Brandon is one of our current church planting residents. He and his wife Emily and their four kids recently moved from West Palm Beach, FL, to Indianapolis, IN, to plant Soma Church. They are building a team of people to plant their lives in Indy for the sake of planting a gospel-centered church.
How did God call you to plant in Indy?
My calling to church planting began with a series of events that transpired when I was 19 years old. First, I participated in a short-term mission trip to the Philippines with my church. On that trip, I was gripped by the reality of global lostness and urgency of taking the gospel to the nations. Second, I attended the first Passion One Day in Memphis, TN with my college ministry group. God used a message by a old nerdy guy wearing a tweed jacket (who I would later discover was John Piper) to rock my heart with a message entitled, “Don’t Waste Your Life.” As a result of those events, I committed in my heart that I would go anywhere, do anything, with anyone for the fame of Jesus’ name.
10+ years later, I found myself as a teaching pastor at a great church in South Florida. My life, in many ways, was comfortable and successful – great weather, growing ministry, and an incredible team of people to serve alongside. Despite these “comforts,” I began feeling a restlessness that God had something different in mind for our family. As I reflected, prayed, and discussed my opportunities with close friends, I became burdened that God wanted us to plant a new gospel-centered work in a strategic, underchurched metropolitan area. My wife and I knew that if we didn’t step out and join God in this risky venture, that we would look back years later with regret on a missed opportunity to believe Jesus’ promise that “I will build my church.”
Why Indianapolis?
Once we made the decision to plant, our hearts were quickly drawn back to the Midwest where we grew up and to Indianapolis in particular. Indy is a city of tremendous need for the gospel. One hundred years ago, Indy was dubbed “a city of churches,” as the number of churches grew by such a rapid rate that they outpaced even the city’s population growth. Today is a much different story – of the 2 million people that make up the Indy metro area, only about 15% attend an evangelical church. A recent study conducted by the IMB showed that at the current rate of church planting, it would take more than 1900 years to reach Indianapolis, which ranks dead last among major U.S. cities.
How can people get involved?
Right now, we’re in the process of forming a team to help plant this gospel work in Indianapolis (we’ve had several join us already). We are asking God for 30 people to partner with us in this journey.
- Families – maybe you find yourself asking how God can imprint the Great Commission into your marriage and children. Indianapolis is a great place for families – the economy is great, schools are top notch, and the city was recently ranked as one of the top 10 cities to live in the U.S.
- College seniors – the decision you make about what to do after graduation will set the course of your life for the next few years. Why not join us in Indianapolis and commit to intentionally leveraging your life for God’s mission?
- Young professionals – spend the next season of your life making God’s name great in a major U.S. city where the gospel is not known.
- Or maybe you have a connection to Indy and God has put this city on your heart.
Wherever you’re at, I want to challenge you to come on board with Soma Church – to move, get a job in the city, and be a missionary to this great city that desperately needs the gospel. To find out more, fill out the form below and someone from our team will follow up with you.
Or maybe you know people in Indy who need a church – we would love to connect with them as well.
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