An Awesome God and the people He uses
What a journey this has been, two full years of pastoral residencies! Yes, two years of preparation, growth, and learning in ways I never expected. As a church planter stepping into unfamiliar territory, I feel the need to pause and testify to the goodness of God and the generosity of His people.
Fuente de Esperanza is getting ready to launch on September 21st. And as the date gets closer, so do the questions: Are we ready to truly love people well? Are we ready to invest our time, resources, and finances into a community that God has clearly called us to serve?
A few questions that haunt almost every church planter are: Where will the finances come from? Can we survive on what’s coming in? Will we have enough to keep the lights on and meet our basic needs? How can a brand-new church plant “compete” in an area filled with well-established churches that seem to be thriving?
Each planter’s journey will look different, and every answer will vary depending on context. FDE is no different. I want to share a recent story that I pray will encourage others, especially those who are currently in the process of planting or wrestling with the call to step out in faith.
As we moved closer to our launch date, we put together a clear list of basic needs to help us start well on day one. With the help of two talented core team members, we organized the needs and created a simple way to share them with our friends, family, local churches, and potential partners.
The response was overwhelming. In less than 8 hours, nearly everything on the list was purchased.
This wasn’t a marketing strategy. It was simply an honest and humble presentation of real needs to the people of God. And they responded with radical generosity. It’s just one of many reminders that God is faithful, and He moves His people to action.
To my fellow brothers who are planting churches or discerning whether to take the next step, please hear me, this is not a formula. But here are some essentials I’ve learned firsthand in this season:
Intentional relationships with the local church. You cannot do this alone. You need the covering, wisdom, and partnership of the broader body of Christ.
Intentional relationships with your core team before launch. Don’t skip this. Invest in them. Walk with them. Build unity early.
Faithful stewardship of God’s financial provision. Be wise, transparent, and kingdom-minded in how you handle the resources entrusted to you.
One of the greatest gifts of this past season has been clarity not just about what we’re doing, but how we’re called to do it. The final month of my residency gave me space to look back and take inventory of all God has done, not just around me, but in me.
I’ve come to realize more than ever that planting a church isn’t about charisma or cleverness. It’s about faithfulness. It’s about building something real, with people who know you, not just the polished version, but the messy, needy, prayer-dependent you. Because the truth is, we all need people in our corner who will pray for us, ask the hard questions, and remind us of what’s true when we forget.
A pastor once challenged us with a warning: “Don’t isolate yourself in ministry. That’s where things go wrong.” He called it the “foxhole mentality” the need for people beside you in the battle. That image has stuck with me. Church planting is a war zone. And if I’ve learned anything, it’s that lasting fruit comes from shared sacrifice, intentional community, and gospel clarity.
That’s what we’re praying Fuente de Esperanza will be; a church marked by relational discipleship, transparency, and Christlike humility. A church where no one walks alone, and where the gospel isn’t just proclaimed from the pulpit but lived out in homes, coffee shops, and daily life. To plant that kind of church, we need more than a launch date, we need love, unity, and a deep dependence on God.
This is the culture we’re committed to building. Not a perfect church, but a faithful one. Because at the end of the day, it’s all about Jesus.