Support Breakdown

The Call

Through much prayer, discernment, and counsel, my wife and I believe we are called to plant a church in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This is a vision we intend to live out in two phases. A residency (training program) that leads to a church plant. In a city that statistically is almost 50% unchurched or religiously unaffiliated, our goal is to plant right in the middle of the culture. To settle down in the “center” of a community and ask how we can be the best church FOR that community. Our intent is to live life with our culture, meeting people where they are, building a local church community that is founded on equipping our people for the work of ministry, relational discipleship in and out of the church, radical generosity, and evangelism through word and action. Based on believing we are called to the general location of the “Western Springs,” (Old Colorado City, Manitou Springs, and much of western downtown Colorado Springs) a more laid back, coffee shop vibe fits this community well. We also intend for this church plant to plant other churches. This is one of many reasons that we are aiming to plant through the Acts 29 church planting network.

Phase 1 and 2

Missio Dei is a local Acts29 church plant located in Falcon, Colorado on the east side of the Springs. They have been a successful plant for 11 years now and hold a congregation of around 300. They are a Gospel centered, discipleship focused plant that intends to plant more churches.

Missio is the church that we will residency with. The Residency is a 3 year program that is “renewable” each year based on several factors including, but not limited to me having thirteen years of vocational ministry experience, how quick a core group can be built, and fundraising. The residency would look as follows (noting the time frames might change):

Year 1 - Move to Colorado Springs in a central location to the area we feel called to and Missio Dei. This allows us to be involved in an active church community as well as to start establishing ourselves in our community.

Year 2 - Start a small group in our home. Grow this group into our core group to prepare for launch. This year would also involve preparing for Assessment with Acts29, fundraising for phase 2 (launch), putting together a 5 year plan for the church plant to be a self sufficient church, as well as continuing any other “head, heart, and hands training” that will be involved with preparing to plant and pastor a new church.

Year 3 - Assessment and launch. Assessment is the process by which Acts29 determines my readiness for planting. After assessment, we prepare to launch. We begin to try to find a space to gather in the community, buy the equipment needed to run a Sunday service, start a 501C3, and any other odds and ends that we will need to take care of. While this description may seem vague, this is part of the reason we are wanting to pursue a residency. It will help us firm these plans for the actual plant up. Phase 1 and 2 are part of the same ideology, but we must focus on phase 1 before phase 2 can take place.

Target Goal

Our target goal is to raise 400k for the course of the 3 year residency (Jan 1, 2025 through Jan 1 2028). Any gifts given to this ministry will be delegated to us under the leadership and accountability of the Missio Dei Eldership.

The residency itself is a full-time program, although it is not a paid program. Our target goal allows for cost of living expenses, a 5% inflation increase each year, and a buffer for the inevitable. (Medical expenses and cushion for where our planning a budget may be different because of actually living there.)

These are some of the specifics that would fall into the money we are raising.

Rent - it will cost between 2400 and 3000 dollars a month, before utilities, to rent a 3 bed/2 bath house.
Ministry expenses - any ministry (lunches, coffees, meetings, community engagement opportunities) that would pertain to our ministry will need to be covered out of our pockets.
Travel - this includes travel between the locations of our area and Missio Dei, as well as travel to other Acts29 churches in the Colorado area for training purposes and conferences, fundraising trips, and a weekend off to breathe here and there.
The average income of an individual between the ages of 25-44 in the area is 82-89k.
Caitlin and I are both talking on part time jobs to help supplement income. I will be working as the Worship Director at Missio Dei for the time of the residency. For the foreseeable future, Cait will be working remote for her brother doing scheduling for the pressure washing business that he owns.
I will also attempt to supplement income (as needed or as time allows) by doing video work, sound engineering, and other creative ventures that fall into my wheelhouse that the Lord may bring opportunity for.

*Any “extra” we raise over our initial goal will go straight into the actual plant as we will hold as tightly as possible to our monthly budget.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read through this. We are so excited for this journey. We greatly appreciate your continued prayers and support.

Soli Deo Gloria,

The Taylors