Last night we were fortunate to have the Avila’s over for dinner and it was a wonderful time of fellowship, laughter, and prayer. What’s been so incredible in seeing this relationship bloom has been the shared vision that Veritas Fellowship and Soli Deo Gloria have for the city of Austin. We want the same things (multi-cultural church, fully engaged in the culture by participating in the creation of great art, winsomely bringing the Gospel to bear on the city in numerous ways) – we essentially have the same DNA: Reformed, charismatic, mission-minded, and a high view of Scripture and yet God has birthed us as two separate church plants.

What we found uncanny was how our strengths complement each other and are just now beginning to pray that God shows us how we can collaborate and draw on each other’s strengths to reach the city of Austin with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I see us as two separate fellowships under a single umbrella called The Church in Austin – mirroring what we see in the New Testament as brothers would write to an entire city which historically consisted of separate fellowships.

I am so encouraged that God has brought us together with another like-minded fellowship to band together. There is one other church planter that already has this same spirit of collaboration that I’m eager to join together with as well. What a great DNA to inject into this city – fellowships that are not competing for members, but fellowships that recognize the Body of Christ as a single entity that we are all a part of – even if every fellowship has its own membership roll (which I believe is a good thing for reasons of church discipline and accountability).

It’s an exciting time to be in Austin, TX.