Mark Weible, Church Planting Director According to 2010 census data, the Orlando metro population is getting younger. Over a third of the local population is between the ages of 20 - 44 with the median age at 36.7. If GOBA churches are representative of national SBC trends, then most of the people attending corporate worship services are over the age of 50.

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Sifted - the theme of Exponential 2012 - emphasizes the planter's spiritual, physical and emotional health as the very foundation for reproducing. In Luke 22:31-32, Jesus' reference to Peter being "sifted" is based on the process of sifting wheat from its chaff during harvest, a form of refining and distilling the good from the bad and removing impurities. As Believers, we have been perfectly sifted by Christ's blood and are being continually sifted to extract our chaff (sin).

On Easter Sunday 2011, New Covenant Fellowship Church held their first Sunday morning worship gathering.  On September 18, 2011, the church baptized 13 people in their first baptism service.  New Covenant was started by First Haitian Baptist Church of Orlando as an English-speaking multi-cultural church body.

Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain. (Psalm 127:1) Church planting is much more than starting a gathering or a venue. It is about birthing a body - something that can only be accomplished by God.

I don't like the phrase "bi-vocational pastor" because it implies a dichotomy where one compartmentalizes his work world apart from his ministry.  I prefer to use the term "missio-vocational" meaning viewing your work place as your mission field. The International Mission Board uses the phrase "creative access platforms" which are essentially jobs in countries closed to the gospel that allow missionaries to gain access through employment.

As of today, there are no Southern Baptist Japanese language churches in the state of Florida.  That is about to change and you can help.  Dover Shores Baptist Church in partnership with GOBA, Florida Baptist Convention, NAMB, and the SBC Japanese Church Planting Network is starting a new church in Orlando for people who's heart language is Japanese.  A church planter and his wife will be moving to Orlando from Japan this fall.

Wedgefield Community Church, a 10 month old organic church in East Orange County, is celebrated their first baptism on Saturday, August 6.  WCC is sponsored by First Baptist Church of Union Park.  The church meets in homes, a park, and in a room next to the bar at Wedgefield Golf Club.   Follow Wedgefield Communtiy Church on Facebook 

 The Church of Life, a ministry of First Baptist Church of Orlando has a heart for sharing the good news of of Jesus Christ with tourists and people who work in the hospitality industry on the International Drive corridor in Orlando.  The church gathers on Sunday evenings at Palm Construction School at the Republic Square Mall on the corner of Universal Blvd and Carrier Drive.  The church operates a chaplaincy ministry to small tourist attractions on I-Drive an...

Pastor Jean Claude Alphonse of Emmanuel Haitian Baptist Church of Orlando needs some engineering help.  The church has purchased property on Rio Grande Avenue and needs to produce a documents for hooking up utilities to a modular building.  If you know of someone who can help, please contact pastor Alphonse at  321-948-7949. 

Click here to watch the baptism video John Grosshans works at a local theme park. He recently started a church in his apartment with college interns who work also work at  theme parks. The students that John disciples are from all over the world and are only in the Orlando area for 6-12 months.

Lockhart Baptist Church is starting a new Spanish language church. La Verdadera Fe (The True Faith) started meeting in July on Lockhart's campus.  Pastor Rob Arnold has been an incredible encourager of La Verdadera Fe's pastor, Orlando Robles.  Pastor Robles is a current participant in Greater Orlando Adventures in Leadership.

Here are some images from our "Blossom" church planting retreat at Central Parkway Baptist Church last weekend.  A special thanks to Florida Baptist Convention, Sun Coast Baptist Association, Billy Mitchell, Jennifer Carpenter (and band) , Bob and Niki Roberts and so many more who loved on these church planter couples.  ""Thank you, Florida Baptist Convention and GOBA for this retreat.  What a blessing for my wife and me.

Neil Cole talks about the contents of his book, Church 3.0: Upgrades for the Future of the Church at the Exponential Conference 2010 Listen to the podcast from Exponential 2010 In Church 3.0, Cole makes the argument that Christianity needs more than new programs, buildings, or worship formats. It needs a complete upgrade to a new operating system. The early church shifted to a more institutional form in 300 ad and has been stuck in the 2.0 operating system ever since.

Ed Stetzer, Vice President of Research and Ministry Development for LifeWay Christian Resources, shares from his book at the 2010 Exponential Conference in Orlando. Church multiplication movements occur when churches plant churches that plant churches to the 3rd generation and more.  Listen to the podcast from Exponential 2010. "We tried to create a standard for measuring a church multiplication movement.

If you missed the 2011 Exponential Conference, which was held at FBC Orlando in April, you can now listen to many of the plenary and breakout sessions on itunes.  Registration is now open for Exponential 2012 at http://www.exponentialconference.org/

GOBA pastor and church planter, Jason Dukes, was recently featured on the New Hope Publishing podcast.  Jason talks about what it means to "live sent" the way the apostle Paul wrote about it in II Corinthians 3:3, as an individual, and within a local expression of the Church.  Listen to the Podast

The new century that we minister in requires a passion and courage of apostolic style and individuals courageous enough to reach out to a lost and dying world. Church planting must be a chief focus of evangelism and mission thrust in this day. In order for the church to continue, there needs to be an awakening in order that it can continue to thrive.