Interview Assessment #2

Contact(s):

Jason Brewer - Lead Pastor

Church:
Mercy Church
Date:
September 29, 2015
Analysis:
Jason Brewer is the founder and lead pastor of Mercy Church in Frisco, Texas. He planted the
church four years ago and its Sunday morning gatherings take place in the cafeteria of Bright
Elementary School. Brewer saw a need in his direct neighborhood for an authentic and intentional
Biblical community; a need driven and fostered by what he sees as a disillusionment with the
monumental megachurch culture of North Texas. Brewer himself worked on staff at a large Baptist
church in the area before planting Mercy. He felt burnt out by his perceived lack of influence and
disconnection with Gods people. He felt as if he was not ministering. Thus, with the combination of
Brewers employment frustration, his neighborhoods need-development, and Gods guidance, Mercy
Church was born.
Mercy Church is fundamentally founded on the belief that a single person can only have a
tight, influential relationship with between five and fifteen people at any given time, and a general
influence on no more than seventy-five. Brewer firmly believes that large churches over-extend their
staff and limit the occurrence of true life-changing influence. Brewers church plant, on the other
hand, has a steady attendance of sixty adults, one hundred and thirty total at most, with children
included. He sets aside one third of his week for sermon preparation, twenty percent for
administration, and the remaining forty-five percent for developing his leaders and caring for the
body of believers that he oversees. The focus of his discipleship time revolves around the call for
believers to love God and love their wives or husbands to the best of their ability. Brewer believes
that if a pastor is not walking daily alongside his brothers in helping them to love God and love
others, then the pastor is missing the point of ministry. The relatively small size of his church in
comparison to other churches in the area allows him to practice such daily discipleship. The mission
of Mercy Church is to be a visible community expressing the glory of God by making disciples and
proclaiming the Gospel.
Pastor Brewer concluded that if one doesnt love Jesus today more than he did yesterday,
then he should reconsider pursuing a future in ministry. The statement seemed extreme, but rang
true. A pastor leads in love and faith. His own relationship with God should reflect the relationship
with God he is calling his congregation to strive for. God does call us to be messengers of his Gospel.
However, he calls us to simply be His first and foremost. Our service derives from our relationship

with God and our gratitude toward his grace, rather than the other way around. Seeking the Holy
Spirit brings light and conviction, through which one confesses and repents. A follower of Christ and
a leader of men should continually seek the presence of God and thus, confess and repent without
ceasing, being aware of our freedom from condemnation as well as our call to holiness. The call to
ministry is a call to follow Christ and lead men. Its a call to die to self and live for Him. Its a call to
sacrifice and a call to joy. Its a call to more. And its a call I believe Ive heard from God and humbly
seek to enter into, by His grace and guidance.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I
now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
-Galatians 2:20