While every church plant has a unique story, a similar process goes into each Tennessee Valley plant. From initial prayers to finding a pastor to the first worship service, starting a church plant is a special time to watch God at work. This is the story of Mosaic Fellowship’s beginnings.
Identifying a Pastor
At the 2018 PCA General Assembly, Ted Strawbridge, TVP’s Pastor of Church Planting and Renewal, approached Luke Banner about planting a church in Highland Park, Chattanooga. Knowing that the Banners are relational and outreach oriented, Ted saw qualities in Luke that could meet the needs of the Highland Park community. Luke was immediately drawn to the idea, and one year later in July 2019, in partnership with Northshore Fellowship, the Banners moved into the neighborhood and began getting to know their neighbors.
Choosing a Church Plant Site – Why Highland Park?
TVP chooses sites for church plants based on the needs of the area, opportunities for ministry, partner churches willing to jump in, and people in the area wanting to plant for the sake of their neighbors. Each plant is carefully planned to meet that community where they are.
While still somewhat small and connected, Chattanooga has very distinct neighborhoods. The Highland Park neighborhood is a mix of cultures, ethnicities, and incomes. Rich, poor, black, white, latino, and everything in between make up the neighborhood, and Mosaic Fellowship was born to focus on this special community.
From Core Group to Public Worship
With a chosen location, and a pastor ready to plant, Mosaic formed a core group of believers who wanted to join the mission and serve their local community. Before beginning public worship, (and before COVID-19 altered their plans), the group focused on core team development and laying the groundwork for a healthy, Christ-centered church.
While Mosaic’s journey to public worship occurred during COVID-19, each church plant’s journey includes ups and downs as the core group invests in their community, builds the DNA of the church, finds a place to worship, plans outreach events, and eventually celebrates with their first public worship service.
Today, Mosaic averages 60-70 people in worship each Sunday, and they continue to find ways, as a body of believers, to reach their neighbors with the gospel of Jesus through word and deed. As the name Mosaic signifies, they are a collective of many different people coming together to bring glory to God in a beautiful, messy, wonderful way.