One of the things we were intent upon when OneLife started was being a church that reproduced churches. We believe that can happen in a variety of ways. It can happen by assisting churches that are going to start in our city, as we’ve already done with one church plant and are now assisting another set to launch this fall. We’re also launching our own new church in the form of a second OneLife location in August. And now we are also turning our attention to intentionally developing future church planters.

Starting this week, JR Isham is serving as OneLife’s first ever Church Plant Resident. He comes to us after three months of interviewing, raising financial support, and moving his family from Durham, NC to Knoxville. For the next 1-2 years, he will be spending time at OneLife in an intentional training program – along with our future campus pastors – to prepare for one day starting a new church. This is just another way that we can intentionally be part of starting new churches all over East Tennessee to impact our region with the gospel.

Originally from Rockwood, JR and Lindsey also sense God calling them to be part of new churches starting in East Tennessee. So they are now immersing themselves into the day-to-day life of a two-year old church plant at OneLife. JR will be learning everything he can about making disciples, leading the different ministries of a church plant, planning sermons and services, and starting a church from scratch. Then at some point in the future we’ll get to send him and his family out to start a new work. Along with OneLife, this residency program is a partnership with the Ignite Church Planters Network in Knoxville, giving JR more opportunities for training and exposure to other churches.

It is my hope that JR will be the first of many future church planters that we get to help prepare for the future. You’ll be seeing him and his family around OneLife a lot in the coming weeks. Make sure you introduce yourself and welcome them to the OneLife Family!

Check out JR’s blog here and Lindsey’s blog here to learn more about this awesome family!