A Missional Mindset
Hello Faith Family,
At Faith we provide support to missionaries around the world. But what if we adopted a missional mindset for going and serving here in the states? Please enjoy this interview with Faith Covenant missionary Greg Larson of Kairos Hollywood church and urban ministry in California to learn more about his ministry and philosophy on missions.
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Question: Who are you and what is your ministry?
Answer: My name is Gregory Larson and I pastored for ten years in Minneapolis, where I planted a couple of churches. We moved out to LA ten plus years ago to start a church and urban ministry called Kairos. We are a Jesus community in the East Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles, committed to discipleship and mission through church-planting, worship, community, and urban ministry.
Question: How did God call you into this area of ministry?
Answer: My wife and I planted a church in downtown Minneapolis, our first foray into urban ministry. An opportunity came up to plant an urban ministry in LA with a friend of mine, and even though my wife and I never lived outside of Minnesota, we decided to follow God’s call to move to Los Angeles.
Question: What was God doing in your ministry before the pandemic? How has this shifted?
Answer: We desire to see missional communities thrive and reproduce in Los Angeles, partnered with another church in providing hundreds of meals/week to the neighborhood, we coach and mentor at the local city park, and we teach GED classes and provide tutoring to immigrants and Los Angeles residents in our neighborhood.
Now faced with a pandemic, GED teaching and tutoring and GED outreach community moved online. A lot of coaching and sports clinics stopped and the basketball camp with FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) canceled for the summer.
We host our services on Zoom meetings during weekends, my men’s discipleship group is online, and I started LA City College bible study with co-workers. The meals are still happening with a few modifications. They restricted volunteers, using the guys in house and a few select volunteers. We use disposable utensils and sanitize as much as possible. Praise God for our ability to continue to carry out God’s calling through this!
Question: What do you wish the evangelical church in the United States understood more about missions and outreach?
Answer: Mission and outreach should not simply be a department in the church. We shouldn’t say, “We have a missions department, a missions team, missions is something that is done over seas.” We are called to be missionaries everywhere we are. John 20:21 says, “Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.'”
I believe God sends all of us in the church into whatever sphere of influence we find ourselves in; whether you are an actor, a teacher, a business person, a politician. We are all called.
Question: How can we support you as your church family?
Answer: The best way is to bring our family and our urban ministry before God in prayer. And remember us.
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Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us, Greg. It is an honor to walk alongside you, your family, and your ministry in prayer.
-Tone Waters, Director of GO & Communications