Guided By His Voice.
Welcome to Christ Our Shepherd.
Welcome to Christ Our Shepherd, an Anglican church forming in Lebanon, Tennessee. We are a community learning to live under the gentle leadership of Jesus through Scripture, prayer, worship, and the sacraments. As we are formed by Christ, we are sent to love our neighbors, seek the flourishing of our city, and bear witness to His goodness, beauty, and truth in everyday life. Whether you are exploring faith, returning to church, or looking for a spiritual home, we'd love to see you at one of our launch team events. It is a great way to get to know our folks, learn more, and see what it is like starting a new church. Please reach out if you have questions or you'd like to grab some coffee.
Blessings,
Jon Spallino
Blessings,
Jon Spallino
STAGES OF OUR CHURCH PLANT
ASSESSMENT PHASE
During this phase, we sought discernment both for the place God was calling this church to be planted and for the person called to lead it. Through prayer, counsel, and ongoing evaluation, Lebanon, Tennessee emerged as the clear desired location for Christ Our Shepherd, a community we believe God is inviting us to serve with faithful presence and gospel witness. At the same time, this season included careful assessment of Jon Spallino’s call to church planting, his gifts for pastoral leadership, and his readiness for ordained ministry. This process culminated in his ordination as a Transitional Deacon, affirming both his calling and the Church’s recognition of his role in serving, preaching, and helping lay the foundation for this new work.
LAUNCH & INTEREST PHASE (WE ARE HERE)
During this phase, our primary focus is helping people connect to the vision of the church and to one another. While this emphasis continues throughout the life of the church, it is especially important in the early days of a church plant.
We do this through Launch Team Meetings for those interested in learning more about Christ Our Shepherd and through men's and women's groups that provide opportunities for connection, spiritual growth, and community. These gatherings help lay the foundation for meaningful relationships and a healthy church culture as God gathers a people together for His mission in Lebanon.
We do this through Launch Team Meetings for those interested in learning more about Christ Our Shepherd and through men's and women's groups that provide opportunities for connection, spiritual growth, and community. These gatherings help lay the foundation for meaningful relationships and a healthy church culture as God gathers a people together for His mission in Lebanon.
PRE-LAUNCH PHASE
During this phase, our primary focus is to hold preview worship services as we prepare for the beginning of public weekly gathered worship. These services are intended first and foremost to honor God through reverent, faithful worship, while also providing an opportunity for friends, neighbors, and guests to experience the life and worship of the church.
At the same time, we continue to grow and strengthen our Launch Team, seek the Lord in prayer, and prepare our Launch rhythms as we minister in Lebanon, TN.
At the same time, we continue to grow and strengthen our Launch Team, seek the Lord in prayer, and prepare our Launch rhythms as we minister in Lebanon, TN.
LAUNCH TIME
As we look toward the future, our desire is not merely to launch a weekly worship service, but to see a healthy congregation formed in Christ. We have not yet begun Sunday gatherings, but we are prayerfully preparing for that step and trusting God to establish every part of the work in His timing.
In this season, we are laying foundations for discipleship and community that we hope will shape the life of the church from the beginning. We are also discerning ways we will serve our city, asking the Lord to form in us a faithful presence that reflects the love of Christ in both word and deed.
Before anything is launched, we are seeking to be shaped by the values we believe God is calling Christ Our Shepherd to embody. Our prayer is that, in time, these values will be evident not only in what we say, but in how we live together as a people formed by the grace of Jesus in Lebanon.Our objective in planting a church is not just to plant a worship service, but rather to form a healthy congregation. So launching weekly worship services is a huge deal, but it’s only one part of our church’s life together. During this phase, we’ll also participate in discipleship and community. We’ll serve our city. Each of our values will be increasingly expressed in our life together.
In this season, we are laying foundations for discipleship and community that we hope will shape the life of the church from the beginning. We are also discerning ways we will serve our city, asking the Lord to form in us a faithful presence that reflects the love of Christ in both word and deed.
Before anything is launched, we are seeking to be shaped by the values we believe God is calling Christ Our Shepherd to embody. Our prayer is that, in time, these values will be evident not only in what we say, but in how we live together as a people formed by the grace of Jesus in Lebanon.Our objective in planting a church is not just to plant a worship service, but rather to form a healthy congregation. So launching weekly worship services is a huge deal, but it’s only one part of our church’s life together. During this phase, we’ll also participate in discipleship and community. We’ll serve our city. Each of our values will be increasingly expressed in our life together.
