HUMP #019: Rev. Matt Lipan-?The Hybrid Approach to Launching Indiana's Newest United Methodist Church"

HUMP #019: Rev. Matt Lipan-“The Hybrid Approach to Launching Indiana's Newest United Methodist Church" The purpose of the Hoosier United Methodist Podcast is strengthening the connection in the United Methodist Church in the state of Indiana to achieve the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ of the transformation of the world. In Episode#019, Dr. Brad Miller has an enlightening conversation with Rev. Matt Lipan, Lead Pastor of "Gateway Community Church" in Indianapolis. Gateway is Indiana's newest congregation launching on July 1, 2015 and chartering on June 10, 2016. Matt shares with Brad the story of Gateway and how he and the leaders of the church strategically took a hybrid approach to launch strong and grow rapidly to the point where the church now has two worship experiences with over 200 adults and children in attendance. Matt tells about how Gateway emerged out of the mission and ministry of the larger Castleton United Methodist Church; and how working through the "Fruitful Congregations Journey" process was instrumental in decisions by the Caslteton church to give birth to the new Gateway congregation which is now completely independent and stands on its own. Matt describes how working with a parent church and launching a new work has elements of a redevelopment project as well as a brand-new work and thereby is what he describes as a "hybrid" approach to church planting. Dr. Brad drills deep with Matt on the particular pressures of planting a new congregation the emphasis on reaching children in the growing suburban community and his vision moving forward of Gateway becoming a teaching church for the region and giving birth to new congregations themselves with a multiplication strategy. You will also hear about Matt's personal call to ministry and his faith journey as well as the joys and challenges of “do-it-yourself” home remodeling projects. Episode#019 of the Hoosier United Methodist Podcast is sponsored by the book “Meet The Good People: Wesley's 7 Ways to Share Faith” by Rev. Dr. Roger Ross and supports Mission Guatemala under the direction of Rev. Tom Heaton.