When people think of church planting in Sovereign Grace Ministries, the idea of reaching Starbucks-studded suburbia often comes to mind. And obviously we have more suburban churches than urban ones, at least here in the U.S. of A.

But Sovereign Grace does not exclusively focus on the suburbs. In fact, a growing number of church planters are being called to urban areas, which creates an incalculable excitement in our hearts.

Now a new church plant is underway in the heart of San Francisco. Christ Church was planted with a group of folks who have a heart for the city of San Francisco, and is led by Toby Kurth.

I first met Toby when Sovereign Grace had launched an urban church plant in New York City and he was working on his Ph.D. in Early American History. Toby and his wife Rebekah jumped into this church plant with heart and soul and served tirelessly for several years.

As they served in that church, it soon became evident that God had called Toby to preach. So off to the Pastors College he went, and then to Gilbert, Arizona, for a church-planting residence. From there, the invasion plan for a church plant to San Francisco took shape.

Let me introduce you to my buddy Toby.

1) Hey Toby, tell us what drew you there?
 
One common theme that has run from the earliest days of considering the church plant through today is God demonstrating that he has gone before us. We feel like active participants and spectators at the same time.
 
California is home for Rebekah and me; and though our burden for urban church planting began in Brooklyn, our hearts were redirected here. I spent a day in San Francisco after my grandmother passed away in October 2005 praying about our future and ever since then God has increased our burden and opened doors for this church plant to happen.
 
2) What are some of the unique challenges that urban church planters encounter?
 
The unique challenges we have encountered have all been two-sided. The challenges appear to be obstacles, but are simultaneously opportunities for God to demonstrate the power of Christ and his gospel. Cities are diverse and neighborhoods can change dramatically in cultural and socioeconomic make-up in just a few blocks. This can appear to be an obstacle, but is ultimately an opportunity to build on the cross-cultural transcendence of Christ and his gospel. It is a great opportunity to display love above and beyond any obstacles that where we are from or what we do might present.
 
Another obstacle is that many city dwellers can be outwardly opposed to what they think the message of Christianity is. Some of that is due to superficial or negative interactions with Christians, and some of it is just that people have never heard the gospel. Either way our goal is to bring people face-to-face with Jesus, with who he is and what he has done.
 
Finding a place to meet is the last big challenge. It can be hard to get established as a church without a steady, affordable place to meet and a presence in the community. This has been a huge way God has demonstrated that He has prepared the way for us. We have a building! It is a hundred-year-old sanctuary built by German Lutherans and later used by a Baptist church. The building has a rich history of use in ministry to the ever-changing community around it. From Chinese and Russian Jewish immigrants to “Summer of Love” hippies, the church has consistently been used by God to bring people to Christ.

But over time membership dwindled. The church was in the process of praying about their future and what God would have them do to see gospel ministry continue in their building when we arrived in January 2009. God gave me a great and growing friendship with the pastor and the sole remaining elder. What began as a friendship grew into these men wanting to support our church plant in any way they could. Their humility and desire to see the gospel go forward led to them merging in what remained of their people with our church plant on October 4, 2009.

You would be hard pressed to find a church in the Bay Area where the gospel has been faithfully proclaimed for 104 years. We have inherited a rich legacy and pray that we will be faithful to continue and hopefully expand it.
 
3) Toby, you know Sovereign Grace Ministries is about “gospel-centered local churches planting local churches.” Tell us about Wellspring Church and how they heroically served, supplied, and supported the starting of Christ Church.
 
Wellspring has been another clear and amazing evidence of God preparing the way for this church plant. Sam Shin’s humility and desire to see churches planted in the Bay Area is compelling.

For starters, almost all of our church plant team came from Wellspring’s San Francisco small group. Sam also gave me the opportunity to preach twice a month starting last February. This enabled me to build much better with the church-plant team, for the people at Wellspring to be more invested in our church plant, and for me to get to launch the church on August 2nd with a running start in the pulpit. In addition to sending off a large portion of their congregation, Wellspring also sent us with a $10,000 check.

We continue to look for opportunities to do as many events together as we can, which has included a fall retreat, various seminars, and a Christmas Eve service. Wellspring is a sister church and a partner in the gospel for us in so many ways.
 
4) What excites you most about Sovereign Grace planting even more churches in urban areas?
 
What I personally love about urban church plants is that no two of them will look the same. I think there can be such a temptation with church plants, and it can be so subtle, to put faith in a model more than the active presence of God.

Trying to import a certain way of doing things that works in the suburbs into an urban setting simply will not work. Urban church planters must put their faith in what Christ is calling them to do in their setting. We have a wonderful model in Sovereign Grace and I look forward to working it in a unique urban community.
 
5) Last question: Let’s say some young guy is reading this and he burns to plant an urban church. What would you say to him?
 
I would start by commending him for his desire to plant an urban church. We need as many church planters as we can get. But a call to plant is much more than a burden. You must have the confidence that God has placed that burden in you and that God is going before you. That burden may begin in you, but it has to be confirmed outside of you.

You need to be invested in a local church where you can be equipped and evaluated and where those who know you best can ultimately confirm your call. You need to do all you can to cultivate a love for God’s Word, your ability to preach it, and a love for the lost. An urban church plant is an exciting adventure, but our only hope in the midst of it is ever and always in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Thanks for passing along your experience, Toby. And thanks even more for serving the Savior in San Francisco!