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G
od has blessed our families with a vision for a
city and a community. We are going to plant
a brand new church, called “Risen Church”,
in Austin, Texas in 2015. Our goal is to share Jesus
with a culture that is searching for meaning. Please
consider helping see this vision become reality.
WHY AUSTIN?
YOUNG. PROGRESSIVE.
TECH. DIVERSE.
SECULAR.
Austin is an amazing city, culturally diverse
and growing like crazy. In the last twenty
years, the population of Austin has
basically doubled, growing from 470,000
to 840,000. Austin was the third fastest
growing city in the country from 2000
to 2006, and the Austin/Round Rock
metropolitan area boasts a population of
over 1,800,000.
The growth is predominantly young, and
the Austin metro area attracted more
young people and college graduates
than any other major metropolitan area in
the country during the period from 20092011.
As anyone paying attention to church
attendance statistics knows, young people
are much less likely to attend church,
pray on a regular basis, or even believe
in God. The culture of young Americans
(sometimes referred to as “Millennials”) is
trending decidedly secular.
Austin is on the front line of the cultural
shift that is happening in America.
WHO WE ARE
Andrew Stamatis
Andrew has a Bachelors
degree in Pastoral Theology.
He has served on staff for
several years at a growing
church in Ohio. He will serve
as the lead pastor of Risen.
Joyce Stamatis
Joyce has a Bachelors Degree
in Secretarial Studies and is
a Preschool teacher. She is a
devoted wife and mom who
spent many years working in a
ministry to children in inner city
Chicago.
Brandi Garcia
Brandi has a bachelor of
science degree in elementary
education. She has been
involved in children’s ministry
since high school and has a
heart for young people. She is
currently a stay
at home mom
and enjoys
photography.
Anthony
Stamatis
Anthony has a great passion
for Ninja Turtles and and other
three year old boy things.
Illianna Stamatis
Anna is often cranky when no
one is paying attention to her.
We’re not sure yet how she will
contribute to the plant.
Ivan Garcia
Ivan has a Bachelors degree
in Pastoral Theology and has
worked as a key member of
a team planting churches in
Northwest Indiana. He will
serve as the assistant pastor
and worship leader at Risen.
Olivia Garcia
Olivia loves to pull on her dog,
Buffy’s, ears and tail. She
spends her days eating,
watching Sesame Street,
and making messes.
GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH
Churches Planting Churches
Grace Baptist Church is Andrew and Joyce’s home
church and their sending church. Pastored by Dr.
Richard Powers Sr., GBC has a heart for missions
and for church planting, and has taken on the role
of resourcing and assisting the Risen plant team as
they prepare for the launch. The church is currently
helping Andrew and Joyce with their fund raising
efforts, and assisting them with housing as they
work towards the move to Austin.
Andrew and Joyce currently serve in the GBC
youth department, and Andrew works on the
maintenance staff at the church. Anthony and
Anna enjoy the nursery and AWANA activities at
Grace Baptist Church every week.
OUR PLAN
A Ministry of Reconciliation
“The church is not a building. It is not stone or wood
with a roof and doors.”
I
t is a community of people with a common Saviour and a common mission. That mission is to reconcile the
world to God by the spreading of the Gospel of Christ and to strengthen the saved through the fellowship
of believers and the preaching of the Word of God.
“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the
ministry of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:18)
The church is Jesus’ plan to make a difference in the world.
Our plan is to build small groups- mini communities within our church community- that will function as teams
to reach the Austin area. These groups will participate in different ways to reach into the heart of the city and
show the difference a life with Christ can have. Here are some examples of ways these groups will minister
to the attendees:
Shared spiritual growth and encouragement
Preaching and teaching on living a Bible-based life
Corporate prayer and time spent helping individuals develop a strong walk with God
Training for marriage success/family strengthening/child rearing
Aid and support for low income individuals and families
Participation in community service projects
Training in outreach and enabling members to share the Gospel with lost friends and family
OUR PLAN
Timeline
Ivan, Brandi, and Olivia will move to Austin early in 2015. They will be
responsible to scout locations and begin preparing for the initial church
meetings. They will also begin building relationships within the city.
Andrew, Joyce, Anthony, and
Anna will follow in the summer
of 2015. At this time, a regular
series of home Bible studies
will begin.
During the early months, the
church will meet in the homes
of the leaders on Sundays. During this time, the goal will be to
build a small group of believers and to become immersed in
the culture of the city of Austin.
Austin is decidedly secular (as many as 92% of the city residents do not
attend church on a regular basis), so our mentality at the beginning will be
similar to missionaries going to a foreign field. Unlike many other places
in the United States, there is no foundation of Christianity or Christian
philosophy to draw from. It will take some time for us to discover the best
methods to communicate the truths of Scripture in ways that make sense
to Austenites. Much time during the first year will be spent in
observation and learning as we endeavour to determine the
most effective methods to bring the Gospel message to Austin
in a relatable way.
We’re in it for the long haul. It will take years to become established as a
part of the community in Austin. We are honored that God has called us to
give our lives to ministering to the people of this great city.
OUR BELIEFS
SOLA SCRIPTURA – SCRIPTURE ALONE
The Bible is the Word of God; His revelation to us of who we are in relation to each other and to Him.
We believe the Bible is the sole authority in all matters of faith and practice. (2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter
1:21)
SOLA FIDE – FAITH ALONE
All of mankind is separated from God due to our sin. Our good works, our morals, our religious
accomplishments none of it is good enough to bridge the gap. The only condition for our salvation from
the penalty of sin is personal faith in Christ., trusting that through his death on the cross, He provided
a substitutionary payment for our sin. Salvation occurs in the moment our faith is placed in Christ.
(Ephesians 2:8-9, 1 Peter 1:18-19, Romans 3:25)
SOLA GRATIA – GRACE ALONE
Salvation comes through God’s unmerited favor towards us, not through any work we can do. We do
not earn favor in His eyes, He gives grace to us as a free gift through the work of Christ. (Romans 6:23,
John 3:16)
SOLUS CHRISTUS – CHRIST ALONE
The epicenter of the Christian life is a relationship with Christ. He invites us to share in His death and
resurrection that we may live a life empowered by His deity. Christ is the gateway to the Risen life, and
faith in Him is the only way for us to have eternal life. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there
is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) Each of
us has the ability to come directly to Christ, without need for a mediator or go between. (John 1:18,
Colossians 1:15-17, 1 Timothy 2:5)
SOLI DEO GLORIA – GLORY TO GOD ALONE
Though we honor men and women who teach us spiritually and inspire us to strengthen our relationship
with Christ, ultimately all glory belongs to God alone. Any good works we do are enabled by the Holy
Spirit working through us to display the life of Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:31, Philippians 2:9-11)
We hold to beliefs that are Baptistic in nature, including individual soul liberty, the
priesthood of the believer, verbal plenary inspiration of Scripture, the eternal security
of the believer, the autonomy of the local church, the offices of pastor and deacon,
the ordinances of baptism and communion, and the separation of church and state.
WHY “RISEN”?
T
he story of Christ so completely challenges every assumption we have
about God and religion and life and death. When faced with an
understanding of who He is, men and women have been compelled to
die rather than deny his name. And it so defied our expectation of what
Deity should be that it reverberates with power through two thousand years
of history up to today.
Yet much of American Christianity is completely complacent- indifferent to the
power of His life, death, and resurrection.
“Somewhere, we have lost the power
of the story of Christ.
No man ever would have imagined a dying and rising
Savior like Christ. This is the single greatest piece of evidence
that God exists and that Christ really was His representative
on earth. No author but God could have written the story
that climaxes with the grand reveal of Christ as the great
answer to the greatest of cosmic questions. It so completely
defies our thought processes, so absolutely undermines all
our assumptions about reality.
The Bible tells us that God created us to live in relationship
with Him. However, we chose to rebel, to walk away, and
to live in opposition to Him. We chose sin.
And when sin came,
death came with it.
F
or thousands of years, humanity considered death to be final. Inescapable,
absolute, unyielding. Death comes, not just to physical but spiritual areas.
Death to relationships. Death to families. Death to nations. Death reigns
through history.
“Until the unexpected...
Until God steps in.
Until the Carpenter.”
In Christ’s death, He takes upon Himself the damage of our sin, suffers unthinkably the cost
of separation from God. And then He rises, demonstrating the ultimate power over Death.
And then He rises...
He rises, demonstrating the ultimate power over Death. And He invites us to share in that
power of the resurrection, the power over sin and death. We have access to the power over
death through a relationship with Christ.
So where does the church come in? Well a church is merely a group that has
witnessed His power over sin and death and has that power alive in its heart,
beating at the center of its being. It is the power to love unconditionally, to heal
damaged marriages, to restore broken relationships, to serve without expecting
a return, to forgive hurts, to die to ourselves that someone else may live.
It is living a life that is not bound by the power of sin and death, and sharing
that life with anyone who will listen.
Living in the power of the Resurrection.
That’s what our church is devoted to.
Learning to live as if we are Risen
with Christ.
“That’s what our church
is devoted to.”
WILL YOU HELP?
– SCRIPTURE ALONE
God has called us, and is guiding us through this process. By His grace, we will see many
lost citizens of Austin come to salvation and discover the power of living the Risen life in
connection with a loving church community.
As we begin this endeavour, there are many expenses we will encounter. The Garcias will
be moving from Illinois and the Stamatis’ from Ohio. We will need help with relocation
expenses, establishment of our new lives in a new community, purchasing church service
equipment, printing tracts and brochures, and rent or mortgage payments on houses and
a church building.
Would you consider partnering with us? We need support, finances, and prayer as we
go forward. Please be a part of seeing this happen for the glory of the Kingdom of Christ.
Partner with us.
On average, it takes two to three years for a successful church plant to become
financially viable. We are going to need assistance from other Christians who believe
in church planting in order to give Risen Church the opportunity it needs to flourish. We
ask that you pray about becoming one of these supporters.
Keep in contact with us.
E-mail or call us to share your support and/or volunteer to help
in some way. We would love to hear from you.
Pray for us.
E-mail or call us to share your support and/or volunteer to help
in some way. We would love to hear from you.
WAYS TO INVEST
Thank you for your interest in investing in Risen
Church at its beginning. There are two simple ways
to give:
1. Visit our website to make a donation via PayPal at www.risenaustin.com/give
2. Mail a check to our sending church
at the address below:
Attn: Andrew Stamatis/ Risen Church
Grace Baptist Church
3480 Laurel Road
Brunswick, OH 44212
*Risen Church is a 501(c)3 non-profit
organization and all donations are
tax deductible.
CONTACT
E-mail us: andrew@risenaustin.com
Call us: (512) 815-3886
Find us on the web at: www.risenaustin.com
www.facebook.com/risenaustin
www.twitter.com/risenaustin