The Antioch Retreat 2023
An update from Ricky Alcantar, Lead Pastor of Cross of Grace Church, El Paso, Texas, USA...
Our Antioch retreat was born out of a desire to see more and more churches in Sovereign Grace follow the pattern of the church in Antioch in Acts 11-13, particularly here in the US.
In many ways the legacy of Antioch is extraordinary: It had such a strong local witness that it was there the believers were first called "Christians." It was the first place to intentionally set apart and send out Paul and Barnabas for missionary church planting work. It was a strong church that became a hub for mission and care in the early church.
But look closer and you'll see much more "ordinary" ministry than any local church can pursue: ordinary Christians fleeing persecution planted the church when they couldn't help but tell others about Jesus, leaders were raised up, a heart for other churches became part of the church's DNA, and generosity in finances and leaders allowed the gospel work to continue forward.
Our Antioch program aims to help churches faithfully pursue the marks of mission we see in Antioch and the New Testament, while we ask God to do more than we ask or think. This year 6 elderships came to Louisville and met with members of our Church Planting Group as we looked at the building blocks of a church fully engaged in the mission.
Mike Seaver inspired us to consider church planting as an extension of Christ's purposes in the world today.
Andy Farmer helped us examine the church planting legacy of Covenant Fellowship and explored how interdependence shapes the way we plant churches and do mission together.
Greg Dirnberger drew on his years of pastoral experience to help us see the crucial role that developing leaders has in our mission together.
Jeremy Oddy talked about the importance of caring about our local areas and how one another ministry supports the mission of the church.
I talked through how the many elements fit together, how the gospel propels us forward in mission, and pointed to the great hope we have that Christ is alive and working through the church in the world today.
All 12 elders part of the retreat shared encouragement with one another, prayed for one another, and contributed to our discussions as well.
And I'm happy to report that the Lord met us as we gathered together.
One pastor on the retreat later admitted, "I came tired, hardly wanting to leave home to learn more about what I’m not doing well and yet I return home having been rejuvenated, envisioned, filled with contented joy, and looking forward to steps forward - one of which we will do this Sunday as we call the church family to pray together for God’s guidance in mission to our community, our desire to be a church planting church, and a church that raises up and sends out missionaries to the nations."
It was such a joy to spend long meals laughing and encouraging one another as pastors from SG regions across the country. Another Sovereign Grace pastor mentioned that the retreat was also "a very helpful time to help individual churches feel connected to the mission of Sovereign Grace as a church planting family of churches."
After the retreat each of the six churches participating will be matched up with a member of the church planting group or trained church planting coach to help them think through how to apply Antioch principles in their own local context. So please be praying for continued fruit from those conversations. Ask God that more leaders be raised up for the work, more lost people come to know the Savior in our local contexts, and that more churches are planted around the country as a result.
At the retreat I found myself profoundly encouraged that I'm part of a family of churches that desires the same thing. It's a big mission, but one that we're privileged to play a part in, and one that we take up together.
While my church no longer has giant "reaching the nations" words written across our walls, I pray that the ambition to be part of Christ's mission in the world today never fades from our hearts.
PS. Interested in being part of next year's Antioch retreat? We'd love to have you. Email me at ricky@crossofgrace.net
