A Collaboration

In 2011, Compassion and Stadia worked together to create a well-defined church planting model. They combined Stadia's expertise in church planting with Compassion's expertise in releasing children from poverty through the local church. The new model includes building a church that cares for the community and releases children from spiritual and physical poverty. Each new church facility includes a child development center offering Compassion's holistic child development program.

The model also identifies timelines, responsibilities, expectations and accountability. Using this model, church planting partners have started more than 300 churches worldwide. Stadia and Compassion are grateful to be guides in helping you make an impact in Latin America.

You are invited to join Compassion, Stadia and a frontline church partner in Nicaragua to show the love of Christ to children in a community that needs the hope of the gospel. Your partnership will enable the church to meet the pressing needs of hundreds of children and families.

Stadia's Values

Stadia's values drive their vision:

• Relationships. Meaningful relationships are the foundation of all great partnerships.
• Urgency. There is an urgent need for local churches to be planted and share the gospel among unreached people.
• Impact. All that is through the local church should make a positive impact in the world.
• Children. Children are close to the heart of God, so they are close to the heart of Stadia.
• Celebration. Stadia values the art of celebrating all that God does through church planting.

https://stadiachurchplanting.org/about/

Planting a New Church

Compassion’s church-based efforts are key to its effectiveness. A local church identifies nearby communities that would benefit from ministry and begins to build a reputation there. Compassion comes alongside this “mother church” to support its efforts to establish a new church. The mother church continues to mentor and support the new church until it matures enough to support itself. The church grows through its community involvement and its commitment to meet real needs.

Partnership Opportunity in Nicaragua

Compassion Nicaragua recently identified an area in need of an accessible, Christ-centered church that preaches and lives God's Word. A trusted Compassion partner, Iglesia Torrre Fuerte, is planting a new congregation, Iglesia Roca Fuerte, approximately 5 miles away in León, Nicaragua. The new church is in a neighborhood where 45% of the population is made up of children and there is only one other active ministry. Church leaders believe that 70% of the people in the community are unreached by the gospel.

Adults in the area make a living by working in agriculture, recycling or as market traders. The average family income is equivalent to just $53 per month. Alcoholism and family violence are common problems. This community would greatly benefit from a vibrant church and Compassion's holistic child development program.

Pastor Luis has been selected to lead the new congregation. Luis became a Christian through house-to-house evangelism when he was 13 years old. Since that time he has grown in faith and is committed to leading the new church. He is married to Melisa and they have a young daughter. The family's home is conveniently located adjacent to the church grounds. Luis earns income through sales of dairy products.

The mother church will provide guidance and accountability through weekly visits and monthly leadership meetings. After thoroughly investigating the opportunity, Compassion International has agreed to help raise funds for this church plant and in partnership with Stadia, presents the information below for your consideration.

Infrastructure 

A normal construction project includes the essential core structures for a new church and facilities for a Compassion-assisted student center. The core structures typically include:

• one large meeting room / sanctuary which seats 200 adults
• classrooms
• kitchen / food preparation space
• sanitation facilities or latrines
• electricity and water (when feasible)

The church has purchased land and the legalization process is almost complete. As soon as the legalization process is concluded, the land will be ready for construction.

Church Plant Timeline

Depending on location, the average construction of the church building takes 8-14 months. Many variables will influence the timeline including availability of materials, road conditions and weather. In partnership with Compassion, Stadia will share updates with you as the church plant construction moves forward.

• Stage 1: Gift funding received by the national office.
• Stage 2: Existing church staff members begin soliciting bids for construction, materials are purchased, and planning is finalized.
• Stage 3: Construction begins. Church leaders from the new church conduct activities in the community to build awareness and excitement. Church leaders identify children who are eligible to register with the child development center.
• Stage 4: As construction progresses, church staff members hire child development center staff. Training takes place and preparation for child registration continues.
• Stage 5: 150 - 200 children are registered with the center. A caregiver orientation is held.
• Stage 6: Construction concludes. The new church opens its doors to the community and the center begins ministry to children.

A Church's Impact

The presence of a vibrant church and child development center has the potential to make a lasting impact in a community and surrounding areas. Your gift could change the lives of hundreds of vulnerable children in the first year and thousands more in the years to come.

Join Us

It is our privilege to present this opportunity to help grow God’s church in an area that greatly needs the hope of Jesus Christ and the care of a loving, local church. We believe you will be a prayerful, effective partner with Compassion International and this potential church partner. Together, we can build, plant and enable a new church for effective Christ-centered ministry among the impoverished families of this beautiful country.