Planting Stories
Our church planters come from all walks of life — from various stages of life. Each one is called to minister to the lost, assessed to determine their giftedness and trained to be fully effective in the field.
Featured Story:
Jonathan Herron, Kent, Ohio
Jonathan and Amber Herron began their church planting journey in late 2005 after realizing a startling 85% of their friends and neighbors across their county were without a church home. God has ransformed what began as a dream with a core group of ten people into the energized, full-on church ministry, Catalyst Church.
As their mission states: “Seeing ourselves as missionaries to an unchurched and de-churched culture, Catalyst is committed to strong theology and progressive cultural engagement.” Meeting in the theatrical space of Kent Stage in downtown Kent, Ohio, helps further this mission to “see people far from God experience new life in Christ”.
Go2’s Midwest U.S. Church Planting Director, Ron Boehm, first met Jonathan in the fall of 2005 and has assisted him as a coach and mentor as Catalyst Church progressed from dream to reality.
Ron shares about the ministry of the Herrons and Catalyst Church: “Kent, Ohio has a great need for a relevant presentation of the gospel from an authentic, biblically-based, loving local community of believers, which is why I am delighted that Jonathan and Amber have been willing to obey their call to plant a Grace Brethren church there.
I have worked with Jonathan since the beginning of this project and have been encouraged by his enthusiasm for the gospel of Christ, his teachability as a younger leader, his commitment to his family and his willingness to endure hardships for the sake of God’s work.
While funding a work that reaches economically-challenged college students and young families may be difficult, this bold prospect is harvesting future leaders for the Church and impacting workplaces and communities around the world through Christ-following college graduates.”