Life.Church Stories - Episode 15

Investing in the Local Church: Global Child Survival and New Campuses

Overview

Life Church highlighted two fronts where God is working through the generosity of the congregation: a child-survival partnership with 700+ local churches worldwide—shown through a recent trip to Tanzania—and the expansion of several Life Church campuses in Texas and Oklahoma. The thread running through every story was clear: when the local church is healthy and resourced, hope and long-term change follow for families, cities, and future generations.

Themes

Child Survival Partnership in Tanzania

• Life Church partners with a global child-survival program operating through more than 700 churches.
• A mentor from each local church visits vulnerable moms monthly, teaching child nutrition, health, and spiritual growth.
• Emphasis: the aid is delivered by that community’s own church, not an outside agency.

Stories From the Trip

• Illustration:
  • Aisha moved to a new city seeking a better life; her husband abandoned the family when hardships grew. A mentor connected her to the church, began home visits, and Aisha now feels empowered to provide for her children and dreams of owning a vegetable stand.
• Story:
  • Mentor Elizabeth knows every mother’s name, her children’s ages, and health details. Beyond physical care, she “pastors” the moms, guiding them in their walk with Christ.
• Story:
  • Meekness, one of Elizabeth’s moms, shared that building relationships with women “just like me” through the program is vital for her growth.

Why the Local Church Matters

• Repeated affirmation: “The local church is the hope of the world.”
• Partnerships focus on equipping churches already embedded in their neighborhoods, ensuring sustainable impact.

Life Church Campus Expansion

• Fort Worth and Shawnee campuses are moving into new permanent facilities; Fort Worth opens in a few months, Shawnee has just broken ground.
• Two new communities are next:
  • Campus #27 – Norman, Oklahoma (opening in weeks).
  • Campus #28 – Northeast Tulsa, Oklahoma (breaking ground later this year).
• Vision: overwhelm each city with the love of Jesus and His church.

The Role of Generosity

• Giving, serving, and praying from Life Church attenders fund both global partnerships and local campus growth.
• Every story of a changed mom, family, or city is traced back to the faithful generosity of the church body.

Key Truths

• The local church is God’s primary vehicle for bringing hope and redemption to communities.
• Sustainable change happens through relationships, especially between mentors and moms.
• Equipping existing churches overseas honors local leadership and culture.
• New permanent facilities anchor Life Church’s long-term presence and outreach in each city.
• Every act of giving, serving, or praying has ripple effects far beyond the giver’s immediate view.

Response

• Pray for mentors like Elizabeth and moms like Aisha and Meekness to flourish.
• Continue giving generously to fuel both global child-survival efforts and local campus projects.
• Serve in a Life Church campus or outreach to extend relational care in your own community.
• Build intentional relationships that empower others, following the mentor model you heard about.
• Celebrate and share these stories to inspire more people to engage in the mission.

Closing

Lives are changing—from Tanzanian families learning to thrive, to future worshipers who will meet Jesus in Fort Worth, Shawnee, Norman, and Northeast Tulsa. The entire movement rests on ordinary believers living out the mission together.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you for living out the mission of leading people to become fully devoted followers of Christ and helping people find God, find life.”