Now, we didn't always believe that. Our faith stories begin in Colorado because that's where we grew up. Jenny grew up in Colorado Springs and I grew up in Denver. And our faith stories are really similar in that we grew up longing to know God, but we really never connected with him through our church experiences. Somehow, there was just a disconnect for us.

But early in our college days, some people explained how we could have a relationship with God by asking Jesus Christ into our lives, so we both asked Christ into our lives to forgive us and lead us. Then throughout our college experience, we were heavily involved in Campus Crusade for Christ because we wanted give others that same opportunity of a life with God.

Eventually, that passion to invite others into a life with God is what drove us to get involved with the life of the local church, even in what seemed like a completely foreign and strange place like New Jersey. But we had just a great time in New Jersey, not only living in the Northeast but also developing some great friendships and doing ministry. We loved seeing God change people right in front of our eyes.

I was an associate pastor and part of what I did was to launch a ministry called The Edge that targeted young adult seekers and believers with a service and small groups. At The Edge we focused on being relevant and seeking excellence in what we did so that people could connect with God and experience him. And we just had a great time serving at the church and within The Edge.

But when we saw the opportunity to launch a church from a place like Grace Chapel, we were captivated with the idea of launching a new church within the confines of Grace Chapel. Why? First, the opportunity was a lot like what we had done with The Edge, but it was on a much bigger scale to the point of launching a fresh church including all the generations. Secondly, the thought of launching a fully functioning and thriving church in the northeast clinched the deal for us as we see the huge need to hear about Christ in this area of the world.

So if you are interested in talking more about this church launch or Andover, I'd love to talk or email about it. You can contact me by calling me at the Grace Chapel offices (781.862.8351 x 118), emailing me at sluxa@grace.org or catching me after one of the morning services at Grace Chapel. This is an incredible opportunity for Grace Chapel, for me and for you to take part in this fresh work of God in New England!

Steve & Jenny Luxa
Pastor of Andover Church Launch