Why Rancho Cucamonga, 1 of 2

Believing that God leads through our prayerfully dependent and biblically informed thinking, desires, counsel, and plans, my wife and I, under the leadership of Grace Bible Church in Menifee, embarked on finding the place for the “next church plant” (really the first church plant or “daughter church” from GBC). Choosing a location has carried with it a wide range of factors, thoughts, and emotions. We are part of a church family looking for a place to start a new church and we are a family looking for a place to live. We are attempting to plant a local church and begin what we hope will be a Southern California church planting movement. We wanted to find a place that will support a “forty-years-in-ministry” mindset and allow us to have a fast start. We wanted something that is closer to the mass of people in Southern California (toward the city) and still tolerably affordable. We need a place not too close but not too far from GBC Menifee—one that is “just right.”

The factors kept piling up in our minds as we looked. We wanted something that fits our model of indigenous church planting in the city with a team. We wanted a place that has the right mix of economic classes and housing options. Having good driving access by many people from within and without the area is important. A desirable area for our family and team members would help. Communication with area pastors should be confirming. And we wanted a place that our pastor friends would agree with and encourage as a good choice.

Trying to find the perfect place with no negatives would be naïve. But even just trying to find the right place with the right mix of positives was challenging. However, in God’s providence, the answer has come like many others in our lives. The right choice became rather obvious both by the right characteristics and a clear process of elimination. Rancho Cucamonga became what we believe is the best choice for GBC #2.

That doesn’t mean that all our questions are answered, all our fears are allayed, or everything/anything will be easy and simple to work out. However, there is a great level of certainty that Rancho Cucamonga is both the right place and the only place for the first church plant from Grace Bible Church in Menifee. It is forty-five minutes of freeway driving from Menifee being both near enough to GBC Menifee for help and connection while being far enough away to avoid being an inappropriate drain on GBC Menifee.