Austin Christian is a vibrant and growing church with a similar dynamic. We have the word Austin in our name, and yet our meeting place and most of our membership are not in Austin, but the suburbs. After years of sending out mission teams and money all over Texas and overseas, we felt called to send one to our own city.
Yes, we are Austin Christian, and we sent a mission team to Austin. It seems counter intuitive, costly and, quite frankly, not very glorious, but we felt it was absolutely essential to God’s Kingdom and the mission of Jesus. With no money, people or location we prayed and planned.
God responded with power and urgency. He provided the money, the people, and an iconic Austin location to meet in – the Zach Scott Theater. All of this happened way earlier than we anticipated. Last Sunday we had the inaugural service of Austin Christian/South. God marked the special occasion with the fireworks of a lightning storm and a flood of almost Biblical proportions. He made sure it was a memorable and exciting start.
”The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic.” Psalm 29:3-4
Austin Christian/South is home to Alpha Omega - our campus ministry and The Tribe – our city ministry, a mix of singles and marrieds who live, work and love the city. Our goal is to be a 21st century church, that is upwardly and outwardly focused and relevant to the culture of the city. We also love and nurture a 1st century lifestyle. The same heart, devotion and community that blew people away in Acts 2, bringing thousands to repentance.
If your church has experienced The Donut Effect, reviving, rebooting or re-planting your city might be your best next move. Here are some of the reasons why it’s worth considering:
1. The city has more souls per square mile than any other place.
2. The city is the epicenter of Culture, Technology and Influence.
3. Jesus chose the city of Jerusalem as the starting point for his church.
4. Paul chose the chains of a prisoner to reach Rome and appeal to Caesar. The Roman church became a major hub, and reached members of the household of Caesar.
5. Big cities have big campuses. Tens of thousands of young, gifted and motivated men and women are looking for meaning and purpose.
6. Just 100 cities account for 30% of the world economy and almost all of its innovation.
7. This one is not very spiritual: Cities have great food. If you haven’t tried Franklin’s Barbecue in Austin, it’s seriously worth flying in for.
If you need encouragement, inspiration or simply prayer for the evangelistic efforts in your city, don’t hesitate to message myself (Christian Ray Flores), or Marcus Wallace (Alpha Omega). And pray for us!
Shared from the Austin Christian Church