Don't call it a comeback – Lee's planting a church!

Lee Stephenson: 00:00:09

Hey, welcome everyone to Unfiltered. This is Lee Stephenson. I get the privilege of serving Converge as the executive director of church planting and my co host here, Danny Parmalee.

Danny Parmelee: 00:00:21

From Converge Mid America. And I oversee church planting in our Converge Mid America region.

Lee Stephenson: 00:00:27

So glad you're with us today. So we're excited to continue to have real conversations about church planning things going on around the world and in our lives.

Danny Parmelee: 00:00:36

Yeah, and I think that this one's going to be very, very exciting because I have some exciting news and I am just really, really curious to know some of the backstory. But a little birdie told me, Lee, that you may be getting back into the church planting game. Is that true?

Lee Stephenson: 00:00:54

Yeah, and I wouldn't say I've ever left the church planting game. You know, that's been part of our heart for a long time and that's why I do what I do even now leading church planning efforts for Converge.

But yeah, when I say we, my wife and I are going to be spearheading on top of our current responsibilities with Converge, a local church plant here within our community.

Danny Parmelee: 00:01:19

Yeah, and I know lots of people know already kind of who you are, but I know we'll have quite a few other listeners that are going to curious about this. So give me a quick snapshot of your planting story.

What year did you first plant your first church and kind of how that grew and then how you stepped into this role?

Lee Stephenson: 00:01:42

Yeah, great questions.: 2004

That question quickly moved us from where I we reside in South Bend, Indiana where I was a youth pastor to Mesa, Arizona. Mesa was such a, I mean in some ways a unique context because it was a heavy LDS Mormon population.

But we felt really drawn to that area and just felt like it'd take me a little time to get my bearings and understand the culture of the city and how to effectively plant. So we began to slowly put together vision pieces and build a launch team.

Really began to ramp up in: 2008

The Phoenix metro area, did church, movie theater, did church in a high school, eventually moved the church into a permanent facility with land in the community. Went really well.

So we the time there, so I was there from, you know, we opened the doors in 09, I left the church in 15, had a great staff, we were running four services, over a thousand people on the weekend. And you know, I felt like we were making a difference in the community and around.

Danny Parmelee: 00:03:06

And you transitioned into this role, which is the, you know, the national role, over church planting, helping Converge, both churches and church planters, you know, kind of on a national level. Was that hard for you to leave the church? And did you ever think, I'm going to plant another church?

Lee Stephenson: 00:03:29

I'll answer that in parts. There are parts of it, yes. We knew. We felt like God was moving us for some reason.

Didn't fully have the answers at the time, but we knew that God was asking us to take a leap of faith. Part of that was really, you know, we weren't looking to leave.

We got a phone call from Scott Rideout, the President Converge, asking if we'd be willing to move and take this role. And my first initial reaction was, thanks, but no thanks. Like, I'm good. Like, we're. We're ramping up. Things are going really well here.

And God just began to slowly kind of work in our hearts in different ways for my wife and I. But it caused us to hit the pause button and really begin to search, like, how has God gifted us and what has he really called us to?

me rewind all the way back to: 1997

And I remember it very specific. Like it was towards the American church and all this kind of stuff. And I think it was just. That's just all I knew and how to interpret that call.

And the more I thought about it, the more I even reround back to that moment. I really feel like God, he's given me an apostolic gift.

And so I felt like this role was probably actually more connected to how I'm gifted when it comes to leading a broader perspective and broader movement than just what we were doing there at the local church. Because I look back, even the way we were building a church, I was kind of. I was doing that anyways.

Like, I was going to build, you know, networks and systems and create this thing that was a little bigger than just what that immediate church body was. But there's always a part we just have a passion for the local church that's never waned. And really, for me, it's an evangelistic pull.

I'm a natural evangelist. That's just how I'm wired. And it aches my heart when I drive by houses and houses and houses and just know these people.

st of: 2015

And there are great churches in and around Orlando, but we just felt like there was a hole in the specific region of Orlando and even central Florida. And we just prayed. I didn't see myself at that point.

We always knew we'd be well involved in churches and even church planning at some level, personally, like volunteering, helping, coaching, like, that would never disappear. And we just began to pray for our community, pray for our neighborhood, just like God, you know, continue to work, draw, do something here.

And Orlando's probably the darkest spiritual city I've ever lived in. I know there are other ones out there, but for me personally, that I've lived in, it feels spiritually dark.

And so we just were praying, like, God send planters, like, send people to make a difference in the city and beyond all throughout central Florida, and felt like, tried. Like we were trying to recruit guys in.

Danny Parmelee: 00:07:07

I remember having a conversation about that.

Lee Stephenson: 00:07:10

Yeah. And just like God just kept shutting doors and not understanding why he was shutting doors at the time. He was.

And we just kind of put on the back burner. I went ahead and I registered on getting my doctorate, and.

And then all of a sudden, like, overnight, God just began to open doors, kind of going, you know, to the point where Melissa and I had to look at each other and go, I think God's asking us to get more involved in a different way. And so we just began to pray that way. And God's just confirmed that over and over and over, and it's got to be a little different.

You know, I'm not giving up my responsibilities with Converge. Like, that's my main focus and my main job. But we're excited about, you know, being involved in the trenches in the local church setting as.

Danny Parmelee: 00:07:54

As well, I think so. I've, of course, heard of surreal church planters before, where they, you know, plant a church and, you know, grow to a certain size and move on.

Most of the time, though, that has been smaller churches. In other words, like, hey, they planted the church, it got to 75.

They handed it off to someone else who grew it to 125 and then kind of maintain it there.

I think it's less, or at least I've heard of less or seen less of someone who has planted a larger church and then replanted again and able to have the same amount of fruit or success, whatever you want to call it. What are some of your fears that you have in doing it again?

And what are some of the things that you think are an advantage that you have gone down the road before?

Lee Stephenson: 00:08:45

Yeah, the fears are always there. I mean, anytime you're taking a risk and you're walking out on faith, I don't think you're gonna not have fears. And so we're human.

There are certain standards that exist around us that you always pay attention to. I feel like, because I have a different platform now, the attention's a little different on us, watching us.

And so we've got that weight on top of the fact that, like, we want to reach our community for Christ.

Danny Parmelee: 00:09:15

How will you battle that? How will you not allow that pressure to be unhealthy? Pressure, you know, like. Yep.

Well, this is the national guy planting, you know, and he's done it before.

Lee Stephenson: 00:09:29

Like, yeah. I think part of it is I gotta remind myself who I am first and foremost. Like, I'm a child of God, and that relationship's the most important.

Anytime you lead in any type of position, there's an element where you're going to disappoint people, and you're going to have to be okay with that. I just don't want to disappoint my family. I don't want to disappoint the Lord. So those things will be drivers for me.

I've got really, really good people around me that speak into my life, that coach me, that I'm seeking advice from in this process that will help me stay grounded and make sure that my thoughts. I know there will be moments where I'll face that. You know, it's. What we're doing is a very spiritual thing.

And there's going to be spiritual battles and warfare that's going to take place that I think will play upon those specific areas of my life. And so I'm cognizant of that going into this and just asking the Lord to protect us and protect my mind in the process.

I journal just to help get my emotions out when I'm going through these type of seasons. And that helps me as well, not hold those things in or those thoughts in.

But I know there'll be moments that it won't be easy, and I'm okay with that. We're trying to build a great team as well, so that they'll carry a different load than even I carry the first time that I did that.

There's still weightiness when you're the lead guy and leading any type of initiative that I know I'll carry, but it's nice having a team of guys around me that I know I can trust and that can really carry a lot of the day to day activities and make sure that things are funneled well. The things that I think will make it easier is, you know, what you're expecting.

Like, you know, it's going to be hard, you know, you're going to face financial challenges, you know, you're going to face people challenges, you know what those are going to entail, you know, the amount of church people that are going to come in with a certain agenda. And you know, I feel like I'm already prepared. I'm used to those conversations. I'm okay to have those conversations.

It's not like this is the first time I'm walking through those things.

You know, if the Lord blessed us in a unique way and we experienced unique growth or challenges in the growth, I feel like we've walked through those challenges both on the positive and the hardship side. That is like, yeah, this is normal, like this is par for the course. And so that doesn't phase me as we kind of move forward with this.

And to me again, it comes back to the fact, like it takes the uniqueness of the body of Christ to reach a community. And there are a lot of great churches here and I feel like we can bring another niche that to help fill that gap.

And together we're working together to reach this community for Christ. And that excites me.

Like that's the thing that drives me the most right now is going, well, I believe God will use us to reach more people for Jesus in Orlando than if we didn't do this. And so I'm like, it's worth the risk. What's the worst thing you can do? It's like, well, it didn't work. So yeah, at least we tried.

And that's been our approach in this. It's like I'd rather try and give it a run, then sit there and go and kind of, well, I wonder what could have happened if we went for this.

Danny Parmelee: 00:13:03

Yeah. One of the things that was intriguing to me and I know you were kind of just, you're still in the dreaming phase.

And so none of this is on paper or you know, an automatic thing. But you had talked about like what it would look like to potentially even leverage the church plant as really a training center.

I mean, I think you said, hey, how awesome would it be to have 10 guys come from the get go that they could see church planting that then go out, plant Their own churches, do sites, whatever, and then 10 more. Talk to me a little bit about that.

Like, maybe there's even guys listening to this going, man, I just finished seminary or I haven't gone to seminary yet, but I kind of want, what would that look like for them to do something like that? That would kind of be part of the, part of that grand scale movement type of thing.

Lee Stephenson: 00:13:56

Yeah. One of my desires and passions has always been to help develop the next generation of pastors and leaders and missionaries and so forth.

And God has just burdened me more and more over the years that, that direction, you know, we. I am who I am today because people poured into me and I just want to return that favor in a way.

And I think how fun it would be from day one to realize like our vision is much bigger than planning one church. Like our goal is to plant churches around the world really. And you know, first and foremost, like I.

My dream and my prayer is like, God, would you give us central Florida?

Like central Florida is full of these towns of 30 and 40,000 people that are desiring a relevant gospel centered church that's just making it happen and normal to use those type of terms. And I feel like we're primed and ready and God has given us a platform to be able to go and try to make that actually happen.

And so we'd like to develop guys to look at planting within like our network, planting guys in other places in the nation and then planting guys overseas. And it's like, come be a part of something from the ground floor.

Like, you get to actually watch a church get birthed and experience all the fun and the challenges that exist in that first year or two. And so that's what we're looking for. Like, I would love for 10 people to sign up and come and be residents here.

And we just, we pour into them and they get opportunities to teach and preach and lead small groups and do demographic studies and so on to kind of think through those next phases, preparing them to launch out and be part of another ministry down the road.

Danny Parmelee: 00:15:53

So they could be part of the central Florida thing, but you're saying even Michigan or Tennessee or Illinois or Missouri. Okay, good.

Lee Stephenson: 00:16:03

I like this. It's much, much bigger than that.

And there's pieces where I dream and think through how this can become a reality, but there are a lot of pieces still that you sit there and go, I don't fully know how that's going to work out, but I'm okay with that.

Danny Parmelee: 00:16:17

Yeah. What's probably the biggest Prayer request at this point.

Again, I know this is really kind of new and kind of fresh and there'll be lots more out, but I just think for our listeners to kind of, you know, especially those that have been maybe following along, getting to know your story a little bit, what can we be, I think, personally pray for.

Lee Stephenson: 00:16:36

Us as a family that we just stay within the will of God. We really are adamant. Like, we don't want to get ahead of him in this.

We want to wait patiently and trust him, that he'll, in the right timing, make things happen the way they need to happen. And that's been our approach since the first time we landed here in Orlando. We don't want to force something.

We're just trying to respond and be obedient to that call. I think, too, we just pray for spiritual strength because we know. And, you know, I mean, the first time you announced, like, hey, we're going.

Danny Parmelee: 00:17:13

To do this, like, target on your back.

Lee Stephenson: 00:17:15

Yeah, you're, like, ducking, like, you know it's coming. And so we're just. We would really covet people's prayers for us as a family that, you know, God would walk with us in a special, unique way.

And in his way, you know, I'm not always asking for prayers of protection, but it's like God, you know, would he put his armor around us and, you know, keep the arrows from stinging us as bad as they could, and, you know, then there's just a lot of the little logistics that still have to come together. And so just praying that those little details will fall perfectly in place and the timing will be right.

Danny Parmelee: 00:17:53

Cool. Well, I know this is a podcast, but I'd love to even just bow now and pray, and then you can close us out after that.

So, Heavenly Father, we just thank you so much that you are a God that is on the move.

Thank you that you first of all, call us your sons and daughters, you call us your friends, but you also call us into ministry as well and to serve you and God. Thank you for Lee's heart to follow you and to follow your call.

And we just pray, really, just a protection for him and Melissa and their entire family, God, as they step out and trust you. And God, may you just guide every single step. Give them wisdom, give them perseverance, give them courage, Lord.

And I pray, too, even for those 10 guys maybe to come and to join. And maybe it's even someone that's randomly listening to this podcast right now that you would move them to a place where they'd say, you know what?

I want to be part of this. I'll be on the ground floor. And that they would want to be used by you.

So we do, Lord, we just thank you so much that we get the privilege and the opportunity to serve you.

Lee Stephenson: 00:19:05

Amen. Thanks, everyone. And we're excited for the future, both personally, but also the future of our nation when it comes to church planning.

Thanks for tuning in to Unfiltered. Until next time, guys. Keep it real.