In 2002, Mission to North America (MNA) tasked Jordan and his wife with planting Redeemer Presbyterian Church between Charleston and Huntington, W.Va., in a suburban strip of land called Teays Valley.

“We had no money, no resources, and no core group [small group or Bible study],” said Jordan. “So we decided to start networking among non-believers and believers without a church home. We went to Rotary meetings and joined the Chamber of Commerce to let people know who we were and what we were doing.”

What Jordan was doing was casting a vision for a grace-based church in an area of the country disenchanted with Christianity.

“This area has been burnt over pretty bad by fundamentalism,” said Jordan. “A lot of people thought they’d tasted the gospel before, but what they’d really tasted was religion.”

For the first year, Jordan and his wife met with one other couple. Slowly, a few other couples joined the effort—several completely new to Christianity. One was a neighbor Jordan befriended by offering to help him build his deck. Another was the sole responder to an ad Jordan placed on local talk radio. Both are now leaders in the church.

“That group slowly started falling in love with each other,” said Jordan, “and the gospel of grace.”

It appears to be taking root. Redeemer Presbyterian now has 130 members, 250 total attenders, and a number of deacons and elders. The congregation meets in a local theater that has stadium seating. “Sometimes you have to be intentional to find common areas in suburbia,” Jordan jokes.

He remains astounded by the Lord’s goodness. “I have to give God all the credit. He’s done so much. I’m not a man of great faith, but God has certainly called us here. I marvel in worship that He really uses broken sinners to accomplish great things.”

To learn more about Redeemer Presbyterian Church, visit www.redeemerpcawv.com.