A Bold Ten-Year Goal!

“Gooooooaaaaaallllllll!”  Anyone who is a soccer fan loves to hear the announcer scream this as one team stuns another with a sharp kick of the ball into the net!  Announcing a bold vision for a ten-year goal can ignite a movement or inspire a nation.  When JFK announced his bold national vision, that “before this decade is out …to put a man on the moon and return him safely to the earth,” the nation rallied its resources, know-how, and enthusiasm around this ambitious project.

Luminex is the missional arm of the Regional Synod of the Great Lakes (RCA).  “Developing leaders to start and strengthen churches” is the broad mission of Luminex, a handle which comes from two Latin words: Luminis, meaning “light,” and Exponentialis, referring to exponential expansion or “multiplication.” We chose this combined word to represent the idea behind everything we do, namely multiplying the light of Christ. By multiplying light as we multiply strong disciples, leaders and churches, we help fulfill the Great Commission of Jesus to “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19).

We believe that in addition to the many services and programs we provide for leadership development, church health, and transitional ministry, God has also called us to a bold ten-year church multiplication vision that began in 2015.

Our vision is that by 2025 sending churches and networks of churches in partnership with Luminex will have started and organized at least 25 new churches and will also have sent out at least 25 missionary church planters to under resourced and unreached people groups within the Great Lakes Region.

This vision is bold because it surpasses our natural and organizational abilities, it enriches the ministry capacity of our network of 180+ churches, and it extends our collective reach to people who need a sustainable gospel witness in the great cities of our region.  As the great lakes states become more and more urban and more and more diverse, the challenge of planting more and more churches is absolutely critical.

How can you get involved?  The first step is to pray.  Pray for God to release and develop leaders and laborers who will be able to start these new works.  Pray that God will provide the resources and wisdom that we need to start these works effectively and creatively.   Other steps include helping your local congregation to get involved in sending and supporting these new church planter teams; personally becoming a member of a new congregation; volunteering to help with outreach events and evangelistic efforts; and personal financial support.

I look forward to that day in 2025 when together we can shout “Gooooooaaaaaallllllll!,” being careful to give God all of the glory for what he has done in and through us!