Calvary Church Annual Report AnnualReport2018-web | Page 30

Spurred on by a passion for the church, both locally and around the world, God has been laying
the foundation for the Jerusalem Project for years. In 2017, this new ministry was launched when
the church leadership decided to rename the Open Door Project, which previously housed many of
these initiatives, as the Jerusalem Project. The elders also commissioned the Jerusalem Project lead-
ership team to oversee the ministry to allow Calvary to be more intentional, focused and strategic in
our efforts to plant new churches, strengthen existing churches and train people for ministry.
The Jerusalem Project gets its name from Jesus’ mandate to the take the gospel from Jerusalem to
all parts of the world primarily by establishing and strengthening churches, and training or disci-
pling people for ministry. Implicit in that commission is the fact that churches will face opposition,
and Calvary Church wants to stand with and support these churches and their leaders.
This year, the Jerusalem Project developed three main areas of emphasis:
Church Planting. Missions experts project that at the current rate of church planting, 3700 new
churches will be planted in America. Unfortunately, the same analysts project that America will
need at least 4000 churches planted each year to replace shuttered churches and to account for
increases in population. More importantly than demographics, church planting is one of the
most effective evangelistic tools for reaching the lost and engaging complacent Christians. In the
past twenty years, Calvary has been a part of planting more than a dozen churches. Two of these
newer church plants received significant support from the Jerusalem Project as they continue to
move toward becoming self-sufficient: Sanctuary Church in Grand Rapids and Pauper’s Chapel
in Maine. This fall, Calvary will also be planting New Heart Church in East Grand Rapids with
Adam Anderson, one of our residents, through the Jerusalem Project.
Church Strengthening. As we come alongside churches, we help ensure these congregations
thrive. This year, the Jerusalem Project assisted churches in Grand Rapids by helping with staff
training and funds to meet urgent needs. We also financed a much-needed vacation for a Greek
pastor, as well as provided funds to the Greek church for a summer intern. Calvary also provided
on-site mentoring, consulting and encouragement to Trinity Church in Oxford, England, and
explored partnership opportunities.
Church Leader Training. Calvary Church’s resident program continues to train church leaders
through mentoring and by giving them practical experience in a wide variety of church minis-
tries and programs. In 2017, Katie DeHaan joined the resident program focused on pastoral care
and student ministries. Rodney Velting recently became a resident also working in pastoral care
and student ministries.
Lisa Samra, Advisory Staff
Pastoral Residents
Katie DeHaan
Rodney Velting
Church Planters
Lenski Llorens, Sanctuary Church
Adam Anderson, New Heart
Advisory Staff
Lisa Samra
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