Awaken Church's (Grand Ledge, Michigan) mission has been clear since its launch in late 2016: “We are a church that joyfully gives ourselves away.”
Originally planted from Epic Community Church in Portland, Michigan, Awaken started with a core group of pioneers who were ready to see the community of Grand Ledge come alive. Steve Hubbard has led the way, providing a space for the community to be part of a bigger story by being tuned in to their ZIP code and sharing life together. He and his family fell in love with the community before they planted Awaken, embracing the opportunities of bumping into people from different walks of life, thoughts and values.
As Hubbard shared his heart with Epic leaders, the church began to catch the vision as well. Epic pastor, Duane Bower, knew Awaken was something they had to invest in.
There is nothing more beautiful than a church who has planted themselves into the life and heartbeat of the people God’s wrapped around them.
“We believed in him [Hubbard] and his vision and wanted to partner with him,” Bower said. “We were already investing 10 percent of our budget in church planting. Awaken gave us the opportunity to invest our greatest resource: people.”
Ten percent of Epic’s congregation committed to a year of helping with the launch team, which played an integral part in developing the culture and community of Awaken.
Awaken has continued this legacy of multiplication by giving 10 percent of its offering to church planting. Funds have been given to Luis Torres, an Awaken church planting intern, who is planting his own church in Lansing, Michigan. Torres also received finances raised through the 2016 National Church Multiplication Sunday.
Hubbard believes God has all people on a mission and it is our responsibility to plant ourselves in the lives of our neighbors and neighborhoods.
“I just love when the church is planted in its ZIP code,” said Hubbard. “Church planting is a very natural expression of the love of Christ at work in the world and in communities. There is nothing more beautiful than a church who has planted itself into the life and heartbeat of the people God’s wrapped around it.”