When C4SO welcomed Trinity Anglican earlier this year, it was with a mutual sense of urgency: Unless people come to the Lord and start new churches, we all lose. To that end, longtime friends the Very Rev. Kris McDaniel and Bishop Todd Hunter combined their passion for church planting, making Trinity a new anchor church for C4SO in the Southeast region.
McDaniel, who planted the city-center church in 2002, says Trinity has been committed to church planting since its earliest days. “We see that as sign of health, as healthy organisms replicate in organic ways. That’s our common approach to church. It has also involved the value of giving away power, and empowering an emerging generation of leaders. Church planting is one of the best ways to empower and make room and space for new leaders—we share that passion with C4SO.”
To help equip others for the task of planting and empowering, McDaniel has accepted an appointment as dean of C4SO’s new Southeast deanery, though his priority is still serving as Trinity’s rector. Trinity seeks to be a faithful presence and witness in the urban neighborhoods of Atlanta, living out a “vow of stability” in their community. All the staff intentionally lives within several miles of the church. Trinity has sent out several church plants and recently opened a second location, Trinity Westside, under the leadership of Trinity’s Teaching Pastor, the Rev. Ashley Mathews. C4SO’s egalitarian sensibility was also a draw for Trinity, as Bishop Todd ordained Mathews to the priesthood last fall.
“The best contribution we are going to have in C4SO is to create a place where leaders are able to come and rub shoulders with us and see the team environment,” says McDaniel. “It’s not about a particular person. It’s about the sum total of what God’s doing here.”
Bishop Todd says he is blessed to be associated with that work.
“Kris and his team make me proud!” the Bishop says. “Their fruitful work on two campuses in Atlanta inspires me to do my best for Christ in Orange County, Calif. It is a sign of God’s blessing on C4SO that Kris has agreed to be dean of a new Southeast deanery. He is an outstanding leader of leaders. We welcome Kris and Trinity to C4SO with all love and respect!”
Over the next year, McDaniel’s regional role will become more defined based on the needs of the diocese.
“I know that we are called to be salt and light beyond the walls of our own church and geographical parish,” McDaniel says. “I feel called to serve Bishop Todd however the Lord wants to spend us. I don’t know what that means, but we are wide open to whatever the Lord has got in store for us—to help lend a hand, convene leaders or help church planters.”
There was a time when Trinity felt a little lonely in their pursuit of new works, but they are now in good company.
“We love C4SO’s emphasis on church planting,” McDaniel says. “We love the missionary emphasis. We desire to be in an iron-sharpening-iron relationship, to be a blessing and receive input from leaders like Todd.”
Learn more about Trinity Anglican. http://atltrinity.org