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Josh & Shannon Geiger
Starting a Hispanic Church Planting Movement in Dallas, Texas

A Clear Call
Then Jesus came to them and said "All authority on heaven and earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations..." Matthew 28:18-19a

With these words the Lord Jesus Christ gave the church its task. The church is to make disciples, proclaiming the saving grace of God in Christ to lost sinners and then nurturing those who believe into mature followers of Christ. The scope of this call is universal: Jesus sends His church to make disciples of all the nations.

With these words Jesus also gave the church its hope. Jesus is the Lord of heaven and earth, and all authority belongs to Him. Though the task is enormous and the opposition is fierce, the church can enter its work with the certainty that Christ will accomplish His purposes. Christ the Almighty King will build His church.

It is with this task and this hope in mind that Shannon and I are accepting a call to begin a church.

A Clear Need
#1 - The size and growth of the Hispanic population. The 2000 census counted 35.3 million Hispanic people (12.5% of US population). This population has increased by more than 50% every decade since 1970, and continues to be the fastest growing racial group in the US. Dallas, with a Hispanic population of over 600,000 people, presently has the eighth largest Hispanic population in the US. It is estimated that by the year 2025 Hispanics will make up more than 50% of Dallas' population. While there are many faithful churches in the Hispanic community, there are still an enormous number of Hispanic people that need to be reached with the gospel.

#2 - The strong cultural identity of Hispanics. The size of the Hispanic population in the US, the strength of their culture, and the close proximity of Latin America have all helped Hispanics in the US maintain a strong cultural identity. This strong cultural identity has meant that most Hispanics have not become involved in congregations of a different culture. There is a deep need for culturally relevant churches that minister to the needs of the Hispanic community.

#3 - The lack of a Reformed witness to Hispanics. The Reformed community has been slow to reach out to Hispanics in the US. Among the 12 PCA churches in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area there is presently only one Sunday school class that is actively ministering to Hispanics. There is a need for a Christ-centered, Reformed ministry that will preach the doctrines of grace in the Hispanic community.

The Vision
Our goal is to establish a Christ-centered, Reformed church planting movement in the Hispanic community of Dallas which would result in 2 churches and 2 mission congregations at the end of 10 years. This movement is to be characterized by:

· Culturally Hispanic worship that exalts God, edifies believers and draws people to Christ.
· Dependence upon God expressed in regular, fervent prayer.
· Zeal for Christ's glory and love for people that results in evangelism among Hispanics in Dallas and the US, and all peoples throughout the world.
· A ministry that encourages and cultivates the use of the gifts of the Spirit for the good of the body, with a special emphasis on producing mature Hispanic leaders for the church in the US and around the world.
· Teaching a Reformed worldview that seeks to exalt Christ in all areas of life.

The Strategy
In dependence on God's grace we hope to establish this church planting movement with the following strategy:

Phase 1: 0-8 Months: Learn about the Hispanic community in Dallas by talking to leaders in the community and studying. The goal of this time is to identify the linguistic, generational, socio-economic, and geographic location of the first 3 Hispanic churches should be located.

Phase 2: 8-12 Months: Identify and build relationships with leaders in the community where the first church will be planted. The goal of this time is to establish a Bible study that will form the core group for planting the first church.

Phase 3: 12-18 Months: Attract new members to the Bible study and cast a clear vision within the group for planting the first church. The goal for this time is to prepare people to be actively involved in planting the first church and prepare for the beginning of public worship.

Phase 4: 18-36 Months: Begin public worship and actively evangelize the community where the first church is planted. The goal for this time is to establish a God-centered, culturally relevant worship service that will minister to the people of the community and to begin identifying and training leaders for the first church.

Phase 5: 36-48 Months: Draw people into public worship. The goal for this time is to grow the church and prepare leaders so that the church could be a particularized, self-sustaining congregation at the end of this phase.

Phase 6: 48-60 Months: Unite the church in its commitment to worship, prayer, and missions. The goal for this phase would be to establish Bible studies in the areas identified for the second and third church plants, and begin preparing leaders so that new mission congregations could be established in each of these places at the end of this phase.

Partner With Us!

By Praying
We need you to pray for us! We are profoundly aware of our own weakness, but also convinced that God is able and willing to establish this work in Dallas. Please join us in asking Him to do it! Check the appropriate box on the response card if you would like to received regular updates about how you can pray for us.

Immediate Prayer Needs

· That Josh would be able to adequately prepare for and pass his ordination exams on August 23rd and 24th.
· Safety in our move and a smooth adjustment to life in Dallas.

Prayer Needs for the first year

· That God would give us a bold, courageous faith that is rooted in His promises in Scripture.
· That God would show us where He would have the first 3 churches established.
· That God would deepen and protect our marriage in the stresses of church planting.
· That the Lord would raise up Hispanic men and women who will partner with us in planting this church.
· That the Lord would help Shannon to learn Spanish and improve Josh's Spanish skills.
· That God would provide the prayer and financial support needed.

By Giving
We need financial support for this ministry, and we ask you to prayerfully consider giving to this work. The initial 5-year budget calls for us raise $115,000 over 5 years, about 30% of the total ministry budget. However, we believe that this is insufficient for the needs of this ministry. We are praying and asking God to provide $230,000 in support over the next five years. Support for this ministry might look something like this:

· 1 church $10,000 per year for 5 years ($50,000)
· 2 churches at $5,000 a year for 5 years ($50,000)
· 10 individual/churches at $1,000 a year for 5 years ($50,000)
· 20 individuals/churches at $500 a year for 5 years ($50,000)
· 30 individuals/churches at $100 a year for 5 years ($15,000)
· 50 individuals/churches making a $200 one time gift ($10,000)
· 50 individuals/churches making a $100 one time gift ($5,000)

TOTAL: $230,000

If you would like to support Josh & Shannon in prayer and/or financially, write to Josh to let him know! If you are sending a check, please make it out to the North Texas Presbytery with "Hispanic Church Plant" on the subject line and send it to 3878 Oak Lawn Ave., Ste 210, Dallas, TX 75219

A Clear Call
A Clear Need
The Vision
The Strategy
Partner With Us!