold me accountable for who I need to be in Christ. And my wife and I have been praying and talking a lot. And we are ready.
And he said the word ready like a man who has set his face to a mission. It was terrific.
Now that's a man who the Lord can use to plant a life-giving church. He’s already got the gift mix of preaching and leadership and the character of an excellent elder. Now he had the conviction of heart to persevere in the difficulties and challenges that always come with the planting of a new church.
Since that call, we’ve been working with several others on the church's identity, governance, organization, constitution, legalities, meeting location. And the seed of the core group is growing. The people of the core already are germinating--I call it growing roots and shoots--just like they should. We expect Fellowship Life Bible Church to launch in the area of Gilberts, Illinois. More to come on all of that.
For now, click here to check out a more formal news item. The linked article describes the new Fellowship Life Bible Church.