Glen Whatley is the founder of The Gathering Place and today he shares with us why TGP was created and who it serves. 

We are so thankful that God has opened the door for us to be connected with Another Child Foundation. The Gathering Place Network was formed after many years of conviction about the state of the modern church in the world. Under God’s leadership a small group of leaders planted the first Gathering Place Church in Pineville, Louisiana in 2007. The goal of the church was to allow God to have access to a group of believers for an experiment in church planting. This small congregation committed to search the Scriptures and follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit to learn how to be a biblical community. God has created something simple and beautiful and led us to create the network to help others experience God in the same way.

Our mission is to help organize believers into simple, grace-based, biblical communities that abide in Christ together for the purpose of knowing him by experience. Gathering places may take various forms, but we believe the form that best fosters biblical community happens in the context of intimate meetings in homes. Whether we are planting a new church or working with an existing church our goal is to help believers discover the personal touch of God in biblical community and to rediscover the wonders of his person through it.

TGP Network is also seeking to work with existing like-minded humanitarian and mission organizations to make disciples and plant churches. We have a desire to join with Christian organizations who demonstrate the love of Christ through hands-on ministry. We can do this by offering a more intentional ministry of spiritual development in the places they serve. We also offer spiritual development as needed for staff and volunteers. ACF is that type of organization. We are thankful to partner with them to provide spiritual development resources and God is using them to support our work around the world.