This Sunday Citylight Benson will be gathering for the first time as a new church! This is exciting and brings me to worship King Jesus for building His church here in Omaha. But before I share why this is such a big deal for us, let me briefly share how we got here.
Jesus Providing for Citylight Benson.
On February 4, 2015, we gathered as a church family and prayed. There is no church planting secret sauce, we just got together and during that gathering, Jesus gave us a clear calling to plant a new church. Then we prayed and asked Jesus to provide the right leaders, and God surfaced pastors Tyler and JD. These two men love Jesus, love the local church, and are men whom we love and trust! Then we asked God where and He gave us a vision for Benson and provided an amazing facility for us to gather in. Finally, Tyler and JD started inviting people into the vision God was birthing in them, and 175 adults prayed and felt compelled to give themselves to the mission of launching a new, Jesus-exulting church in Benson!
Celebrate Jesus With Us.
So, Citylight Family, friends, and followers of JESUS, will you just join me in CELEBRATING JESUS and this new local church?! In just a short amount of time we have heard from God and have seen Jesus do a new work right in front of us! In just a few days this new church is going to move from a prayer to a reality! People are going to be worshiping Jesus. The Gospel is going to be preached and Citylight Benson is just a small reminder that Jesus is building His church and advancing His kingdom.
Not only do we celebrate that Citylight Benson is actually getting launched, but we celebrate what God has done in and through this community already. Even during this core team season, people have gotten caught up in all that God is doing in this community, heard the gospel, trusted Christ, and been baptized. That is Amazing! God is already using Citylight Benson to make new disciples of JESUS!
We must celebrate Jesus, His work, and this NEW local Church. This is AWESOME!
Ask God to do More!
Jesus “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Eph. 3:20) and I just love to anticipate what Jesus will do in and through this new local church. In the next five years, I wonder how many high school students in Benson will get connected to this new church, meet Jesus, and discover a hope greater than varsity sports or a prom date? I wonder how many talented, creative, musically gifted people will get connected to this local church, meet Jesus, and come to worship our creative, artistic and beautiful God? I wonder how many broken marriages will look different because some couple from this local church invited them into community, prayed for them, listened to them, and loved them in undeserved ways? God is able to do more and re-write stories, and I want to ask you to join me in asking Jesus to do a new work in Benson. Let’s pray for our brothers and sisters, and ask Jesus to be with them, empower them, and do a work through them!
Join in What God’s Doing?
Also, could Jesus be calling you to join in what God is doing at Citylight Benson? Do you live in or around the Benson area and have a desire to reach your community? Are you disconnected from a local church and need a place to get connected? Now would be a great time to jump in as everyone at Citylight Benson is going to be “new”. Or do you just desire be a part of the story God is writing in Benson? If God is stirring something in you, then check out Citylight Benson this Sunday. Jump in. If you attend Citylight Midtown and want to go check out Benson and root them on, by all means, GO! Also, if you have a friend who may be interested, tell them about Citylight Benson, share this post, and let’s get the word out!
Shout Out to Citylight Benson!
To our friends at Citylight Benson, thank you for working hard, praying hard, and taking a huge step of faith to plant this church. It matters and I am encouraged by your love for Christ, each other, and this city. Pastors Tyler and JD, thank you for leaving your jobs, raising money, casting vision, hanging dry wall, creating websites, prepping sermons, loving people well, and giving your lives to this new church family. You men are pastors, friends, leaders, and have laid down your lives for this thing – Well done! May God do more through you than He has done through us.
To Check out Citylight Benson, view their website at www.citylightbenson.org or join them this Sunday, September 20, 10am at 5612 Corby Street for their public launch!
Chris Hruska