Out of every eleven people how many do you suspect attend an evangelical church in the United States each Sunday? The number is one. This hard fact is not based upon a survey, but on the study performed by the American Church Research Project administered by author David Olson. Our own C&MA is part of this study which helps us to identify with the burden and solutions revealed in the new book,
The American Church in Crisis. 
 
There are 52 million more people alive in the USA today as compared to 1990. This happens to also be the number of people who attend church each week including Catholic and mainline. There stands before us a great opportunity. Yes, growing our existing churches is important, but church planting is absolutely critical to making significant gains in reaching people with the great news of Jesus Christ. 
 
The pattern of growth in new churches stays in positive numbers for the first ten years of their existence. Nationwide, after a church reaches birthday number eleven the growth is less than 1% on average. Yes, we need church health and yes, we want to plant churches out of healthy churches—but yes too, we must plant aggressively. To keep up with the population growth alone, 2,900 additional churches need to be started each year. 
 
The American Church in Crisis does a lot more than declare the state of the church, it offered solutions. You see, extinction occurs most often when a species faces a crisis or change in its environment and is unable to adapt. Our churches must bear fruit, both by inward change in the lives of believers and in outward change through conversion, community transformation, and global impact. 
 
Pick up copies of The American Church in Crisis for yourself and your leadership team. 
 
—Bill Malick, Church Multiplication Ministries 

Posted by: Debbie Schermerhorn

Southwestern District — Arlington, Texas 
 
Last July 2007 the Filipino American Church in Arlington, Texas commissioned Pastor Rolando (Rollie) and Estele Calugay to start another daughter church in the Mesquite area of Dallas. Pastor Rollie and Estele started a Friday night Bible study that brought quick results. In August of 2007, they attended the sXt at Crown College and mapped out their plans. They rented a small room on Sundays at the Holiday Inn where about 40 can fit. The Friday night study quickly grew past 40 as new people came to Christ. Pastor Rollie started an outreach basketball ministry that now reaches 30 families. As a result they have recently had over 90 at their Friday night study. From July through December, Pastor Rollie reports over 75 professions of faith! 

Posted by: Debbie Schermerhorn

Southwestern District – Pearland, TX 
 
Our church, the Filipino American Alliance Church and the Southwestern District of C&MA, with me as church plant pastor, are “Living the Call Together” in giving birth to a church in Pearland. Pearland is located in the south area of Houston where many Filipinos reside. The city of Pearland is fast growing and is strategically located near the Texas Medical Center which is why it has become a home to many Filipino nurses and their families.  
 
We moved to Houston last July, 2007 and settled in Pearland in August. I thank God for assuring me that this church plant is His plan and He is going to make it happen. 
 
Our first big gathering was held on November 21, 2007. 23 adults and 10 children attended. This was followed with another worship and fellowship get-together last Christmas in which 35 adults and 10 children participated. To date, we have gained forty-seven contacts already. Among those are 5 couples and a single person who committed to be a part of our core group (launch team). Nine of our contacts prayed to accept Christ as Savior and Lord through our ministry. 

Posted by: Debbie schermerhorn

Western Great Lakes District – LaCrosse, WI 
 
In early January 2008, Rev. Brian and Jenn Faught began the process of relocation and church planting efforts in LaCrosse—a city of 32,000 people in southwestern Wisconsin. This was envisioned in the heart of Brian and Jenn, and with effort is the initiative of the Alliance Bible Church in Oconomowoc (where the couple ministered for many years). Alliance Bible Church is serving as the “sending church” and supplying logistical and prayer support. Financially, it is a partnership effort between the sending church, the Western Great Lakes district and some individual supporters that Brian has rallied behind this effort. 
 
Watermarx is intentionally designed for young couples of the emerging generation. Brian describes this endeavor in these words, “We want to partner with people to help them reach, grow and mobilize their friends, relatives, neighbors and co-workers to Christ-centered lives. Brian and Jenn will be spending the first quarter of 2008 making contacts, sharing their vision for a new church in this needy area along the Minnesota/Wisconsin border and formulating the beginnings of their launch team. With God’s anointing and participation of the body, this obedient act of multiplication will celebrate their launch in the fall of 2008! 
 
Watch Video» 

Posted by: Debbie schermerhorn

Spanish Eastern District 
 
Pastor Pedro Lopez, who initiated the plant in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, is likewise attending to the families for whom the majority has additive problems. Something distinctive in regard to these families is that because of their moral condition, they are encountering a disintegration of the family. Pastor Lopez is unfolding a strong ministry of counseling and we are managing an effective growth. With the pastoral ministry to the families of this region there have been many changes and these families which are experiencing change in their lives are reaching other families. We give thanks to God for this ministry. 

Posted by: Debbie schermerhorn

Spanish Eastern District 
 
We have 3 new churches, each of which is achieving an effective ministry. Pastor Ramon Cruz of the Hartford, Connecticut church and of the Iglesia ACM de Enfield, Connecticut has been significantly outreaching in ministry to the community. In this area of Connecticut, there is high percentage of Puerto Ricans. The majority of this population is going through problems of family disintegration. In order to reach them, a counseling program has begun which deals personally and gives attention to individual needs such as food, health, etc. They are blossoming and we expect in the vigorous growth in the future. 

Posted by: Debbie schermerhorn

Southwestern District – Pearland, TX 
 
Our church, the Filipino American Alliance Church and the Southwestern District of C&MA, with me as church plant pastor, are “Living the Call Together” in giving birth to a church in Pearland. Pearland is located in the south area of Houston where many Filipinos reside. The city of Pearland is fast growing and is strategically located near the Texas Medical Center which is why it has become a home to many Filipino nurses and their families.  
 
We moved to Houston last July, 2007 and settled in Pearland in August. I thank God for assuring me that this church plant is His plan and He is going to make it happen. 
 
Our first big gathering was held on November 21, 2007. 23 adults and 10 children attended. This was followed with another worship and fellowship get-together last Christmas in which 35 adults and 10 children participated. To date, we have gained forty-seven contacts already. Among those are 5 couples and a single person who committed to be a part of our core group (launch team). Nine of our contacts prayed to accept Christ as Savior and Lord through our ministry. 

Posted by: Debbie schermerhorn

South Atlantic District - Columbia SC 
 
Summit Church officially launched in Greenville, South Carolina on September 16, 2007. Our mission is to show and share the Gospel with every man, woman, and child in the upstate of SC. There are over 1.3 million people living in the 10 counties that make up the upstate of South Carolina and 80% of them are un-churched. We hope to be a church multiplication center for this region of South Carolina. God continues to bring people weekly to join the mission of Summit. We currently have 150 people that are calling Summit home. We believe that Jesus and the Gospel transform all of life and our passion is to let Jesus continue to change us for the sake of others for God’s glory and fame so that the Great Commission can be carried out.  

Posted by: Debbie schermerhorn

South Atlantic District - Columbia SC 
 
Our church has been meeting downtown for the last five months. We are seeing new faces every week. God is really doing some cool things and opening some doors for us. The backbone of our church is community groups. It is in these groups that our people live out the vision and values of our church. There are 5 groups that meet in the city throughout each week. We are currently pursuing partnerships that will help us be more effective in reaching out to those around us. We are very excited about what God is going to do through us in this city! 

Posted by: Debbie schermerhorn

Pacific Northwest District - Juneau, AK 
 
After months of assembling a team and hosting preview services, the church launched on Saturday January 19. They are meeting on Saturday evenings in a local school. Each week they have 50 to 60 people and are excited to have new people come each Saturday. Most of the core team moved specifically to Juneau to be a part of the plant with lead pastor, Travis Reed. Another couple is currently in the process of moving there from Canada to focus on youth ministry.  
 

Posted by: Debbie schermerhorn

Mid-Atlantic District – Winchester, VA 
 
Iglesia Rios de Agua Viva, a church of approximately 70 individuals has affiliated with the C&MA in the Mid-Atlantic District. This church was meeting in the facility owned by New Hope Alliance in Winchester, VA and developed an interest in becoming part of the C&MA. 
 

Posted by: Debbie schermerhorn

Hmong District – Sacramento, CA 
 
There are 20-25,000 Hmong people who live in the Sacramento area. The majority of them do not know Jesus. The Sacramento Hmong Alliance Church obeyed God’s call and sent out their assistant pastor, Rev. and Mrs. Peter Yang and twelve couples to plant the Hmong Family Community Alliance Church on the north side of Sacramento. They started this project in February 2007 and didn’t launch the church until January 6, 2008. There were 500 people, including believers and non-believers, attending their grand opening service. God continues to bless and draws people to this church every Sunday with an average of 6-8 non-Christians and 20-25 Christians. So the church has an average of 150-170 people attending the church service every Sunday. The amazing thing was that the church received a total offering of $5,000 for the month of January 2008.  

Posted by: Debbie schermerhorn

Hmong District – Milwaukee, WI 
 
Rev. and Mrs. Wang Xue Yang heard God’s call to start a church in Milwaukee, WI. They left their church at the end of June 2007 and started the Mission Alliance Church in July 2007. By God’s grace, they were able to form their core group and launched the church with 6 families or 35 people on October 7, 2007. They had about 400 people attending the grand opening from both the local churches and non-believers. This church has added 4 new families or 25 people. The church now has 60 members.  

Posted by: Debbie schermerhorn

Life Church opened with 200 people in 2003 and now has four church plants with thriving congregations. With the assistance of the Alliance Development Fund (ADF), a supporting financial ministry of The Christian and Missionary Alliance, Life Church has completed construction of the fellowship area, children’s classrooms, youth room, and offices, allowing a move from a rented middle-school auditorium to the church's own facility. The facility hosts four weekend services as well as mid-week programs. Community outreach has increased, enabling Life Church to fulfill its vision—Bring Life (Christ) to the Valley. 
 
Starbucks, donuts, and sinners. These three words caught my attention in the midst of the pile of mail on my kitchen counter. It was a flyer for a new local church that had this to say, “A Place for Sinners.” I knew I would be welcomed there. In my past experiences, church was not a place for those of us who had not led a perfect life. I was 24 years old, and church was about to change me. 
 
A woman I was dating at the time had been asking me to check out church with her. I had attended her church in Orange County but didn’t really feel a connection. Then a friend of hers told her that his former youth pastor had started a church in Temecula— the same church advertised on the flyer. I asked my girlfriend to check it out with me. 
 
We entered Life (Alliance) Church to hear the pastor welcome everyone and let us know that if we were perfect this probably wasn’t the place for us. He had my attention. We began attending Life Church regularly, and I really felt a connection to the pastor. Week after week I would leave feeling as if he were speaking directly to me. But my life was still my own, and it was a mess. I was slowly and steadily getting closer to the bottom. 
 
From the time I was 16 years old, I had experimented with drugs. It wasn’t until I was 19 that it became a daily need. My family, friends, and girlfriend were unaware of my addiction. I had been a functioning addict, but the addiction began to take over. I lost a lot of weight, fell behind in paying my bills, and didn’t care about any of it. I was too ashamed to tell anyone. I decided to test out the whole God thing and see if He really did care about sinners like me. One night I got down on my knees and prayed for His help. 
 
The next morning I didn’t feel any different, but the possibility of different was there. I made a choice with my head, not my heart, to have God help me get clean. I became a recluse in my home for a few days and kicked a six-year habit. The bills were still there, and I had a heavy heart for the life I had been living. I wanted it all to change. 
 
Within three months everything did change. I continued to go to church with my girlfriend and pray on a regular basis. She was waiting for me to give my life to the Lord. I was almost there. I asked her to marry me and was truly ready to move on with my life. All I had left to do was let go of it all and see what God could really do. 
 
When I let go of my finances, I lost my home. Finally, I was forced to come clean with everyone. It was like an enormous weight had been lifted. My life was falling apart, and I was relieved. My family and my girlfriend were confused and hurt, but happy to know that the addiction I had been struggling with was now gone. The next day we went to our church, and I got on my knees as a broken man before the Lord. He has been with me ever since. 
 
Life Church became our church. We became members, were baptized and joined a small group. A year later, my fiancé and I went through premarital counseling with Pastor John. The similarities in our stories were remarkable. He truly understood how I came to know God. There was no doubt that my wife and I were directed by God to be part of Life Church and have a man like John as our pastor. In the last three years I have shared my testimony in our church, dedicated my two daughters in this church, and made some great Christian friends. I even found a life verse: Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial (James 1:12). The life that I had is in the past. With God running my life, I have become a better man. I rely on Him to get me thorough the difficulties that life has to offer. I still have a lot to learn and room to grow in my faith, but with God as the strongest link in my life, I will never be broken again. 
 
About the author: Bradley Jay, a member of Life Church, is active in men's and children's ministry as well as home fellowships called Life groups. 

Posted by: Debbie schermerhorn

Eastern PA District – Lock Haven, PA 
 
A core group of fifteen began meeting for Sunday breakfast at a local restaurant on December 2. Their unique strategy in this college town is a partnership of ministry and business in which a full-time specialty coffee café will serve as the platform for outreach and ministry—a sort of “public living room.” The core group has doubled to about 30 in three months as they have worshipped, studied Scripture, begun laying groundwork for organizing a church, and planned for a September 2008 opening for the coffee café. The core group is already effectively reaching out—which has led to several unbelievers now attending their Sunday morning gatherings. 

Posted by: Debbie schermerhorn