{"id":22659,"date":"2024-02-01T07:00:11","date_gmt":"2024-02-01T12:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/?post_type=resource&p=22659"},"modified":"2024-02-05T17:02:28","modified_gmt":"2024-02-05T22:02:28","slug":"california-church-plant-witnesses-stories-of-redemption-in-a-military-community","status":"publish","type":"resource","link":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/resource\/california-church-plant-witnesses-stories-of-redemption-in-a-military-community\/","title":{"rendered":"California Church Plant Witnesses Stories of Redemption in a Military Community"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
The Carters are planting Pillar Church of San Diego to reach the military community around them who is in desperate need of Christ.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A year and a half into church planting, Daniel Carter was ready to quit. The members of his church were being deployed or assigned to different military bases all around the country faster than new disciples were taking their spots, and he and his wife, Rachelle, were left to stare at the empty seats.<\/p>\n

\u201cI felt discouraged and shattered in the despair that we had done all this work, and we had barely anything to show for it,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Pillar Church of San Diego, which is situated nearby several Navy bases, is a part of a family of churches called the Praetorian Project that is focused on planting churches near military bases worldwide. But much of what makes church planting in military communities a great opportunity is the same aspect that makes it challenging.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe thing with military church plants is the transience,\u201d says Daniel. \u201cSome years, everyone gets orders and moves on. That first year was the perfect storm, and we sent out so many people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Daniel credits the encouragement of fellow Send Network planters, his church elders and God\u2019s faithful provision as the reasons Pillar Church of San Diego has endured. Today, three years into the church plant, the Carters have witnessed dozens of stories of God\u2019s redemption in their broken community \u2013 like the story of Chris and Kelly.<\/p>\n

When Chris and Kelly stumbled upon a block party organized by Pillar Church of San Diego, \u201cthey probably thought we were a little awkward,\u201d Daniel admits. But when a series of trials appeared in their lives six months later, they knew exactly where they could go. Chris and Kelly came to Christ through hearing the gospel at Daniel\u2019s church, and they were baptized on a Sunday a few weeks later.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Chris and Kelly chose to be baptized together on the same Sunday after coming to know the Lord through Pillar Church of San Diego.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
After his own baptism, Chris baptizes his wife Kelly. The couple came to know Christ after meeting Pillar Church of San Diego through a block party.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Before attending Pillar Church of San Diego, another couple\u2019s marriage was teetering on the brink of divorce. The Carters witnessed this couple turn to God to heal their marriage by walking alongside other Christians and counselors.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey ended up getting orders to Hawaii,\u201d says Daniel, \u201cBut they were evangelistic and invited people to church and even sought to impact other couples around them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s the story of Nick, who found Christ simply because he took his daughter to play at a park where Pillar San Diego was conducting worship services in the early days of COVID-19. Daniel recalls, \u201cHe sat down for a year straight, and the Lord saved him, and he became a member of our church just through us being at the park and being forced to sit through services.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another military wife, Brooke, accepted Christ after a member family from the church walked her through the Three Circles<\/a>. Brooke started passing out \u201cblessing bags\u201d and inviting families who were new to the community to church.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think what’s unique about the military is so many of them come with these leadership giftings and talents,\u201d Daniel says. \u201cIf they’re intentionally discipled for two to three years, it’s like the Spirit catalyzes that towards them owning God’s Great Commission purposes.\u201d<\/p>\n

But there are a lot more military servicemembers in the Carter\u2019s neighborhood who need Christ. When they prayer walk a military housing subdivision nearby, Daniel and Rachelle often hear and see signs of brokenness.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe hear screaming with marriage fights. We hear screaming towards the kids. We see small U-hauls that are often meant to take one spouse away to leave the marriage,\u201d Daniel shares.<\/p>\n

These signs all point to the complicated needs of military families \u2013 needs that, ultimately, only the gospel can solve. It\u2019s why Daniel believes that churches everywhere need to \u201cget their hands dirty and lean into the brokenness.\u201d<\/p>\n

For churches who are not sure how to start reaching out to the military servicemembers around them, Daniel says that showing Christian love and hospitality is a good start. Because military servicemembers and their families often move every two to three years, cultivating spaces for them to be able to plug in quickly is another important step.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we can get into that mindset that the kingdom is better off because we poured into this person, they are more like Jesus, more equipped for gospel work. Versus just looking at our church\u2019s growth\u2026I think if we can get that mindset, it will be pleasing to Jesus and will fill us with joy.\u201d<\/p>\n

To learn more about how you and your church can play a vital role in bringing Christ to the U.S. Military through church planting, visit SendNetwork.com\/Military.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A year and a half into church planting, Daniel Carter was ready to quit. The members …<\/p>\n

California Church Plant Witnesses Stories of Redemption in a Military Community<\/span> Read More »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":22662,"template":"","meta":{"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"content-type":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"tags":[],"channels":[],"topics":[239,248],"languages":[],"class_list":["post-22659","resource","type-resource","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","resource_type-article","topics-military-communities","topics-military-communities-church-planting"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nCalifornia Church Plant Witnesses Stories of Redemption in a Military Community - Send Network<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/resource\/california-church-plant-witnesses-stories-of-redemption-in-a-military-community\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"California Church Plant Witnesses Stories of Redemption in a Military Community\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A year and a half into church planting, Daniel Carter was ready to quit. 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