6.19.07

CBF’s Hester to retire after seven years of facilitating new church starts

By Patricia Heys

CBF Communications

ATLANTA – Phil Hester, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s specialist for new church starts, has announced he will retire at the end of this year.

For the past seven years, Hester has helped start churches in 21 different states. From a cowboy church in Texas to an emergent church start in Florida, Hester has been an integral part in the growth of the Fellowship movement.

“Phil Hester has brought new church starts to the forefront of this movement,” said Bo Prosser, the Fellowship’s coordinator of congregational life. “He has worked hard to plant churches that will make a difference in this Fellowship. He has been diligent about raising money, training church starters and challenging us all to participate in new work.”

Under Hester’s leadership, the focus of new church starts has been on birthing congregations using the indigenous principle – each church is based on and shaped by the culture of its location, therefore, making each church unique. Hester has helped church starters conduct focus groups and demographic studies in order to learn more about their communities.

“The reason I came to CBF at age 60 is because, for me, there is nothing more meaningful or exciting in ministry than watching unchurched people come into relationship with Christ and relationship with the fellowship of God,” Hester said. “It has always been an incredible experience for me to see the transformation in people lives. That is what I have enjoyed most about the opportunity to start new churches with the Fellowship movement.”

As a resource for congregations and individuals interested in starting churches, Hester has provided consultation in the church planting process – from selecting a location to identifying a church planter to assisting in fund development. He has also facilitated partnerships between new churches and CBF state and regional organizations.

“Phil is a strategic thinker, and he works hard to help you be in a position of effectiveness and success,” said Damian Gerke, one of the pastors of BridgepointChurch, a new church in St. Petersburg, Fla. “I’ve never received a bad piece of advice from him – he is wise in the ways of church planting.”

Three years ago, when Charles Higgs was trying to start a church in Erath County, Texas, Hester encouraged him to secure an office and send out a direct mail piece. CBF helped provide the initial funds. Now the CowboyChurchErathCounty has more than 300 members.

“Phil is great in assessing the church planter and the type and area that the church start should be,” Higgs said.

“Over the years Phil's advice and encouragement have helped me to continue through lean times and disappointments,” said Jorge Zayasbazan, who helped start FirstBaptistChurch, Waukegan, Ill. “He always had a fresh idea that applied directly to my situation. His contagious passion for starting new churches has given me a vision for starting new churches whenever I can find a group of willing Christians.”

Hester also created and facilitated the annual CBF Boot Camp for Church Starts, which is held each August. The camp helps prepare church planters to start churches.

Before coming to CBF, Hester worked as an advertising agency president, professor, consultant and church starter. He lives in St. Petersburg, Fla.

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