There was a day when attending church was the cultural norm. People came to a church gathering when their friends invited them. They would hear a gospel message and over time some would come to faith in Jesus.

Though there are exceptions, the days of reaching those farthest away from Jesus through an invite to church are behind us.

People with non-Christian backgrounds experience social, cultural, and worldview barriers so great that the distance between them and a Christian worship environment is a bridge too far.

This reality is a major reason for the steep decline of prevailing churches and the growing number of unchurched people in our community.

For example, a group of churches in Montgomery County, Tennessee declined steadily from 10,800 to 5,200 (52 percent) in weekly attendance between 2013 and 2021, while surrounding population growth boomed and continues to increase exponentially.

While growing churches exist, member growth comes mostly from military and intracity transfers and Christian family migration, not lost souls with no spiritual background coming to faith.

‍The Result: While the culture has grown both in number and distance from God, the body of Christ has become less equipped to engage the growing population of neighbors, friends, and coworkers with the life changing news of the Gospel.

Is there good news to report?

Yes, the gospel of Jesus is still the power of God for salvation. And, Jesus' promise to be with us always as we go and make disciples hasn't changed.

Over the past three years, the Lord has worked through the Jesus Pattern Network to directly engage people who are far away from Jesus and activate existing believers to serve as laborers in the harvest. Followers of Jesus have been trained to have spiritual conversations and become active in praying for the lost where they live, work, and play.

Through our network partners in Nicaragua, multiple gatherings have launched in barrios from Managua to Leon. People are coming to faith in Jesus and learning how to make disciples.

In Lexington, KY, three young professionals were activated as ambassadors of Jesus, praying for and having gospel conversations with their lost friends.

Five people have come to faith in Jesus and moved forward with baptism through a microchurch that meets at a gym in North Clarksville.

A Middle Eastern refugee family is being served, prayed for, and hearing the gospel of Jesus through relationships built by network members.

An established church is developing a disciple-making culture within its body of believers that will result in multiple generations of disciple makers coming alive as ambassadors of Jesus.

But, we're just beginning!

Can you imagine the day when the Lord has raised up trained laborers in the 300 plus neighborhoods in our local area? What impact will the gospel have on future generations of Central American families as pastors and lay people learn and practice the disciple-making ways of Jesus?

We need your help to reach our 2024 campaign goal of $125,000...

...so the Jesus Pattern Network can thrive as a partner to churches and fellow followers of Jesus from our neighbors to the nations.

With your help, we can come together as the body of Christ and witness the foundation of a disciple-making movement.

Yes! I want to help reach people who are far away from Jesus and leave a legacy of disciple making for generations to come.