The Groundswell Saint Louis Story

It seems fitting that the first Groundswell blog post tells the story of how Groundswell Saint Louis came into being. It all happened a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… just kidding. It definitely happened in this galaxy, and it was only 2007.
I had recently moved to Saint Louis with a dream of planting a church downtown. Countless ministry leaders encouraged me saying “God is about to do something HUGE in Saint Louis”. After establishing a weekly prayer gathering with other Downtown pastors I began to feel it too.
While attempting to plant a church, I also planted roots in the city. I got married, started a family, owned and operated a coffee shop and then a contracting business (which I closed in 2023). I served as a founding board member and officer for the Saint Louis Downtown Neighborhood Association, partnered with several church planting organizations, and worked extensively with small group ministries focused on discipleship.
I gained a ton of ministry experience and started sensing that God was leading me into a new perspective; figuratively and literally. In 2021 I facilitated a class called Perspectives on the World Christian Movement at Refresh Community Church (formerly Journey Hanley Road), and in 2022 began working for Perspectives USA as Area Team Lead for Greater STL. Part of our strategy for our Fall ‘22 Perspectives class included gathering together local ministries and connecting them with our students to give them a practical way to apply what they learned from the class.
As I began searching for local ministries, I was struck by the number and diversity of beautiful things that the people of Jesus were (and still are) undertaking throughout the area. Even more amazing to me was how disconnected these endeavors were from one another, and how narrowly connected they were to the church—some only being supported by one or two congregations.
I began to wonder what it would look like if these ministries were more robustly connected not only to one another, but also to more of the church.

Where do ministry volunteers come from?
The church.

Where does prayer support come from?
The church.

Where does funding come from?
The church.

I began to dream about an organization that would steward the strategic connection between different expressions of the body of Christ. I vividly remembered my time spent in the foreign mission field where I personally experienced the richness of the body of Christ as Believers came together in worship and collaboration despite denominational (and even theological) differences.
It was in the context of these meditations and prayers that I believe Jesus gave me the vision of a pipeline from Greater Saint Louis to the Nations.
I imagine a day when thousands of mature, equipped, and well supported Believers from all throughout Saint Louis are sent overseas to take the Gospel to those who have not yet even heard the name of Jesus.
But before they can go, they need training and ministry experience. I was taken back to Acts 11 and 13 where I noticed that Barnabas and Saul went back to Antioch to serve in local church ministry. They served there for at least a year before the Holy Spirit sent them abroad as missionaries.
I realized that building a pipeline to the nations begins with the church getting seriously involved in local mission, where Believers can get a ministry practicum, developing their personal character and ministry competence.. I also realized that it is the Holy Spirit—not us—who calls tested and approved Believers to go overseas. Our part is to equip and support those who the Holy Spirit sends, whether locally or globally.
That is the idea behind Groundswell.
We are not interested in telling any local ministry how to do the work that Jesus has called them into, we simply want to connect those ministries, individuals, and church bodies with one another so that they can be more effective.
In that context, it is our prayer that Jesus will raise up a host to go overseas, and a host back home to support those who go. I pray that you’ll find some way to join us in that endeavor.