The following message is by Pastor John Piper. More information from Desiring God is available at

W.W.

D. D. D.O.R.G. God dot O'R G.

Before we pray, let me add my greetings to the ones you've already received at the North Campus and the South Campus. I know that I was scheduled to be

with you at the South Campus this weekend and the reason I'm not is because we're going to talk about a church plant tonight

this morning that relates more closely to the downtown campus.

So that's the reason for the change.

Let's pray. Father thank you for the Saints gathered at the North Campus. The Saints gathered at the South

campus and the Saints gathered downtown.

I bless you for your church.

What a precious thing you are building.

And now I pray for help for me and for John Ericsson as we open your word and open a vision

that you would use it mightily for the cause of Christ in the city and for the generations to come.

May the stories be told 50 years from now about this night and this season of planting

for the glory of Christ and the good of the church in Jesus' name.

Amen.

So I'm teing up today with John Ericsson who will stand in the pulpit shortly to talk to you

about God's power and grace in the planting of a new church and in church planting more

broadly speaking the church we have in mind Lord willing will be about two and a half miles south of here at the

corner of 16th Avenue and 33rd Street, we call it the 1633 Center right now, and that will be the location as they get underway.

And John will give you more details and I think on every campus

there will be tables at the back for you to pick up a sheet with the vision the

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