See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.
— Isaiah 43:19
We are thankful for the vision of the Presbytery of San Diego to see church planting as an essential part of its mission moving forward to the future, and for launching Cyclical San Diego as a new missional initiative.
In recent years, church planting has surged in prominence. However, starting new churches is far from just being the latest church trend. We believe planting churches is a core part of the natural, historical lifecycle of the mission of God in the world.
Some might ask, Does San Diego really need more churches?
In short — yes!
Doubtless, there are many wonderful churches in the San Diego region. The call to plant new churches is not a negative reflection on any ministry or church. Rather, as Tim Keller notes, it is about igniting a movement that will effectively reach the many people around us — neighbors, coworkers, strangers, and friends — who still need to know the love of Jesus and will benefit the entire body of Christ in our region. The population in our city alone is projected to exceed 1.5 million by 2020.
Keller writes,
The vigorous, continual planting of new congregations is the single most crucial strategy for 1) the numerical growth of the body of Christ in any city, and 2) the continual corporate renewal and revival of the existing churches in a city. Nothing else will have the consistent impact of dynamic, extensive church planting.
Church planting is an invitation to join Christ’s mission of redemption and reconciliation in our broken world. As artist and musician Alex Medina says, we are called to “make new things until all things are made new.”
In the upcoming weeks and months, we will be starting gatherings for discerners and starters, as well as connecting with established churches, to further the ongoing lifecycle of starting new churches. We look forward to connecting with you and discovering how we can partner with you to start new churches.
Cyclical San Diego 