Fowlerville UB and Copan

The Fowlerville church (Fowlerville, Mich.) has a great heart for church planting in Michigan, and decided to pursue that same passion in other parts of the world. They wanted to build long-term partnerships with ministries that were effective (or potentially effective) in multiplying the Kingdom.

Working with Global Ministries, they identified the Copan region of Honduras and a dynamic UB church planter there named Gonzalo Alas (below). Through his leadership, the Copan region was opening two new churches a year, training new pastors, and assisting those pastors in developing their ministry. Fowlerville has become a significant partner in this church planting movement. They help with building, training, economic development, partnering in outreaches, and personal ministry.

Their goal is not to “do things for them,” but to come alongside in a genuine friendship and partnership to enable Hondurans to accomplish things for which they lack the resources. Years ago, Copan had no UB presence. Today there are 13 churches and five more church plants.

Is church planting part of your church’s passion? If so, Fowlerville would like you to contact them. Maybe there are ways you can work together to accelerate church planting movements in Copan and beyond. For more info, contact Pastor Tim Flickinger.

• Phone: 517-223-9490
• Email: ubflick@yahoo.com

How Fowlerville Got Started

Tim Flickinger

We were looking to take our Acts 1:8 missions in a different direction. We wanted to build long-term partnerships with ministries that were effective (or had that potential) in multiplying the Kingdom. Working with Gary Dilley, we identified the Copan region of Honduras and Pastor Gonzalo Alas as a good match. They were adding at least two church starts a year, training new pastors, and assisting established pastors in a variety of ways.

Our goal was not to go “do things for them,” but to come alongside in a genuine friendship to enable them to accomplish things that they couldn’t do because of lack of resources.

We were looking for our partnership to include several components (in no particular order):

1. Building. We send money ahead of time so they can buy land and supplies, and hire workers to benefit from the project. They start before we come, and finish after we leave. When we are there, we come alongside for the week as partners.
2. Training. We send funds for a Pastors Institute, and try to incorporate some training for leaders during our visits, also.
3. Economic. One avenue is the building, and we also have begun funding for micro-enterprise for pastors. Hopefully this will expand to others where each church is located.
4. Spiritual. We model several different outreaches in the communities where our partner churches are planted.

5. Relational. We want to develop genuine and lasting friendships with the people in our partnerships.

6. Medical. We're not there yet.

7. Bring Honduran leaders to the US. Not there yet.

Benefits of Our Trip

• A greater burden (and giving) for Acts 1:8 missions.
• The joy of knowing you have a part in the start of new churches--and new believers because of those churches.
• A family-feel with our friends in Honduras. Many of our church families have pictures of “partner families” from Honduras in their homes (and vice versa).
• Generates a lifetime of thankfulness for those who go.
• Intentionally fulfilling the Everyday Commission.

Wild Faith Dream

Keep adding multiplying partnerships until we have one on every continent!

One more encouragement: I’m not known as an organizational genius. If we can do it...anyone can!

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