The Well Community Church is a brand new church, also known as a church plant. The DeLuca family was sent out in the summer of 2023 by Harmony Bible Church (in SE Iowa) to the St. Louis area with the goal of engaging the city, making disciples, and planting a church. Through vision trips, much prayer, and the Lord opening numerous doors, the Lord led us to pursue planting a church in the Kirkwood, Crestwood, and Sunset Hills area.

Through the gracious partnership of Geyer Road Baptist Church, The Well has a home location at 504 S. Geyer Rd. in Kirkwood, right in the heart of our target area. Moving to the area, beginning to engage the community, starting summer fellowship gatherings in 2024, all led to The Well Community Church's official plant and first worship service on September 8th, 2024. Since then we have sought to faithfully pursue our mission to glorify God through the worship and witness of Jesus Christ.  

Why Church Planting?

IT's Biblical

The incredible and compelling explosion of Christianity into the world captured in the book of Acts is in many ways a story of church planting. Jesus’ disciples set out to be witnesses to the gospel, to be and make disciples of Jesus Christ. The result of this discipleship was local communities of believers gathering to worship Jesus and be His witnesses, or in other words, churches. 

IT's Effective

Not only is church planting biblical, but study after study has shown that it is also effective. New churches are much more likely to reach new people and specifically the unchurched. So, we plant churches to reach new people and new communities with the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

IT's Necessary

Population growth alone reveals the need for more churches. This is true around the world as well as here in America. Cities and suburbs continue to expand. New churches must bring the gospel to the harvest, see lives transformed by the power of the Spirit, raise up laborers, and send them out on mission for God’s glory. 

Why St. Louis?

  • The St. Louis metropolitan area is the twentieth largest in the U.S., with over 2.7 million residents speaking at least 110 different languages. Metro St. Louis, known as the “Gateway to the West,” has in many ways become a “Gateway to the world.” The St. Louis metropolitan area is spread out between both Missouri and Illinois.

  • More than 50 percent of metro St. Louis residents are not affiliated with ANY religious group and are part of the growing religious “Nones.” Less than 18 percent are affiliated with an evangelical church. This means that less than 18 percent of the population would claim or understand that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. This leaves more than 2.2 million residents in need of the hope of the gospel.

THE POPULATION, THE SIZE OF THE AREA, THE DIVERSITY OF THE CITY, AND THE LACK OF GOSPEL SATURATION PRESENT A CLEAR NEED FOR NEW CHURCHES TO BE PLANTED TO REACH ST. LOUIS WITH THE GOSPEL.

Sending Churches

- Harmony Bible Church - Southeast Iowa

- August Gate Church - Belleville, IL

Church Planting Partners

- North American Mission Board (NAMB)

- Send Network (Send St. Louis)

- St. Louis Metro (Local Association)

Oversight

- Initial oversight of The Well Community Church will be provided by an external board made up of pastors/elders from the sending churches until a plurality of local leadership is established.