By Mykaela Alvey

Every time we hear from Good Church in Flint, Michigan, we’re encouraged by all they’re doing. In the eighteen months since Good Church opened its doors, they have seen tremendous growth and community impact. A check-in with them this summer shows what God is accomplishing through them and some insight behind their success.

Pastor Leo Robinson II said, “The community is responding to our down-to-earth approach to the gospel. We have had so many young families join, that we actually had to knock out a wall in the children’s area to make room for all the kids who are showing up on Sunday morning.”

Good Church stresses the need to belong in the congregation. It is wonderful to gather together on a Sunday morning, but there are six other days in the week. Being together doesn’t stop on Sundays, and as Pastor Leo put it, “We need each other to live day to day.”

Good Church has what you might call four small congregations spread out in different areas of the city. These church fellowships do life together throughout the week. They’ve committed to “walk through life together.” These small churches focus more on weekly community, not the traditional Sunday morning gathering. For that, they still attend Good Church. However, even if they don’t come to Good Church on Sunday mornings, they are still a part of the family. Growth has been so rapid that they are needing to establish more small churches like these. Robinson said, “We have a waiting list of individuals ready to join.”

Established as Essential

Good Church has established trust in their community. Robinson explains that it isn’t uncommon for people of the community to stop by the church just to say, “Thank you.” “Some of them have not stepped foot in the building but they will make comments like, ‘This is my church,’” Pastor Leo said. “God is preparing their hearts and we are privileged to walk with them step by step.”

The church has seen success in the community because they come with no agenda. They simply seek to show the community the love of Christ.

“This is growth that others may not take the time to measure,” he said. “But when the residents of the neighborhood drug house wave to us every time our car rides down the street; or the neighborhood hoarder agrees to only let the Good Church people throw away years of trash he has accumulated, we can’t help but think, here we grow again,” continued Robinson.

Robinson says that one of his favorite things to do is to look out at the congregation and watch them interact. Their congregation is full of different “races, backgrounds, and walks of life.” He loves watching them become a family that cares simply about reaching the lost for Christ.

He said, “I will never forget looking out and seeing a member who is a Caucasian female, employed as a lawyer, sitting with a young man who just got out of prison and had a tether on his leg.”

Robinson continued, “Watching them interact brings tears to my eyes. We are all broken, and together, we seek the King no matter what we look like or where we come from, it is a beautiful display of the kingdom of God.”

The future looks bright for Good Church, and Robinson is particularly excited about the Good Laundry project. He explains that what the community truly needs is a low-cost Laundromat, as there aren’t any within a four-mile radius of the community.

“They don’t need another food pantry,” Robinson explains, “they need a place that is close and affordable to meet a very basic need.”

Robinson is excited to say they hope to open Good Laundry by the end of the year, which will be another great way to reach the community. “We hear them, we feel their burden, so we have decided to do something about it,” says Robinson.

Inspiration and Insight

Robinson was also excited to explain that he and his wife just finished the final cohort of the Chapter 4 institute. The Chapter 4 institute is a year-long fellowship that focuses on how to best engage communities. Robinson said, “It was an amazing opportunity, and it allowed us both to grow tremendously. It provided tools and insight that we had never thought of in regard to leadership; and project management.” Robinson said they were most impressed by the approach they had to budgeting. It helped them approach the subject of budgeting with much less fear.

God is doing something through Good Church, and Robinson is just excited he and his congregation get to be a part of it. They continue daily to reach their community with the love of Christ. “We want to see the kingdom grow, not just fill our seats with more people.”

Learn more about Chapter 4 at https://www.jesusisthesubject.org/chapter4/.

The Plan is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our Movement to act in one accord for the future of the church. Together we can support young leaders and help bring God’s plan to life on earth as it is in heaven. Fund these critical ministries—Chapter 4, CARE, and Leadership Focus—to train and sustain the church long into the future. Learn more and be a part of The Plan at www.jesusisthesubject.org/the-plan.

Anderson University alumna Mykaela Alvey is a funding US missionary based in Greenwood, Indiana. A freelance writer for three years, she loves crafting stories of hope and healing.