Monday Mission Fields, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Colorado Springs is special to me because my inlaws live in the greater Springs area. There is nothing to not like about Colorado Springs. It has great lifestyle, with just about every kind of recreation possible at hand. It sits at the base of Pike's Peak, is a hub of military activity, is home to the USA Olympic Center, and the climate is great. Summertime temperatures are mild, and winter is not as brutal as you'd think. I was there one Christmas during a blizzard, and the temperatures were bearable (as long as you stayed dry.)

The Colorado Springs Metro Area (including Manitou Springs, Falcon, Peyton, Calhan, so on and so on,) is home to more than 600,000 people. There is a huge military presence as Colorado Springs is home to the Air Force Academy, Peterson Air Force Base, Schriever AFB, Fort Carson, the UnderGround Pentagon, and NORAD.)

Colorado Springs is home to two ABA churches, Bradley Road MBC (located in the southern part of the city, in proximity to the military bases and in a growing part of town) and East Gate MBC (which I think is located close to Falcon, but I don't know.) With 600,000 people, there is plenty of room for more ABA churches.

Now, the drawbacks. Colorado Springs is not known as "The Protestant Vatican" for nothing. The city is home to the headquarters for Focus on the Family, The National Evangelical Association, more than 88 para-church organizations, and every single shopping center has a new church plant located in it. Plus, Colorado Springs is one of the proving grounds for the SBC's multi-housing ministry programs (they shot the how-to video there.) Some of the churches there are preaching the truth, many are preaching prosperity Gospel, some have drifted into unknown waters. The drawback is that there are many voices in the Springs saying many things. The presence of so many organizations can leave people Gospel hardened on one hand, totally deceived on the other. One thing is for certain, there are still lost people in Colorado Springs, and they can be reached.

Cost of living in the Springs is higher than in Texas as well. The median family income is $53,000. Gas is typically 10 cents more per gallon than in Texas, and is sold at 86 octane as opposed to the 87 octane regular that Texans are accustomed to.

Ministry and church planting is not for the faint of heart, especially in the Springs.

By the way, Colorado Springs, in addition to the Olympic Center, has professional sports. They have Minor League Baseball's "Colorado Springs Sky Sox," minor league soccer and rugby.

Funding for a work in The Springs will be available through the usual channels. Please pray for more men to go to Colorado Springs.