Case study: Mel Isara and "Junior"
Mel Isara became a Christian through Ralph Moore. He became a MiniChurch pastor and began multiplying other groups. He caught the vision for church planting and planted his first church in 2001. Six months into the plant he stood up in front of the congregation and told them he was leaving in two years time and introduced the man he was training to be their pastor.
His second church plant was in a tough neighbourhood. The very first week Mel told the church he would be the laziest pastor they had ever met because he was going to equip them to do the ministry. He also announced he would be leaving in two and a half years and introduced JuniorΒ as their future pastor.
Junior was a former alcoholic and drug addict who Mel had been equipping for the last four years. Junior had already multiplied five MiniChurches and was ready to become a pastor.
In March 2005 Mel Isara fulfilled his promise to hand the church over to Junior and left to plant a third church in Pearl City, Hawaii.
Here's a Quicktime clip that tells the story of Mel and Junior.
