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ARC (Association of Related Churches) is very proud to highlight seven new churches that recently launched around the world. They are living examples of all the hard work and dedication put in by ARC church members and leaders to help other pastors start a life-giving church in their community.
The tenet of the organization is to never do ministry alone, and it helps people achieve their dreams of starting ARC churches through the education, training, and support they provide.
Here are a few of the new ARC churches that launched recently.
Elan Church: Naperville, Illinois
Max and Juliet Lyons launched Elan Church in Naperville, Illinois, on January 23, 2022. At launch, they had 300 people attend their service, and their current attendance is 185 people.
The Lyons want to provide an ARC church that is full of people who are led by the Holy Spirit, who are wise stewards of all that God has entrusted to them, and authentically who God created them to be.
The couple’s biggest challenge in launching their church was they didn’t know anyone in the new city they moved to, all of which happened in the middle of the pandemic. Meeting new people wasn’t easy, but they persevered and built a solid family in the community.
Echo Church: Rochester, Minnesota
Andy and Christy Cass launched Echo Church in Rochester, Minnesota, on September 15 of 2019. At launch, more than 1,000 people attended their service.
They want their ARC church to be a space where three worlds intersect: people, place, and purpose.
The Casses say they’re always working to achieve healthy balance and goals. They admit it can be easy to become overcommitted and feel tired, especially since they’re more than three years old now. However, they have learned to identify their priorities in order to stay balanced.
They also recognize the unique opportunity they have with the world’s top hospital, the Mayo Clinic, located in their city. With so many employees coming from all over the world, the Casses believe Echo Church can serve them all spiritually.
Milano City Church: Milan, Italy
Andrea and Elizabeth Imperato launched Milano City Church in Milan, Italy, on April 10 of 2022. They had 115 people attend their ARC launch service and have a current attendance of 70.
The Imperators have a mission: “That every person in Milan might have an encounter with Jesus which transforms their lives as well as the lives of those surrounding them.”
Their church is multi-ethnic, which presents them with their biggest challenge when building unity. Since they are a new ARC church plant, they hope to build a unique culture as well to fulfill their calling from Christ.
Union City Church: Washington, D.C.
Brandon and Delaney Woodward launched Union City Church in Washington, D.C., on September 12, 2021. At launch, their attendance was 283 people, and they’ve built up to a current attendance of 350.
The Woodwards’ vision is to build “a church united in a world divided.” There seems to be no better place than that, too, than the political center of the United States, in Washington, D.C.
The couple believes that Jesus’ church should lead the way in the midst of unprecedented worldwide division and show what it looks like to live in unity.
Gospel Church Co: Fredonia, New York
Billy and Randie Heather launched Gospel Church Co in Fredonia, New York, on January 23, 2022. Their launch attendance totaled 213 people, while their current attendance is 140.
The Heathers wished for their church to be a place where people could experience spiritual renewal. Some people in their community have been church-goers in the past, but many are just now experiencing what having a breathing and living relationship with Jesus is like. The couple’s goal is not just to bring a new message about Jesus but to renew everyone’s hearts to the gospel of Jesus, which has always been true.
The Heathers experienced quite the adjustment going from their last church, which was in a big city, to launching Gospel Church Co in a town of only 10,000 people. But, reaching out to the more than 3,000 college students who live at the nearby state university has led them to do campus Bible studies, which has helped them grow their reach.
Believe LA: Calabasas, California
Aaron and Adrian Lindsey launched Believe LA in Calabasas, California, on January 22, 2023, with a launch attendance of 745. Today, they have built their current attendance to 420.
From the get-go, the couple has wanted to inspire creative people, lift up leaders in the community, and lead families to their purpose. Since they are located in an area with many creatives, the Lindseys are excited about the opportunity to provide them with a home church. In fact, one of the pleasant surprises the couple learned was that there were so many Christians and people of color in the community who were looking for a church nearby.
The Lindseys took a chance when they launched their church, led by an African American man and his family, which was certainly out of the norm for the region. But, they relied on the wisdom of God to reach out to people in the area and build a successful multi-ethnic, intergenerational church spreading the word of Jesus.
COOL Church: Miramar, Florida
Terrance and Johanne Wilson launched COOL Church in Miramar, Florida, on January 27, 2019. Their launch attendance was 1,020, and they’ve built a current attendance of 1,500 people combined between in-person and online attendees.
The mission of their church, which stands for Created Out Of Love, is to “build strong families to build strong futures.” To that end, they are reaching out to their brothers and sisters in the community to add new families to God’s kingdom.
One of the Wilsons’ biggest challenges has been finding gathering places for their church due to the large size of the congregation. To overcome this challenge, they’ve developed strong relationships with city officials, including the mayor and city manager, both of whom have helped them navigate the issue.
The Wilsons weathered the pandemic storm by holding church services completely online for two years and have also been able to rebuild their in-person attendance to more than 1,000 once again.
About ARC (Association of Related Churches)
ARC (Association of Related Churches) is a cooperative of independent churches from diverse denominations, networks, and backgrounds that strategically resource church planters and pastors to help them reach people with the message of Jesus. ARC operates with a strategic focus on empowering church planters and pastors, equipping them to effectively spread the transformative message of Jesus. Since its inception in 2000, ARC has grown into a global organization, helping plant more than 1,000 churches.
