Good News Report: Church Planting with Lighthouse Church, Richmond, KY

Church planting teaches two things more than any other; that God is faithful and that we must learn how to depend on that faithful God. I love this quote by Author, Podcaster and Bible Teacher Christine Hoover. She describes in one sentence the sentiment I hear over and over from planters in the Great Lakes Conference. Because of our deep knowledge of the weight of the call to plant a church and the sacrifices that must be made to do so, it is with great joy we celebrate a Good News Story about Church Planting with Lighthouse Church in Richmond, KY.

The call to plant a church for Harvey Cozart was nourished and fostered over several years. He had known about the Evangelical Covenant Church through a close friend inside of the ECC, but it wasn’t until Harvey had served with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship for nearly a decade, had pastored at a local church for three years, and had served in leadership in other ministries that he felt the urgency of the call. It was at this point that he and his wife leaned in, sought out contacts, and were eventually and purposefully connected with leadership at the GLC.

Harvey reminisces that the weight of the call to plant a church came just as he was finishing up his Doctoral degree. As he made his way into work one seemingly-normal morning, he passed a gentleman sitting on the side of the road. Harvey approached the young man to ask if he needed anything. Though the man initially seemed disinterested, therein began a conversation that would change the trajectory of Harvey’s life. The Lord was able to speak through Harvey and let the young father know the Good News found in the Gospel. Harvey’s heart was burdened with the truth that there are so many others like this young man who need to know another way — THE only way through Jesus. Harvey humbly shared: I remember walking into the building and hearing the Lord ask if I would go out to the highways and byways and help set prisoners of darkness free.

It is here where Harvey entered into conversations with the ECC. What struck him most was how committed they were to some of the things he was most passionate about. Hope had transitioned to transparent talks with leadership, and talks developed into a church plant: Hope City Covenant Church.

At first, things seemed to be going well. The new congregation was able to find a space to hold services that was near a college campus, attracting many college students. They were hopeful for continued momentum. Pretty quickly, however, things seemed hard. Harvey felt like he was plugging along trying to meet benchmarks, implementing everything he had been taught to do in the way of strategies and modalities; yet, the intentionally diverse community of believers just wasn’t growing. The Lord spoke to Harvey again, this time saying: Trust Me. Don’t put your trust in strategies and modalities. You are losing sleep, and it is affecting your health. Hand this over to me. It was at this moment that Harvey knew it was absolutely necessary to trust in the Lord in the midst of doing what he academically knew how to do. Harvey began to be less concerned with numbers toward growth and more concerned with growing toward Jesus.

Just as the new church plant was starting to find its own rhythm, routine, identity and purpose, another series of events threw a big twist in the future of Hope City Covenant Church. With no warning, the Middle School space in which they were worshiping could no longer be used. Hope City Covenant Church needed a building to continue worship services. As God would have it, another local church was simultaneously in need of some counseling and pulpit supply during a transitional season of their own. What Harvey thought would be a temporary season of help quickly turned into an unanticipated ask: Will you consider merging two churches and leading us as one?

His response was wise and pastoral, for as unexpected as the request had been, Harvey knew that he and his team of leaders could certainly pray about the opportunity. He didn’t want to discount it, but wanted to pray into it and ask the Lord to reveal himself in this merger. In the fall of 2019, after a six week trial period of combining Sunday services, a double church-wide survey asking for merger feedback and thoughts, and a double church-wide vote, 98% were in favor of proceeding with a merger. In a matter of weeks, Harvey’s church would more than double in size.

By the Grace of God, two churches were merged together for Kingdom purposes. This brought diversity both ethnically and socioeconomically. In January 2020, Hope City Covenant and Madison Community Church were able to officially launch under a new name: Lighthouse Church. As it says in John 1:5: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

The Bible speaks of a time for everything. This, friends, is a good time. May this story of Lighthouse Church, of hope and grace and love and light inspire you to this season as a GOOD time.