Jared Mehrle first felt God’s call into ministry when he was a freshman in high school. Today, after serving in various roles across the US – from Colorado to Indiana and Georgia – Jared has accepted a position with FEC as the new Church Planting Director. FEC’s mission is to “establish reproducing churches worldwide.” This aligns deeply with Jared and his wife, Amy, on a personal level regarding their own church-planting journey.
After spending several years in youth ministry, Jared launched a church plant in Georgia. He served and led the congregation, connected with families, navigated financial and fiscal challenges, and experienced many common ups and downs in growing a young church. After three years, things didn’t work out and the doors of his church plant closed. As difficult as that time was, God used it to stir a new mission in Jared’s heart. “Instead of defeating me, it gave me a resolve to help more church planters.”
After Georgia, Jared took on the role of outreach pastor in Crown Point, Indiana. This allowed him to directly serve and build up church planters. “I believe at my core that church planting is the most effective way to reach people for the gospel.” This important work is also very difficult, Jared says, and it’s easy to get discouraged. He became a voice of experience, urging others to keep fighting and to stay the course. Then this March, a friend approached Jared about joining FEC in its mission of church planting. The director position was open and Jared stepped forward in obedience. He was offered the job and began his new role in September.
Jared now helps FEC recruit, assess, train, and coach planters. He will continue connecting with and supporting others, using his own testimony of God’s faithfulness and goodness. The days ahead are bright. “God is going to make it happen; I just get to play a role in it. The results are his; we’ll just do our part.”
