Growing the Church

Christian and Missionary Alliance church plants are having a significant impact throughout the denomination. Sunday September 15 was a special day for Irish Hills Community Church, one such church plant in rural southern Michigan. The church held its official grand opening that day, with 101 worshipers in attendance. The week prior the church baptized six new believers, and more than half of the 60 attendees were nonbelievers. 
     According to Pastor Jeff Eagen, the church has come a long way since its beginnings in a Southern Michigan Coon Hunter’s Association Lodge. After meeting for more than a year, more space was needed. The group, currently made up of about 75, now meets in Onsted Middle School. 
     Working in a rural farming area brings challenges, says Eagen, who, before coming to the Irish Hills area, had been church planting in inner-city Philadelphia. Eagen describes the community, saying, “There are the farmers who come from many generations. There’s a great sensitivity to spiritual things but not necessarily to ’church.’ Many don’t see the relevance.” 
     Irish Hills, an attractive area made up of numerous lakes, is seeing much growth. One study indicates that 72,000 people reside within a 12-mile radius of the church. That number is estimated to grow by 5,000 within the next five years, and church leaders hope church growth parallels the growth in the community. 
     Eagen’s idea of pastoring did not include church planting originally. As a matter of fact, he says, “When I went to Fort Wayne Bible College in Indiana I was confident of two things: that I would never be called to be a church planter, and that I would never be called to an urban environment. Within five years I was in inner-city Philadelphia doing church planting.” Prior to that Eagen was involved in an eight-year replanting ministry in Dingman’s Ferry, Pennsylvania. 
     Irish Hill Community’s focus centers on servant evangelism. Pastor Eagen’s goal, he says, is to “demonstrate the love of Christ in a practical way with no strings attached.” The church gave away 400 carnations at restaurants and gas stations, and at the local annual festival they handed out water bottles, complete with the church’s label—300 gallons in all. Church members have picked up trash in the neighborhood. Five hundred elementary students were supplied with back-to-school packs. Even school faculty were not forgotten as “survival packs” were given to 150. 
     Eagen says, “We want to build personal relationships. One of the first things I did here was to become a volunteer fire fighter. If I am not willing to do it, I can’t expect anyone else to.” 
     Irish Hills Community Church has grown because of its people. Pastor Eagen says, “I don’t have all the gifts. For the body to function properly all the parts must contribute. It’s not about me. We rise or fall as a body, and we do it together.” 
     The church envisions planting three daughter churches in the next 10 years. Pastor Eagen hopes to see granddaughter churches birthed out of those churches as well. He says, “We’re trying to keep it really simple; our number-one focus is lost people. Our second priority is leadership development. The third priority is to get people serving in their areas in compassion.” 
     The baptism September 8 of six new believers in Pastor Jeff Eagen’s backyard pool is the beginning of what God plans to do with resources from this rural church plant in the Irish Hills, Michigan. Pray that as they spread the gospel to the outlying communities, God will increase their bounty until Jesus comes again.

Share

Get Involved...

Pray.

We cannot “Live the Call Together” unless prayer is central to all we do.
Pray with us »

Serve.

Is God calling you to service? We’re here to help you connect your passion with God’s purpose.
Serve with The Alliance »

Give.

Help build Christ’s Church by supporting the ministry and workers of The Alliance.
Give today »