If you would like to learn more about the Lake County Church Plant, please join Scott on Dec. 4th or 18th at 12:30 in room 227 for an informational meeting. Additionally, please visit our website for more information about the history, philosophy, and answers to some commonly asked questions.
At the start of 2011, Parkside's leadership team presented their vision for Building into the Next Generation which rests squarely on the importance of gospel relationships. As God continues to guide our steps towards fulfilling this vision, we are blessed to have the opportunity to extend our reach for gospel growth through the establishment of a regional church in Lake County.
With hopes of starting in mid-2012, Pastor Scott Kennedy, who will head up the new church, has been in constant prayer. "I don't think I have prayed more intensely in a two-to-three month stretch in my entire life. Every phone call, email, one-on-one meeting, and [group] meeting, has been a matter of prayer, and an answer to prayer, in many ways," notes Scott. "The really exciting part so far, has been meeting with unbelieving people in the community to present the vision. One example encapsulates this -- I cold-called a middle school principal in the region and he agreed to meet with me. I thought the meeting would last about 20 minutes or so, but God unfolded our conversation in an amazing way. By the end of [the hour-and-a-half-long] conversation, we were brainstorming together about how the church would support the school [and vice versa]. That might not seem like a big deal to some, but this was a guy I had never met and it exploded my mind with ideas as to how I might be able to reach out to the school. It started a nice friendship and led to other contacts. I walked out of the meeting not simply thinking about how the school could meet my needs, but how I could learn to care about what they care about--reading and math scores, getting an 'excellent with disctinction' rating, saving budget money, etc. When I do that sincerely, I show them that I am not in the community to suck away resources, but to build them up.">
Scott, and his wife, Mandy, have been meeting informally at a popular downtown Willoughby coffee shop with a small group of enthusiastic believers who live in the Lake County area and support the church plant effort. "We are purposely praying in a public location so that we don't lose sight of unbelievers," explains Scott. "That is the way this church plant is going to move. It will move out toward unbelievers." Scott has also been busy meeting with pastors in the Lake County region to let them know what Parkside's thoughts and prayers are, as well as to inquire about how God is working in their own ministries. "What is happening in their ministries matters because their ministries are a part of the spiritual fabric of the county," explains Scott. "I have been encouraged by the kingdom mindset that many of [the pastors] have expressed in their meetings with me. There hasn't been a territorial spirit, but rather a "Come on in!" [attitude].
In addition to meeting with local pastors and school officials, Scott has engaged area hospitals, colleges, businesses, sports teams, and others, in order to learn as much about the region as possible. "That approach usually opens a door to learn about them and gives us an opportunity to build a friendship," says Scott whose outreach efforts lay the groundwork that supports his church plant's philosophy. "It has to be a 'go and tell' type of operation," explains Scott. "Since we have nothing to show people so that they might 'come and see,' we have to be on a mission to tell people about Christ."
At a recent prayer time in Willoughby, the group examined Acts 2 and identified with the passage (Acts 2: 1-12) that allows people of different nations to hear their own language. While the Scripture describes the Holy Spirit granting the apostles with the ability to speak different languages, the prayer group sees a helpful application of this passage to their church planting efforts. "You have to trust that God will use your words to reach people with whatever language they need to hear," says Frank Komar, a prayer time attendee.
Joe Bonanno, another faithful prayer time attendee, agrees. "In Acts, it depicts different kinds of people -- men and women, young and old, servants, everyone. I think about this area, and I know from growing up here, it's a great melting pot of different types of people. We're going to be speaking with people from all walks of life and it's amazing that a similar situation is mentioned here in Scripture."
"Tim Keller (noted author, speaker, and head pastor at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City) says 'Speak in the vernacular of the people who you're talking to,'” adds Scott. “So you're not dumbing [the gospel] down, or watering it down, but you're just trying to help them understand it in their own way without changing the content of the message. That's a big reason why I like learning about this area and what's going on here."
As plans continue to develop, Scott encourages anyone who is interested in Parkside Church: Lake County to participate. Scott suggests the following ways to get involved:
Pray: If you sense God is calling you to be a part of this church plant, commit your heart and mind to the Lord. Prayerfully prepare yourself to be an instrument in the Lord's hands.
Tell: If you sense God is nudging you in the direction of this church plant, share it with your friends and family. Get their input. Ask others to pray with you and for you.
Learn: If you would like to learn more about the Lake County Church Plant, please join Scott on Dec. 4th or 18th at 12:30 in room 227 for an informational meeting. Additionally, please visit our website for more information about the history, philosophy, and answers to some commonly asked questions.
Connect: Get in touch with Scott at skennedy@parksidechurch.com. He would love to explore this exciting new venture with you over coffee, lunch, dinner, prayer on a Monday night etc...Or, "like us" on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.
How You Can Pray
- Pray for workers to become a part of the core team.
- Pray for a door to open in terms of a location.
- Pray for unbelievers to be converted.
