Challenging financial times may make it more difficult to open new churches, but Immanuel, Fort Worth, Tex., has proved that it certainly isn't impossible—especially when Christians work together.

Immanuel is a 40-year-old congregation of about 250 members located in an area of Fort Worth that is not experiencing much growth. Yet 30 minutes northwest of Immanuel, the Alliance Airport area of Fort Worth is booming. In fact, many of Immanuel's members have moved to this area.

With that idea in mind, Immanuel had two college student volunteers spend 10 weeks during the summer of 2009 canvassing the Alliance Airport area and promoting the soccer camp that the congregation decided to hold in the area in July. When 100 kids attended the camp and almost all their families were interested in more information about church, Immanuel realized that the potential for a congregation in this area could be huge.

Home Missions Counselor Ed Schuppe agreed. At Immanuel's request, Schuppe evaluated the area in July and concluded that it had great potential as a site for a new WELS church. As Immanuel considered the information that Schuppe had gathered, the congregation became convinced that it needed to launch this church. Members quickly pledged $13,000 to support the new effort.

Soon word spread throughout the South Central District—and beyond—of Immanuel's mission effort. Support poured in, and in August, Immanuel was able to call a pastor for its new outreach effort.

Pastor Paul Seager was installed in November 2009. He immediately began reaching out to the many people in the Alliance Airport area, inviting them to attend Christ Alone, which is the name that Immanuel gave its daughter congregation.

Christ Alone held its first service in January 2010, with nine families from Immanuel creating a core group of members. A grand opening weekend was held in March, which included a carnival on Saturday and a grand opening service on Sunday that was attended by 68 people, 23 of whom are church prospects. In April, Christ Alone celebrated its first baptism.

So, in less than a year, Immanuel took the idea of a new church and made it a reality, thanks to God's blessings.

Schuppe says, "I'm impressed with how quickly so many people came on board. They truly had a sense and a desire to reach the lost. And if you want to see how God works . . . well, he's blessed this effort in so many ways."

Seager agrees. "Christ Alone is filled with neat people," he says. "I am confident that the Spirit will grow our church by his gospel."