05/28/07 UPDATE
As you can tell by the mid-week post last week, the order of the week was to find a place to meet. I was planning on a high school in the area that would have been a great setup, but they aren't interested in renting to a church. That was fine, so i went with my back-up - a middle school in the area who have been really receptive about us meeting there. However, the district set a policy that no groups can come in during the summer due to construction. SOOOOO . . . we were left with no place to meet through the summer. I spent all week searching the area for some temporary digs. I've found several possibilities and hope to nail something down by Wednesday. Also, we're still trying to find someone who can fill in for us to lead worship on June 10th. Oh yeah, and we're still trying to scrape together the money to buy the equipment we need by the 10th. Oh, and I'm trying to nail down the specifics for the mission team that will be here next week conducting block parties.
Get a picture of what life is like around here? Fun stuff. Actually, it is fun in a wierd sort of way. Despite having nothing pinned down, we have a strong sense that God is in control. I know He is at work in areas that we aren't even aware of. For example, I got a call about a church that is considering helping us out of the blue. I finally contacted a guy about leading the worship (or others who could) and he seemed really interested. God keeps showing up - i read someone describe it as God leaving sticky notes everywhere to remind us that He's working. We're working hard to do all that we can as He leads and trusting Him to come through.
Things have really picked up - we are moving into the "make or break" time for the plant. Next week, a mission team shows up to lead 2 block parties and canvas a couple of neighborhoods with fliers about the church. Then on the 10th, we have our first service. I don't generally get nervous, but I have to admit, I get a knot in my stomach every time I think about that.
Please pray for:
1. A meeting place for the 10th.
2. A worship leader for the 10th.
3. Partners to provide funding for startup costs.
4. Preparations for the mission teams who are coming.
Monday, May 28, 2007
Thursday, May 24, 2007
MIDWEEK REQUEST
I have a big request. We've been counting on using one of the schools in the area for a meeting space. I was informed today that the district policy is that none of their properties will be available through the summer due to construction. I realize that God has the correct place out there, but I need to find it - yesterday. Please pray in that regard.
I have a big request. We've been counting on using one of the schools in the area for a meeting space. I was informed today that the district policy is that none of their properties will be available through the summer due to construction. I realize that God has the correct place out there, but I need to find it - yesterday. Please pray in that regard.
Monday, May 21, 2007
05/21/07 UPDATE
I watched the movie Facing the Giants last week. It was a very predictable story line (you know how everything is going to turn out) and the acting was pretty weak. Normally, I would never admit to having seen a movie like it, BUT it hit me right where I'm living. I really resonated with it and God encouraged me through it, mainly because I totally related with the character and his story.
Anyway, one scene in particular stood out to me. A Christian guy is telling the football coach that God isn't through with him yet. When the coach asks if he really thought God wanted that message communicated to him, the man replied by telling a story. He said, "There were two farmers in an area that was facing severe drought. One of the farmers saw the other returning from working his field and asked what he was doing. The farmer replied, 'I'm preparing for rain.'"
That's how I feel right now. As we've started planning for our first services, all the details seem to be falling into place, except one - We still don't have any people. Things are going according to plans, because we're planning to get people through the mission team that is here on June 3-9 and our first service on June 10. I was just hoping to start gathering some people before then. Mainly, it would relieve my anxiety to see people signing up beforehand. I want to see it, not have to wait for it. I told Jeff and Kelly that I feel like we're preparing for rain and trusting God to bring the rain.
That is my main focus of prayer right now - God send the rain (people). My aim is to do everything I can to prepare for it and trust God to send it at the right time. I know He won't send it if we're not ready and prepared.
That being said, I am seeing His hand all around us as we prepare. All the details seem to be falling into place - they aren't all filled, but they are steadily progressing.
Of particular concern this week, pray for:
1. God to draw people to Himself through our work.
2. Finalizing the details needed for our first service - there's too many to list in detail.
3. A worship leader.
4. Clarity about what to preach for these first services - I'm having an incredibly hard time settling on something.
5. Wisdom as I plan for our mission teams to arrive. I have to reserve places for block parties and other things, so pray for God to give us favor with the right people.
I watched the movie Facing the Giants last week. It was a very predictable story line (you know how everything is going to turn out) and the acting was pretty weak. Normally, I would never admit to having seen a movie like it, BUT it hit me right where I'm living. I really resonated with it and God encouraged me through it, mainly because I totally related with the character and his story.
Anyway, one scene in particular stood out to me. A Christian guy is telling the football coach that God isn't through with him yet. When the coach asks if he really thought God wanted that message communicated to him, the man replied by telling a story. He said, "There were two farmers in an area that was facing severe drought. One of the farmers saw the other returning from working his field and asked what he was doing. The farmer replied, 'I'm preparing for rain.'"
That's how I feel right now. As we've started planning for our first services, all the details seem to be falling into place, except one - We still don't have any people. Things are going according to plans, because we're planning to get people through the mission team that is here on June 3-9 and our first service on June 10. I was just hoping to start gathering some people before then. Mainly, it would relieve my anxiety to see people signing up beforehand. I want to see it, not have to wait for it. I told Jeff and Kelly that I feel like we're preparing for rain and trusting God to bring the rain.
That is my main focus of prayer right now - God send the rain (people). My aim is to do everything I can to prepare for it and trust God to send it at the right time. I know He won't send it if we're not ready and prepared.
That being said, I am seeing His hand all around us as we prepare. All the details seem to be falling into place - they aren't all filled, but they are steadily progressing.
Of particular concern this week, pray for:
1. God to draw people to Himself through our work.
2. Finalizing the details needed for our first service - there's too many to list in detail.
3. A worship leader.
4. Clarity about what to preach for these first services - I'm having an incredibly hard time settling on something.
5. Wisdom as I plan for our mission teams to arrive. I have to reserve places for block parties and other things, so pray for God to give us favor with the right people.
Monday, May 14, 2007
05/14/07 UPDATE
Last week continued to be one of rapid-fire events. On a personal note, two things were really cool. One, Jacqueline and I went to Kansas to see the Dead Sea Scrolls. Two, Jackson scored a goal in his soccer game!
As far as Redeemer goes, there were also several significant events there. I'm continuing to pursue a meeting location. I looked at the middle school on Tuesday. They have a gym and cafeteria available. On Friday I looked at the high school. It's huge (2,100 students) and has an amazing auditorium that is set up like a theatre. I almost didn't look at it because it's so big (it seats 614). At our coaching meeting, they encouraged me to check it out and gave some ideas to "shrink" it. I think it will set up really well. they have a lower level of 200+ seats and an upper level with 400 or so. I think I can put up curtains to seperate the upper half and make it manageable. It also has a really nice sound and lighting system (if they'll let us use them) and chairs. I'm in the process of getting forms turned in, insurance policies, etc. Please pray that this will go smoothly and that God will give us favor with those who are in charge - the principal, vice-principals, and custodians.
The only difficulty is that the auditorium is not available in the summer, so we'll have to meet in the "commons" - a multi-purpose cafeteria, etc. I will have to find a sound system, etc. to meet in there.
I also talked with a potential worship leader this week. He sounds very talented and we have a lot in common. He and his wife are moving to Omaha the end of August. i think he wants a full-time position (understandably) but we talked and he's considering it. Please pray for God's guidance. We need Him to call the right person, whoever that may be.
On Tuesday night I met with the Missions Pastor at Central Baptist Church in Jonesboro, Arkansas. They are sending a team up to help us this summer and are going to adopt Nebraska as a missions partner. He is a really sharp guy who used to be a missionary and now coordinates their church in missions - both internationally and in the US. He said that they are a little imbalanced right now, with a large emphasis on international missions, but not as much in the states. He said his vision is to eventually build to the point that he would say, for example, "We want 10 or 15 of you to find jobs and go to Omaha to help start a church. We're sending you and $200,000 to buy land for a building to get a church started." Wow! Now that's a vision for church planting!
I also traveled to NYC for my second church planter coaching meeting. It went really well. In fact, it is going better than I would have thought. it is providing much needed traction, guidance, and encouragement for me.
The biggest concern right now is stress. i keep having these "AHHHHHHHHH!" moments. For example, on Monday, J'line mentioned mother's day. I freaked out. I think she thought it was because I had forgotten Mother's Day. Actually it was because I realized that our first service is the week BEFORE Father's Day - meaning that I had about a month to get it together. Another example was as we were winding up the coaching meeting. They asked, "So who's having a service before our next meeting?" i was like "AHHHHHHHHHH, I am." Everybody laughed because they are there too.
Please pray for:
1. God to give us wisdom in planning and favor with people.
2. Meeting space - pray that God will give us favor with the people in charge.
3. Worship leader - pray that God will lead us to the right person and that he will confirm it to both of us.
4. God to draw people through our ministry projects, servant evangelism projects, and monthly services.
5. PRAY FOR EVERYTHING TO COME TOGETHER FOR OUR FIRST MONTHLY SERVICE ON JUNE 10. We're praying for 75 people.
Last week continued to be one of rapid-fire events. On a personal note, two things were really cool. One, Jacqueline and I went to Kansas to see the Dead Sea Scrolls. Two, Jackson scored a goal in his soccer game!
As far as Redeemer goes, there were also several significant events there. I'm continuing to pursue a meeting location. I looked at the middle school on Tuesday. They have a gym and cafeteria available. On Friday I looked at the high school. It's huge (2,100 students) and has an amazing auditorium that is set up like a theatre. I almost didn't look at it because it's so big (it seats 614). At our coaching meeting, they encouraged me to check it out and gave some ideas to "shrink" it. I think it will set up really well. they have a lower level of 200+ seats and an upper level with 400 or so. I think I can put up curtains to seperate the upper half and make it manageable. It also has a really nice sound and lighting system (if they'll let us use them) and chairs. I'm in the process of getting forms turned in, insurance policies, etc. Please pray that this will go smoothly and that God will give us favor with those who are in charge - the principal, vice-principals, and custodians.
The only difficulty is that the auditorium is not available in the summer, so we'll have to meet in the "commons" - a multi-purpose cafeteria, etc. I will have to find a sound system, etc. to meet in there.
I also talked with a potential worship leader this week. He sounds very talented and we have a lot in common. He and his wife are moving to Omaha the end of August. i think he wants a full-time position (understandably) but we talked and he's considering it. Please pray for God's guidance. We need Him to call the right person, whoever that may be.
On Tuesday night I met with the Missions Pastor at Central Baptist Church in Jonesboro, Arkansas. They are sending a team up to help us this summer and are going to adopt Nebraska as a missions partner. He is a really sharp guy who used to be a missionary and now coordinates their church in missions - both internationally and in the US. He said that they are a little imbalanced right now, with a large emphasis on international missions, but not as much in the states. He said his vision is to eventually build to the point that he would say, for example, "We want 10 or 15 of you to find jobs and go to Omaha to help start a church. We're sending you and $200,000 to buy land for a building to get a church started." Wow! Now that's a vision for church planting!
I also traveled to NYC for my second church planter coaching meeting. It went really well. In fact, it is going better than I would have thought. it is providing much needed traction, guidance, and encouragement for me.
The biggest concern right now is stress. i keep having these "AHHHHHHHHH!" moments. For example, on Monday, J'line mentioned mother's day. I freaked out. I think she thought it was because I had forgotten Mother's Day. Actually it was because I realized that our first service is the week BEFORE Father's Day - meaning that I had about a month to get it together. Another example was as we were winding up the coaching meeting. They asked, "So who's having a service before our next meeting?" i was like "AHHHHHHHHHH, I am." Everybody laughed because they are there too.
Please pray for:
1. God to give us wisdom in planning and favor with people.
2. Meeting space - pray that God will give us favor with the people in charge.
3. Worship leader - pray that God will lead us to the right person and that he will confirm it to both of us.
4. God to draw people through our ministry projects, servant evangelism projects, and monthly services.
5. PRAY FOR EVERYTHING TO COME TOGETHER FOR OUR FIRST MONTHLY SERVICE ON JUNE 10. We're praying for 75 people.
Monday, May 07, 2007
Sunday, May 06, 2007
05/06/07 UPDATE
Last week was largely one of praises. Since we have adapted our "model" for starting the church, there has been a big change in my focus and clarity. Before, I went from week to week hoping to meet some people who would gather around us and once that took place, we'd start "doing something." Now, we're focused on preparing to do what we believe God has called us to do, when he has called us to do it. In our case, that means launching a church publicly beginning September 16, 2007. Now the question has become, "What has to be done for that to take place?" I'm focused on getting the necessary plans made and securing what is needed. Having said all of that, it seemed that God was busy putting those pieces into place.
This was seen clearly after I emailed our monthly newsletter. One request I had was for partners. I had one prospective partner contact me that afternoon. Another was that I asked that we would find the right person to finish our basement. That afternoon, a guy came and gave us a bid that was about half of the others.
Another praise was on the equipment front. I was given a projector and wireless mic - that was about $1,300. I also spoke with a lady who had some top notch sound equipment that she wants to sell us at a cut rate. Now I just need $3,000! I had spoken with her before - she and her husband had helped start a church in Massachusetts before moving here. In addition to the equipment, she was going to give our information to a few other people.
Our most critical needs remain two things. Both are people related and outside of my control. Both are also a dire need - please make them a special priority. Write yourself a note to remember to pray for them daily, please. One, we need a worship leader. Two, we are going to do the work of connecting with people and inviting them, but God has to draw them to Himself and call him to this work. Please make these a continual request.
This week will also be busy for me. I hope to secure the Middle school as a meeting place and i need to connect with the person in charge (and have little time to do it). I'll also be meeting with a mission pastor to from Arkansas to plan his church's summer trip. I'll also be travelling to New York for my coaching meeting on Wednesday and Thursday. This is going to be an extremely busy week. We have something going every day fo the week.
By the way, if anybody was concerned, we got a lot of rain and wind. There's a lot of flooding in the area. However, we have not had any severe weather or tornadoes.
Last week was largely one of praises. Since we have adapted our "model" for starting the church, there has been a big change in my focus and clarity. Before, I went from week to week hoping to meet some people who would gather around us and once that took place, we'd start "doing something." Now, we're focused on preparing to do what we believe God has called us to do, when he has called us to do it. In our case, that means launching a church publicly beginning September 16, 2007. Now the question has become, "What has to be done for that to take place?" I'm focused on getting the necessary plans made and securing what is needed. Having said all of that, it seemed that God was busy putting those pieces into place.
This was seen clearly after I emailed our monthly newsletter. One request I had was for partners. I had one prospective partner contact me that afternoon. Another was that I asked that we would find the right person to finish our basement. That afternoon, a guy came and gave us a bid that was about half of the others.
Another praise was on the equipment front. I was given a projector and wireless mic - that was about $1,300. I also spoke with a lady who had some top notch sound equipment that she wants to sell us at a cut rate. Now I just need $3,000! I had spoken with her before - she and her husband had helped start a church in Massachusetts before moving here. In addition to the equipment, she was going to give our information to a few other people.
Our most critical needs remain two things. Both are people related and outside of my control. Both are also a dire need - please make them a special priority. Write yourself a note to remember to pray for them daily, please. One, we need a worship leader. Two, we are going to do the work of connecting with people and inviting them, but God has to draw them to Himself and call him to this work. Please make these a continual request.
This week will also be busy for me. I hope to secure the Middle school as a meeting place and i need to connect with the person in charge (and have little time to do it). I'll also be meeting with a mission pastor to from Arkansas to plan his church's summer trip. I'll also be travelling to New York for my coaching meeting on Wednesday and Thursday. This is going to be an extremely busy week. We have something going every day fo the week.
By the way, if anybody was concerned, we got a lot of rain and wind. There's a lot of flooding in the area. However, we have not had any severe weather or tornadoes.
Monday, April 30, 2007
04/30/07 UPDATE
Whew! Our travels went well, but it sure is nice to sleep in my own bed. We arrived back in Omaha around Saturday at noon to conclude a trip that saw us fly to TN, drive to FL, then back to TN via a stop in GA and finally back to NE. It was a long, tiring, but very rewarding trip. The main purpose was to pick up my mother-in-law, Juanita, and move her out to NE with us. As of 4:50 this afternoon, her stuff is all here and in storage. Now we have to get the basement finished. We extended the trip to see old friends and family, as well as visit with some prospective partners for the ministry.
In terms of benefit to our work, we secured one partner, met with another potential one, and had several other strong inquiries. This is very important, because as we prepare to launch, there are several obstacles that must be overcome and it will take help to get over them. There are several one-time, large expenses that need to be met, primarily for equipment and projects (such as a sound system, chairs, trailer, mailers, etc.). I'll be posting an itemized list seperately to keep everyone informed. Please pray for partners to come alongside us or this will be dead in the water!
Upon our arrival in NE, we hit the ground running (actually it felt like the ground hit us, but nevertheless . . . ). We got here at noon and Jackson had a soccer game at 4:30. On Sunday, we got to attend our church for the first time in several weeks. Man, it was good to be back. I can't understand how people operate without a church home for very long.
After church, we met with Jeff and Kelly to develop our launch strategy. We spent three hours laying out our plans to work towards starting the church on September 16th with 250 in attendance. This is exciting work, but there are several "giants" that God has to slay. This may get repetitive, but these are our biggest needs right now. I'll try to keep you posted on the progress of each one.
1. Worship Leader - pray that God will connect us with the right person.
2. Meeting site - I'll be checking with the local schools. Pray that God will show us another site if this is not the right situation.
3. Partners - We need people to partner with us by providing startup finances and equipment.
4. People - God is in charge of drawing people to Himself. We are going to do our best to make a big deal out of Jesus and connect with people, but he has to be the one to draw them.
Whew! Our travels went well, but it sure is nice to sleep in my own bed. We arrived back in Omaha around Saturday at noon to conclude a trip that saw us fly to TN, drive to FL, then back to TN via a stop in GA and finally back to NE. It was a long, tiring, but very rewarding trip. The main purpose was to pick up my mother-in-law, Juanita, and move her out to NE with us. As of 4:50 this afternoon, her stuff is all here and in storage. Now we have to get the basement finished. We extended the trip to see old friends and family, as well as visit with some prospective partners for the ministry.
In terms of benefit to our work, we secured one partner, met with another potential one, and had several other strong inquiries. This is very important, because as we prepare to launch, there are several obstacles that must be overcome and it will take help to get over them. There are several one-time, large expenses that need to be met, primarily for equipment and projects (such as a sound system, chairs, trailer, mailers, etc.). I'll be posting an itemized list seperately to keep everyone informed. Please pray for partners to come alongside us or this will be dead in the water!
Upon our arrival in NE, we hit the ground running (actually it felt like the ground hit us, but nevertheless . . . ). We got here at noon and Jackson had a soccer game at 4:30. On Sunday, we got to attend our church for the first time in several weeks. Man, it was good to be back. I can't understand how people operate without a church home for very long.
After church, we met with Jeff and Kelly to develop our launch strategy. We spent three hours laying out our plans to work towards starting the church on September 16th with 250 in attendance. This is exciting work, but there are several "giants" that God has to slay. This may get repetitive, but these are our biggest needs right now. I'll try to keep you posted on the progress of each one.
1. Worship Leader - pray that God will connect us with the right person.
2. Meeting site - I'll be checking with the local schools. Pray that God will show us another site if this is not the right situation.
3. Partners - We need people to partner with us by providing startup finances and equipment.
4. People - God is in charge of drawing people to Himself. We are going to do our best to make a big deal out of Jesus and connect with people, but he has to be the one to draw them.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
04/22/07 UPDATE
Sorry for the delay. We have been travelling and I have had limited access to the computer.
We're in the middle of a swing from TN to FL, then GA, back to TN, and then on to NE! We're currently in Cleveland, TN preparing to load a UHaul tomorrow with my mother-in-law's stuff and head to Omaha.
This has been a great trip. I've made several beneficial contacts and seen tons of friends and family. I'll post a more detailed explanation next week.
In the meantime, remember the BIG TWO:
1. A worship leader.
2. God to draw people to be part of the launch team through our summer activities.
Sorry for the delay. We have been travelling and I have had limited access to the computer.
We're in the middle of a swing from TN to FL, then GA, back to TN, and then on to NE! We're currently in Cleveland, TN preparing to load a UHaul tomorrow with my mother-in-law's stuff and head to Omaha.
This has been a great trip. I've made several beneficial contacts and seen tons of friends and family. I'll post a more detailed explanation next week.
In the meantime, remember the BIG TWO:
1. A worship leader.
2. God to draw people to be part of the launch team through our summer activities.
Monday, April 16, 2007
04/16/07 UPDATE
Man, what a week! I had several firsts, or some firsts in a long time:
I took my first trip to New York City. If you haven't done that before, it's an experience unlike anything you've been through before. My meeting was in Manhattan. When you are in Manhattan, you see nothing but delivery vehicles, taxis, and limo's and hear nothing but car horns. I also had authentic New York pizza!
Another first was that I had serious travel difficulties. I sat on the tarmac (in the plane) for over an hour and a half before leaving for Chicago. My plane there was canceled, so I had to fly to Manchester, NH and then NY. On the way back, high winds kept planes from leaving La Guardia so I missed my connecting flight from Chicago to Omaha and had to spend the night in Chicago. Definitely not fun. One cool part of that was that I flew over our old house and ministry field leaving Manchester. i could see all the familiar sights and prayed for God to work there.
A first in a long time was that I preached in a tie on Sunday!:( It was a traditional SBC church and we had some really funny stories of things that happened because we have adapted to non-traditional church and forgotten how things work in traditional circles:)
The reason I went to NY was for a church planter's coaching meeting. I met with 11 other church planters around the country at The Journey Church (www.nyjourney.com). They (Nelson Searcy and Kerrick Thomas) planted Jouney in NY in 2001 with a situation similar to ours. They felt called to NY and went with no help, people, etc. Rather than gathering a core group of believers, slowly cultivating them and then reaching out to the unchurched with them, they started going directly for the unchurched and didn't waste time trying to gather, motivate, and argue with :) Christians. Starting with a core usually leads to a smaller, longer start, which increases the chances of failure. Their goal is to launch with a "large" crowd, which increases your chances of success. This takes place by conducting monthly services for 3-6 months which are used to gather interested people. Along with these services, you use servant evangelism projects, mission teams, and advertising to gather people. Then you have a big launch service which begins your weekly services.
For us, it looks like this: we will have a monthly service on June 10, July 22, and August 19. In addition, we have 3 mission teams coming up during June and July to help us. Our Launch will be on September 16. There is a terrifying element to this approach - what if we do all the stuff and nobody shows up? In that case, September is going to be a very depressing time. Please pray for God to use these events to gather the people He has chosen to put in Redeemer Church. We walk by faith, not by sight, right?
Also, pray for several other things:
1. I am overwhelmed with the amount of things that have to be done . . . yesterday.
2. We have a ton of decisions to make - i need wisdom as I make them.
3. We need someone to lead worship.
4. We need locations to have block parties and other servant evangelism opportunities.
5. We need a location for our monthly services.
6. We need money to provide for advertising, materials for the servant evangelism projects, and equipment.
Man, what a week! I had several firsts, or some firsts in a long time:
I took my first trip to New York City. If you haven't done that before, it's an experience unlike anything you've been through before. My meeting was in Manhattan. When you are in Manhattan, you see nothing but delivery vehicles, taxis, and limo's and hear nothing but car horns. I also had authentic New York pizza!
Another first was that I had serious travel difficulties. I sat on the tarmac (in the plane) for over an hour and a half before leaving for Chicago. My plane there was canceled, so I had to fly to Manchester, NH and then NY. On the way back, high winds kept planes from leaving La Guardia so I missed my connecting flight from Chicago to Omaha and had to spend the night in Chicago. Definitely not fun. One cool part of that was that I flew over our old house and ministry field leaving Manchester. i could see all the familiar sights and prayed for God to work there.
A first in a long time was that I preached in a tie on Sunday!:( It was a traditional SBC church and we had some really funny stories of things that happened because we have adapted to non-traditional church and forgotten how things work in traditional circles:)
The reason I went to NY was for a church planter's coaching meeting. I met with 11 other church planters around the country at The Journey Church (www.nyjourney.com). They (Nelson Searcy and Kerrick Thomas) planted Jouney in NY in 2001 with a situation similar to ours. They felt called to NY and went with no help, people, etc. Rather than gathering a core group of believers, slowly cultivating them and then reaching out to the unchurched with them, they started going directly for the unchurched and didn't waste time trying to gather, motivate, and argue with :) Christians. Starting with a core usually leads to a smaller, longer start, which increases the chances of failure. Their goal is to launch with a "large" crowd, which increases your chances of success. This takes place by conducting monthly services for 3-6 months which are used to gather interested people. Along with these services, you use servant evangelism projects, mission teams, and advertising to gather people. Then you have a big launch service which begins your weekly services.
For us, it looks like this: we will have a monthly service on June 10, July 22, and August 19. In addition, we have 3 mission teams coming up during June and July to help us. Our Launch will be on September 16. There is a terrifying element to this approach - what if we do all the stuff and nobody shows up? In that case, September is going to be a very depressing time. Please pray for God to use these events to gather the people He has chosen to put in Redeemer Church. We walk by faith, not by sight, right?
Also, pray for several other things:
1. I am overwhelmed with the amount of things that have to be done . . . yesterday.
2. We have a ton of decisions to make - i need wisdom as I make them.
3. We need someone to lead worship.
4. We need locations to have block parties and other servant evangelism opportunities.
5. We need a location for our monthly services.
6. We need money to provide for advertising, materials for the servant evangelism projects, and equipment.
Monday, April 09, 2007
04/09/07 UPDATE
Well, the big news around here is that our family expanded on Monday. We've been promising the boys that we'd get another dog once we got settled down. Long story, but we eventually were connected with a lady who was trying to place one or her whippets, Mystic. We got her last Monday and the boys are ecstatic. You hear a constant chorus of "Mystic, Mystic, Mystic" everywhere you go. She's a great dog - really calm and great with kids. The funniest part of it all is that when we asked where she was, the lady said, "A town called Crestview, FL." That's very close to where we just moved from.
Aside from that, we froze all week. We've been setting record lows all week and watching as our beautiful plants shrivel up and die.
I had several very good meetings this week. The first was on Monday. Our pastor at Heartland and I started meeting to pray for God to move in Omaha. This was the first of what we hope will be a weekly event. Please pray for us to hear from God during this time. We also had a pastor's meeting where we showed a dvd of what we're doing and had several pastors talk to us about helping. One in particular was encouraging. They meet on the same street that we are targeting, but about 7 miles to the east. He said that all of the pastors in that area were praying for the "area out west" for several years and trying to figure out what they could do there. It was good to hear about God going before us. We also had a great time celebrating Easter yesterday with friends. I hope you did too.
This week we have a couple of key things taking place. One, I'll be flying to NYC for my first coaching meeting. Please pray for God to be at work there, showing me His plans for Omaha. Also pray for safety as I travel.
Second, I'll be preaching next Sunday (and the Sunday after that). Pray that I will hear the exact message God wants to bring and that he will speak through me to bring it.
Pray for strength for us as we enter what is going to be a very hectic period of our lives. Things are picking up this weekend and I'm not sure when they will slow down again. The summer is a key time for us and there is much to plan and coordinate as we move towards it.
Also, pray for our schooling choices for the kids. Although they are doing great academically in homeschooling, I think it would be a lot less stressful if they were in school. They are on a waiting list for a public school which has a special academic curriculum that we like. We are also applying for a scholarship that might help us put them into Christian school. Please pray for the right doors to open at the right time.
Finally, here are some recurring requests:
A worship leader.
A place to meet.
Partners in funding many of the upcoming projects and needs.
God to draw people to be part of the plant.
Our first monthly service - June 10. I'm praying for 75 people.
Our public launch - September 9. I'm praying for 250 people.
Well, the big news around here is that our family expanded on Monday. We've been promising the boys that we'd get another dog once we got settled down. Long story, but we eventually were connected with a lady who was trying to place one or her whippets, Mystic. We got her last Monday and the boys are ecstatic. You hear a constant chorus of "Mystic, Mystic, Mystic" everywhere you go. She's a great dog - really calm and great with kids. The funniest part of it all is that when we asked where she was, the lady said, "A town called Crestview, FL." That's very close to where we just moved from.
Aside from that, we froze all week. We've been setting record lows all week and watching as our beautiful plants shrivel up and die.
I had several very good meetings this week. The first was on Monday. Our pastor at Heartland and I started meeting to pray for God to move in Omaha. This was the first of what we hope will be a weekly event. Please pray for us to hear from God during this time. We also had a pastor's meeting where we showed a dvd of what we're doing and had several pastors talk to us about helping. One in particular was encouraging. They meet on the same street that we are targeting, but about 7 miles to the east. He said that all of the pastors in that area were praying for the "area out west" for several years and trying to figure out what they could do there. It was good to hear about God going before us. We also had a great time celebrating Easter yesterday with friends. I hope you did too.
This week we have a couple of key things taking place. One, I'll be flying to NYC for my first coaching meeting. Please pray for God to be at work there, showing me His plans for Omaha. Also pray for safety as I travel.
Second, I'll be preaching next Sunday (and the Sunday after that). Pray that I will hear the exact message God wants to bring and that he will speak through me to bring it.
Pray for strength for us as we enter what is going to be a very hectic period of our lives. Things are picking up this weekend and I'm not sure when they will slow down again. The summer is a key time for us and there is much to plan and coordinate as we move towards it.
Also, pray for our schooling choices for the kids. Although they are doing great academically in homeschooling, I think it would be a lot less stressful if they were in school. They are on a waiting list for a public school which has a special academic curriculum that we like. We are also applying for a scholarship that might help us put them into Christian school. Please pray for the right doors to open at the right time.
Finally, here are some recurring requests:
A worship leader.
A place to meet.
Partners in funding many of the upcoming projects and needs.
God to draw people to be part of the plant.
Our first monthly service - June 10. I'm praying for 75 people.
Our public launch - September 9. I'm praying for 250 people.
Monday, April 02, 2007
04/02/07 UPDATE
Last week consisted of a great deal of planning and preparation for upcoming stuff. I spent a lot of time on the phone trying to set up meetings with interested people during an upcoming "Southern tour." We are coming down to move my mother-in-law to O and are trying to make the most of our time. There is also a lot of upcoming planning to prepare for three mission groups that will be coming up to help over the summer, our three once-a-month services during the summer, and our public launch of weekly services in September. Specifically, i'm trying to track down a worship leader, meeting location, equipment, incorporate the church, design a website, design brochures to give out during our block parties, raise funds to provide all of this stuff, set up meetings with prospects, prepare to preach on the 15th and 22nd, and I'm sure there's other things I'm forgetting to mention:)
Another benefit from our time in Seattle was that J and I spent a great deal of time walking back through our calling to plant a church. God strengthened that calling as we reviewed it. We are trying to consciously focus on the fact that this is God's plan and therefore He is the one responsible to carry it out. We are simply called to remain sensitive to Him and obey as He leads. This week, I've been focusing on that and during my study, God gave me a new verse, Isaiah 41:9b-10:
'You are my servant';
I have chosen you and have not rejected you.
So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strenghten you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Last week was a very encouraging time for me. Friday night, I got to talk with several people who are interested in the church. It is extrememly encouraging to meet new prospects. Also, I met with a pastor who is planting a Methodist church in the area. I wasn't aware of their existence, but I got a card in the mail and contacted him. He told me that the ground here is very fertile and that they are reaching a lot of new people. They are very similar to us in philosophy and style and those methods are working. That is really good news! He is also very cooperative and has the mindset that "there's plenty for all of us to do." Also, we had our record Gathering last night. We had 7 adults! Of course, the three new ones won't be back, but that's ok. They were a couple who's very interested in church planting and are doing all the paperwork for incorporating the church, setting up the bank accounts, etc. The other was our Director of Missions, who stopped by because his wife was out of town and he was hungry, i mean, he wanted to come by and encourage us:)
Here are some specific prayer requests for us this week:
A worship leader.
A place to meet.
Partners in funding many of the upcoming projects and needs.
God to draw people to be part of the plant.
Our first monthly service - June 10. I'm praying for 75 people.
Our public launch - September 9. I'm praying for 250 people.
Last week consisted of a great deal of planning and preparation for upcoming stuff. I spent a lot of time on the phone trying to set up meetings with interested people during an upcoming "Southern tour." We are coming down to move my mother-in-law to O and are trying to make the most of our time. There is also a lot of upcoming planning to prepare for three mission groups that will be coming up to help over the summer, our three once-a-month services during the summer, and our public launch of weekly services in September. Specifically, i'm trying to track down a worship leader, meeting location, equipment, incorporate the church, design a website, design brochures to give out during our block parties, raise funds to provide all of this stuff, set up meetings with prospects, prepare to preach on the 15th and 22nd, and I'm sure there's other things I'm forgetting to mention:)
Another benefit from our time in Seattle was that J and I spent a great deal of time walking back through our calling to plant a church. God strengthened that calling as we reviewed it. We are trying to consciously focus on the fact that this is God's plan and therefore He is the one responsible to carry it out. We are simply called to remain sensitive to Him and obey as He leads. This week, I've been focusing on that and during my study, God gave me a new verse, Isaiah 41:9b-10:
'You are my servant';
I have chosen you and have not rejected you.
So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strenghten you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Last week was a very encouraging time for me. Friday night, I got to talk with several people who are interested in the church. It is extrememly encouraging to meet new prospects. Also, I met with a pastor who is planting a Methodist church in the area. I wasn't aware of their existence, but I got a card in the mail and contacted him. He told me that the ground here is very fertile and that they are reaching a lot of new people. They are very similar to us in philosophy and style and those methods are working. That is really good news! He is also very cooperative and has the mindset that "there's plenty for all of us to do." Also, we had our record Gathering last night. We had 7 adults! Of course, the three new ones won't be back, but that's ok. They were a couple who's very interested in church planting and are doing all the paperwork for incorporating the church, setting up the bank accounts, etc. The other was our Director of Missions, who stopped by because his wife was out of town and he was hungry, i mean, he wanted to come by and encourage us:)
Here are some specific prayer requests for us this week:
A worship leader.
A place to meet.
Partners in funding many of the upcoming projects and needs.
God to draw people to be part of the plant.
Our first monthly service - June 10. I'm praying for 75 people.
Our public launch - September 9. I'm praying for 250 people.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
03/27/2007 UPDATE
We arrived back in Omaha last night at midnight or so. We had a good time in Seattle. There were some rather difficult, trying, challenging, etc. moments, but overall it was good. J and I spent a few days there after the conference was over to see the city and have some time on our own. L was sick the first three days we were gone, but eventually mom and dad had two days without a sick child. They survived and had fun (i think) despite having to carry a plastic garbage can with them everywhere:)
I'll try and post some thoughts from the conference on my other blog and reserve comment here for things pertinent for prayer regarding our situation in Omaha.
First, I was confronted with the utter impossibility of what we're trying to do. I really don't have what it takes and sometimes get deluded into thinking I do. For me, this is actually good because it means that God must come through. If God has called me to do it, then it depends on Him. This lead J and I to spend a long time discussing our call and the many ways God has called and confirmed what we are doing. It became a very productive time as we thought through the numerous ways God called us and confirmed it. We left realizing several things that need to change in us and our approach. I was led to repent of several things like personal pride and focus on God's restoration and the Holy Spirit.
Second, J and I saw some drastic adjustments that we need to make in the work here. Again, most are related to the need to reach unchurched people and forget about actively pursuing churched people. We both feel very strongly that family is our first priority, so we have to make time for one another (and really engage each other in that time). However, we also have to carve out time to build relationships with people and practice hospitality (one Biblical means of evangelism). These adjustments will be very challenging and involve making some big decisions.
Third, I came away with a deeper understanding of the Gospel. This is something God has been working into me for the past couple of years. The Gospel is more than our ticket to heaven. It's more than, "Ok, God wiped the slate clean, now you take it from here and do the right things that will make him proud." The Gospel is that God crushed His Son as payment for our sin. He is proud of us due to the gift of Jesus and nothing else. We are utterly incapable of pleasing apart from faith in Jesus. We are still as desperate for God's grace today as the day before we were saved.
We tend to try and "lower the bar" to something we can meet. The opposite approach is needed - lift the bar to where God places it - perfection. When we do, our first observation will be, I can't do it. This drives us back to God in desperation for His help - which is where He wants us. He doesn't miserly meet out that help, he wants to lavish it on us. In short, its a proclamation that God is for us and wants us to turn to Him in utter dependence - in everything. I don't know, it's one of those things that I can't express clearly but that I know in my soul is a HUGE shift. Check the other blog later, I'll try to work this out some more.
PLEASE PRAY FOR:
God to move here - it's all up to Him.
Wisdom as we plan, schedule, etc.
My first coaching session in NYC on April 12.
God to continue the work He is doing in me. Pray for humility on my part to accept what He shows me, the grace to repent, and the power to persevere.
A worship leader and band.
A meeting location.
Resources for the necessary activities to reach the community.
Connection with the right people as we reach out around us.
We arrived back in Omaha last night at midnight or so. We had a good time in Seattle. There were some rather difficult, trying, challenging, etc. moments, but overall it was good. J and I spent a few days there after the conference was over to see the city and have some time on our own. L was sick the first three days we were gone, but eventually mom and dad had two days without a sick child. They survived and had fun (i think) despite having to carry a plastic garbage can with them everywhere:)
I'll try and post some thoughts from the conference on my other blog and reserve comment here for things pertinent for prayer regarding our situation in Omaha.
First, I was confronted with the utter impossibility of what we're trying to do. I really don't have what it takes and sometimes get deluded into thinking I do. For me, this is actually good because it means that God must come through. If God has called me to do it, then it depends on Him. This lead J and I to spend a long time discussing our call and the many ways God has called and confirmed what we are doing. It became a very productive time as we thought through the numerous ways God called us and confirmed it. We left realizing several things that need to change in us and our approach. I was led to repent of several things like personal pride and focus on God's restoration and the Holy Spirit.
Second, J and I saw some drastic adjustments that we need to make in the work here. Again, most are related to the need to reach unchurched people and forget about actively pursuing churched people. We both feel very strongly that family is our first priority, so we have to make time for one another (and really engage each other in that time). However, we also have to carve out time to build relationships with people and practice hospitality (one Biblical means of evangelism). These adjustments will be very challenging and involve making some big decisions.
Third, I came away with a deeper understanding of the Gospel. This is something God has been working into me for the past couple of years. The Gospel is more than our ticket to heaven. It's more than, "Ok, God wiped the slate clean, now you take it from here and do the right things that will make him proud." The Gospel is that God crushed His Son as payment for our sin. He is proud of us due to the gift of Jesus and nothing else. We are utterly incapable of pleasing apart from faith in Jesus. We are still as desperate for God's grace today as the day before we were saved.
We tend to try and "lower the bar" to something we can meet. The opposite approach is needed - lift the bar to where God places it - perfection. When we do, our first observation will be, I can't do it. This drives us back to God in desperation for His help - which is where He wants us. He doesn't miserly meet out that help, he wants to lavish it on us. In short, its a proclamation that God is for us and wants us to turn to Him in utter dependence - in everything. I don't know, it's one of those things that I can't express clearly but that I know in my soul is a HUGE shift. Check the other blog later, I'll try to work this out some more.
PLEASE PRAY FOR:
God to move here - it's all up to Him.
Wisdom as we plan, schedule, etc.
My first coaching session in NYC on April 12.
God to continue the work He is doing in me. Pray for humility on my part to accept what He shows me, the grace to repent, and the power to persevere.
A worship leader and band.
A meeting location.
Resources for the necessary activities to reach the community.
Connection with the right people as we reach out around us.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
EMERGENCY REQUEST
We leave for Seattle first thing in the morning and we have a full-fledged puke-o-rama going on at the house. J'line has been sick for several days and is coming out of it. A. was sick at the first of the week and J. and L. are throwing up as we speak. Mom and dad are obviously excited:)
We're going through an assessment time in Seattle where they determine if we are "fit" to church plant. It will be a stressful time and this will only add to it. Please pray for everyone to get better or stay healthy.
J and I were talking about how this happened the last time we had an assessment too. I don't think it's a coincidence.
We leave for Seattle first thing in the morning and we have a full-fledged puke-o-rama going on at the house. J'line has been sick for several days and is coming out of it. A. was sick at the first of the week and J. and L. are throwing up as we speak. Mom and dad are obviously excited:)
We're going through an assessment time in Seattle where they determine if we are "fit" to church plant. It will be a stressful time and this will only add to it. Please pray for everyone to get better or stay healthy.
J and I were talking about how this happened the last time we had an assessment too. I don't think it's a coincidence.
Monday, March 19, 2007
03/19/97 UPDATE
Belated greetings! Sorry for the delay, but it is a great day in American history and we've been busy celebrating. 35 years ago, God chose the exact place I would be born and live and it was Opelika, AL. I'm starting to feel a tad old.
This week has been a mixed bag. I've had several times that I got discouraged this week. Mainly, it has come about from talking to Christians too much. Some of you might be offended by that, but it can really get depressing to see how people are so focused on their deal. I expect it from lost people, but as Christ followers, we're called to lay aside our interests for the good of others, so you think some might follow through on that. Sadly, they don't. I realize that even my focusing on that is because I'm upset that I can't get people to focus on my deal! Like I said, it can get depressing.
However, things took a real upturn through all of this. I've been reading and thinking through how to get a church going with so little help. I began to realize that I've been placing too much emphasis on gathering a group of Christians together and then reaching out to others. That has been the primary point of exasperation because few people are interested in giving up the stuff they've got to help others. I've been reading a book (Launch, by Nelson Searcy and Kerrick Thomas). They are leading the church planter coaching group that I'll be participating in. They started a church in Manhattan with nobody but themselves. While I realize that every situation is different, the story gave me a new perspective. Throughout the frustration of the week, I decided that we will focus on following God's plan for this church and trust Him to provide where things are needed. Up to this point, I've really been trusting in my ingenuity and other people. Now, we'll seek to do what He desires and trust Him to fill in the gaps. Are people necessary? Absolutely, but now if someone joins in, I'll view it as icing on the cake, not an essential. It won't be the result of me pouting time and effort into it, but because God has gathered them in. This may not seem to be a drastic departure to you, but for me it is HUGE.
It really got exciting on Sunday night at small group. I was sharing these insights with Jeff and Kelly and they started smiling. Jeff said that they had just said that afternoon that they didn't see why we needed someone else to get rolling, we'd just start with the four of us. He was telling me that they were thinking Paul only had one or two others, so why couldn't we do that too! That was really encouraging because I took it as confirmation that we were on the right track. This marks about 3 or 4 weeks that they've been discussing exactly what I was planning to talk to them about. Those are just weird God moments when that happens.
So, with all of that being said, here's our most urgent requests:
1. We need a worship leader and band. This will become my primary focus for the next several weeks. We can't go public until we have someone who can play and sing. I sho' can't.
2. Financial supporters. We will be needing support for several of the events that will be taking place in the fall, as well as other immediate needs, such as a website, brochures, etc. This is not a plea for personal funding!
3. God to prepare the hearts of the people here. I know that God is already at work. Without that, all of our work is hopeless, so pray that He will continue to prepare the hearts of people for the Gospel. Pray that their hearts will be good soil and bring a great harvest.
4. Pray for our family this coming week. We fly to Seattle for assessment and training on Wednesday and mom and dad are keeping the boys. Pray for safe travel for us and sanity for mom and dad.
Thanks for praying!
Belated greetings! Sorry for the delay, but it is a great day in American history and we've been busy celebrating. 35 years ago, God chose the exact place I would be born and live and it was Opelika, AL. I'm starting to feel a tad old.
This week has been a mixed bag. I've had several times that I got discouraged this week. Mainly, it has come about from talking to Christians too much. Some of you might be offended by that, but it can really get depressing to see how people are so focused on their deal. I expect it from lost people, but as Christ followers, we're called to lay aside our interests for the good of others, so you think some might follow through on that. Sadly, they don't. I realize that even my focusing on that is because I'm upset that I can't get people to focus on my deal! Like I said, it can get depressing.
However, things took a real upturn through all of this. I've been reading and thinking through how to get a church going with so little help. I began to realize that I've been placing too much emphasis on gathering a group of Christians together and then reaching out to others. That has been the primary point of exasperation because few people are interested in giving up the stuff they've got to help others. I've been reading a book (Launch, by Nelson Searcy and Kerrick Thomas). They are leading the church planter coaching group that I'll be participating in. They started a church in Manhattan with nobody but themselves. While I realize that every situation is different, the story gave me a new perspective. Throughout the frustration of the week, I decided that we will focus on following God's plan for this church and trust Him to provide where things are needed. Up to this point, I've really been trusting in my ingenuity and other people. Now, we'll seek to do what He desires and trust Him to fill in the gaps. Are people necessary? Absolutely, but now if someone joins in, I'll view it as icing on the cake, not an essential. It won't be the result of me pouting time and effort into it, but because God has gathered them in. This may not seem to be a drastic departure to you, but for me it is HUGE.
It really got exciting on Sunday night at small group. I was sharing these insights with Jeff and Kelly and they started smiling. Jeff said that they had just said that afternoon that they didn't see why we needed someone else to get rolling, we'd just start with the four of us. He was telling me that they were thinking Paul only had one or two others, so why couldn't we do that too! That was really encouraging because I took it as confirmation that we were on the right track. This marks about 3 or 4 weeks that they've been discussing exactly what I was planning to talk to them about. Those are just weird God moments when that happens.
So, with all of that being said, here's our most urgent requests:
1. We need a worship leader and band. This will become my primary focus for the next several weeks. We can't go public until we have someone who can play and sing. I sho' can't.
2. Financial supporters. We will be needing support for several of the events that will be taking place in the fall, as well as other immediate needs, such as a website, brochures, etc. This is not a plea for personal funding!
3. God to prepare the hearts of the people here. I know that God is already at work. Without that, all of our work is hopeless, so pray that He will continue to prepare the hearts of people for the Gospel. Pray that their hearts will be good soil and bring a great harvest.
4. Pray for our family this coming week. We fly to Seattle for assessment and training on Wednesday and mom and dad are keeping the boys. Pray for safe travel for us and sanity for mom and dad.
Thanks for praying!
Monday, March 12, 2007
03/12/07 UPDATE
Last week was another good one. Praise God on two items in particular. One, I had a phone interview that completed all the necessary items for my church planting assessment with Acts 29. I had someone inquire about their organization last week. If you're interested, here's the website http://www.acts29network.org/. Also, I got word that I've been accepted for church planter coaching. That will begin in April. I'm excited about both opportunities.
We also had Jimmy and Carol Ann Draper visiting our association last week. if you don't know who they are, Jimmy was president of LifeWay (the SBC publishing agency) until retiring last year. They had a pastor's wives meeting Tuesday night which Jacqueline enjoyed. Then on Wednesday, Jimmy spoke to the pastors about things he's learned in 58 years of preaching.
Lastly, mom and dad arrived safely on Saturday night. We didn't tell the boys they were coming so that they would be surprised. I think they almost wet their pants when mimi and poppie showed up.
This week is pretty eventful as well. I would like for you to pray for three meetings in particular. Today I'm meeting with a guy who used to lead worship in a church locally. I heard he was no longer doing that and wanted to get to know him. We'll see where it leads (if anywhere).
Second, I'm meeting with a pastor of the largest SBC church in Omaha. We are discussing how they can help (and if they will).
Third, we are having our small group meeting Sunday night. It looks like several of the other couples we've been working with are going to be able to attend. Pray that it will work out and that God will use it as a time to provide clarity.
Thanks for praying!
Last week was another good one. Praise God on two items in particular. One, I had a phone interview that completed all the necessary items for my church planting assessment with Acts 29. I had someone inquire about their organization last week. If you're interested, here's the website http://www.acts29network.org/. Also, I got word that I've been accepted for church planter coaching. That will begin in April. I'm excited about both opportunities.
We also had Jimmy and Carol Ann Draper visiting our association last week. if you don't know who they are, Jimmy was president of LifeWay (the SBC publishing agency) until retiring last year. They had a pastor's wives meeting Tuesday night which Jacqueline enjoyed. Then on Wednesday, Jimmy spoke to the pastors about things he's learned in 58 years of preaching.
Lastly, mom and dad arrived safely on Saturday night. We didn't tell the boys they were coming so that they would be surprised. I think they almost wet their pants when mimi and poppie showed up.
This week is pretty eventful as well. I would like for you to pray for three meetings in particular. Today I'm meeting with a guy who used to lead worship in a church locally. I heard he was no longer doing that and wanted to get to know him. We'll see where it leads (if anywhere).
Second, I'm meeting with a pastor of the largest SBC church in Omaha. We are discussing how they can help (and if they will).
Third, we are having our small group meeting Sunday night. It looks like several of the other couples we've been working with are going to be able to attend. Pray that it will work out and that God will use it as a time to provide clarity.
Thanks for praying!
Monday, March 05, 2007
03/05/07 UPDATE
I thought i would introduce you to the Cunningham's. If you've been reading this, you probably remember me mentioning them to you. Jeff is a meteorologist for the Air Force. Kelly stays busy keeping Jeff and Jocelyn in line. They have signed on to help us as we start Redeemer Church. They've already been a great source of encouragement to J'line and I and they are excited about all the stuff to come. Please remember to pray for them as you remember our work.
The big news from last week was The Blizzard of 2007. Thursday morning around 5 it started snowing and the wind was whipping. It snowed all morning and we ended up with about a foot of snow. Pretty much everyone was stuck inside.
I'm learning that snow is a big opportunity for me. I wait inside, sipping coffee and staying warm until I hear a snow blower fire up. Then, I put on all my stuff and go outside to shovel snow. There's an interesting phenomenon - everyone on the entire street comes out about the same time and it provides a great opportunity to get to know your neighbors. I've now made the acquaintance of everyone on the circle and found out a lot more about the rest of the street.
We all pitched in to help one guy get his two cars unstuck out of the street so the plows could theoretically clear our street. After that, we all went to clear our drives. I cleared two stips and was about to have a heart attack. Then one of the guys walked his snow blower over and finished it up for me. I then spent the next couple of hours talking to people on the street.
Apparently, we live in an atypical neighborhood. Most people who live in the 'burbs say that they have lived there 5, 6, 10 years, whatever, and barely know the names of their neighbors. We must have moved to party central, because I've met everyone and they are very friendly. We were welcomed warmly and that seems to just be part of the deal. Throughout the summer, they just pull a grill out in the street and everyone brings their own meat for a big cookout. On the fourth of July, one guy makes a run for fireworks and puts on a big display (which forces the ATF agent to leave for the evening so he doesn't have to arrest anyone:)) Anyway, it seems like a pretty cool spot. Pray for opportunities to continue to develop among the people in our community.
This week will be very busy for us. We have something going on almost every night. We're hoping to be able to meet with Kyle and Kim Moeller this weekend. They are very interested in helping us but still have several questions. We've been hoping to meet with them to hopefully make some progress. I'm really beginning to obsess about our need for people to be involved. As I was stressing about it yesterday I read Mt. 9:37-38 where Jesus tells us to pray for God to send workers into the harvest. Please make this your primary prayer focus for us.
Also, my parents are coming this weekend to spend a couple of weeks with us. Pray for them as they travel.
Thanks for the prayers!
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Monday, February 26, 2007
2/26/07 UPDATE
We had a really good week this week. For those of you who have been praying for my midweek request about the church planting coach, I decided to go ahead and apply. I sought the counsel of several people, and all of them thought it was a sound decision. As I prayed and thought about it, I felt stronger about the decision, so I applied. I'm awaiting hearing the outcome.
One other thing I've been requesting prayer on was opportunities to share the Gospel. I've been working really hard to solicit the help of believers (more about that later, I think its essential) but I also realize how necessary it is to reach unchurched people. So this week, I've been praying fervently about it. I experimented with several ways to get out and bump into people, start conversations, etc. Well, it really didn't go well until Thursday. I went to Scooter's as normal and had a great discussion with a lady who works there. (If you want to read more about the whole story, you can check out my other blog, but I'll spare the gory details here). It was a great conversation where you know the person is hearing and processing what you're saying. Please pray for her as she wrestles with this - her name is Lisa.
I also had several good contacts with believers this week. As I said earlier, I think believers who are willing to set aside their preferences for the good of others is essential (and also hard to find). I went to check on a building where we can meet. As I talked to her, I found out they are members in an SBC church where they are finding it difficult to connect. They've helped start a church in Massachusetts before moving out here. She said that she thought we were in a good area because she knew of 4 couples off the top of her head who were searching for a church like we were describing. It was encouraging and may lead to some people to plug into the launch team.
We also met with two couples on Sunday night who have been talking about helping us. They are seriously considering it, but they are also struggling to make the decision. Its a big step for anybody to leave behind what they know (friends, family, church, etc.) to go across the country or the city. I shared with them that I don't want anybody doing it just "cause" - because they don't like their church, think it would be cool, or anything else. I want people involved because they are convinced God is calling them to be a part. Otherwise, when it gets hard (and it will), they'll bail out. I actually find people who wrestle with the decision more encouraging than those who say, "cool, let's do it" the first time they hear.
This week involves a lot of preparing for what is to come. I'm meeting with a guy who's helping me file all of the necessary paperwork to get the church "official." I'm also working to finish several of the things I've got to submit for my application to a church planting network. We're being assessed (again) in March, so i've got to finish several papers, surveys, etc. this week.
PRAISES:
We continually find places where God is working.
God is answering the prayers that are being made for the work.
PRAYERS:
Our assessment with Acts 29 (church planting network) and our application for coaching.
Clarity for those we've met as to whether God is calling them to be a part. Specifically, Kyle and Kim, Nick and Kelly, Bruce and Brenda, Al and Mary.
God to show people their need for salvation and opportunities to discuss it with them. Specifically, Lisa, Brad, Mandy, Duane and his wife.
Wisdom for the myriad of decisions that have to be made.
We had a really good week this week. For those of you who have been praying for my midweek request about the church planting coach, I decided to go ahead and apply. I sought the counsel of several people, and all of them thought it was a sound decision. As I prayed and thought about it, I felt stronger about the decision, so I applied. I'm awaiting hearing the outcome.
One other thing I've been requesting prayer on was opportunities to share the Gospel. I've been working really hard to solicit the help of believers (more about that later, I think its essential) but I also realize how necessary it is to reach unchurched people. So this week, I've been praying fervently about it. I experimented with several ways to get out and bump into people, start conversations, etc. Well, it really didn't go well until Thursday. I went to Scooter's as normal and had a great discussion with a lady who works there. (If you want to read more about the whole story, you can check out my other blog, but I'll spare the gory details here). It was a great conversation where you know the person is hearing and processing what you're saying. Please pray for her as she wrestles with this - her name is Lisa.
I also had several good contacts with believers this week. As I said earlier, I think believers who are willing to set aside their preferences for the good of others is essential (and also hard to find). I went to check on a building where we can meet. As I talked to her, I found out they are members in an SBC church where they are finding it difficult to connect. They've helped start a church in Massachusetts before moving out here. She said that she thought we were in a good area because she knew of 4 couples off the top of her head who were searching for a church like we were describing. It was encouraging and may lead to some people to plug into the launch team.
We also met with two couples on Sunday night who have been talking about helping us. They are seriously considering it, but they are also struggling to make the decision. Its a big step for anybody to leave behind what they know (friends, family, church, etc.) to go across the country or the city. I shared with them that I don't want anybody doing it just "cause" - because they don't like their church, think it would be cool, or anything else. I want people involved because they are convinced God is calling them to be a part. Otherwise, when it gets hard (and it will), they'll bail out. I actually find people who wrestle with the decision more encouraging than those who say, "cool, let's do it" the first time they hear.
This week involves a lot of preparing for what is to come. I'm meeting with a guy who's helping me file all of the necessary paperwork to get the church "official." I'm also working to finish several of the things I've got to submit for my application to a church planting network. We're being assessed (again) in March, so i've got to finish several papers, surveys, etc. this week.
PRAISES:
We continually find places where God is working.
God is answering the prayers that are being made for the work.
PRAYERS:
Our assessment with Acts 29 (church planting network) and our application for coaching.
Clarity for those we've met as to whether God is calling them to be a part. Specifically, Kyle and Kim, Nick and Kelly, Bruce and Brenda, Al and Mary.
God to show people their need for salvation and opportunities to discuss it with them. Specifically, Lisa, Brad, Mandy, Duane and his wife.
Wisdom for the myriad of decisions that have to be made.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
WISDOM
Greetings all! I have a special, mid-week request. I learned of a coaching network for church planters that is meeting in New York once a month, April-September. A friend participated in a coaching network by the same group and i saw dramatic results in him and his church's ministry. I am very interested in the opportunity for learning and assistance and think it would make a real difference. Since 80% of church plants fail, I can use all the help i can get. At our assessment, one of their recommendations was to get a church planting coach. I've tried locally with no success. Additionally, after completing this, it would open the opportunity to coach other planters in our area, which fits my vision of starting other churches in the area.
All of this makes it seem like a no-brainer to me, but the concern is over two issues. is this the best use of my time and limited resources? The use of time is probably the most difficult issue right now. I think it would help focus my work and planning now. In addition, it will lay the groundwork to free up time after the launch by helping me engage others in the work. The major challenge for resources is that it will require airfare to NYC six times and a monthly fee.
I am trying to make wise decisions in this time and I would appreciate your prayers to that end. I'm trying to solicit prayer and counsel for major decisions.
Thanks!
Greetings all! I have a special, mid-week request. I learned of a coaching network for church planters that is meeting in New York once a month, April-September. A friend participated in a coaching network by the same group and i saw dramatic results in him and his church's ministry. I am very interested in the opportunity for learning and assistance and think it would make a real difference. Since 80% of church plants fail, I can use all the help i can get. At our assessment, one of their recommendations was to get a church planting coach. I've tried locally with no success. Additionally, after completing this, it would open the opportunity to coach other planters in our area, which fits my vision of starting other churches in the area.
All of this makes it seem like a no-brainer to me, but the concern is over two issues. is this the best use of my time and limited resources? The use of time is probably the most difficult issue right now. I think it would help focus my work and planning now. In addition, it will lay the groundwork to free up time after the launch by helping me engage others in the work. The major challenge for resources is that it will require airfare to NYC six times and a monthly fee.
I am trying to make wise decisions in this time and I would appreciate your prayers to that end. I'm trying to solicit prayer and counsel for major decisions.
Thanks!
Monday, February 19, 2007
02/19/07 UPDATE
GOD IS GOOD!!! I make that statement totally seperate from anything related to church starting. rather, it was 40+ degrees and sunny yesterday!!! WOOHOO! I never thought 40 would feel so warm. I went for a long run just to enjoy the sun. I have heard many people say this has been the worst Jan and Feb in a long time. It hasn't really been that bad, but it sure is nice to have it warmer.
On other news, you know the housing market is in the tank right? Well, my mother-in-law has a new idea. She's been in the process of retiring, selling her house and moving out here with us. She decided to sell her house by doing nothing. No sign in the yard. No ad in the paper. Certainly no realtors involved. She got a call on Feb 7th from her neighbor about a lady interested in buying. Her neighbor mentioned Juanita's place. The lady (who's 81) looked at it, liked it and brought her son to look at it on the 9th. They closed last Friday (16th). Go figure. The week before she had started to pray for God to send the right person who could buy it and would enjoy it the same way she had. It looks like she'll be here around the end of April. Now we have to get that basement finished:)
I also finished my prospectus last week and emailed it to several people. If you have any interest, email me and I'll send you a copy (can't figure out how to post it here). Please pray that God will use it to show people the need for churches in Omaha and lead them to either help us or someone else in the work. I met with a pastor from Lincoln, NE that is starting a new church and has a vision for starting one church in each of Nebraska's 93 counties. Many of them are very rural and have NOTHING - not like they have a Lutheran or Methodist, but not a Baptist. i mean NOTHING. I have a vision for planting several churches in the Omaha area, so there is a huge need and several opportunities. Please pray for a movement of new churches in Nebraska.
Saturday, I thought I would take a day off and take the family to a fish and game expo. OK, I know it sounds like something I would want to do, not the family, but I think J enjoyed it more than I did. She and the boys watched guys tie flies, talked dog food, watched a seminar on dog training, and sampled several things they'd never tried (elk, duck, pheasant, etc.). The really cool part for me was that there were several people I have needed to talk with that I haven't been able to catch. I think I saw just about every one of them there and had several productive discussions.
One specific request I have is that you would pray for openings for the gospel. We have several people we've gotten to know and are trying to follow up on those. There are a lot of open doors. Much of evangelism in my book involves these repeated contacts, sharing, praying, until God opens their hearts. I am probably most productive with this approach, but we really need a quicker harvest. it has been difficult to meet people lately (they all bunker down with the cold), but I really need wisdom on how to meet them, opportunities to share Christ, and some to respond. Salvation is God's work, not the result of our efforts alone, but concerted prayer to open the hearts of unbelievers moves God to work. You have not because you ask not.
PLEASE PRAY FOR:
Supporters for a church planting movement in Nebraska.
Open doors to share the Gospel - and fruit from it.
God to call those who are to be involved in the Launch Team.
Thanks for the prayers - they move heaven and earth!
GOD IS GOOD!!! I make that statement totally seperate from anything related to church starting. rather, it was 40+ degrees and sunny yesterday!!! WOOHOO! I never thought 40 would feel so warm. I went for a long run just to enjoy the sun. I have heard many people say this has been the worst Jan and Feb in a long time. It hasn't really been that bad, but it sure is nice to have it warmer.
On other news, you know the housing market is in the tank right? Well, my mother-in-law has a new idea. She's been in the process of retiring, selling her house and moving out here with us. She decided to sell her house by doing nothing. No sign in the yard. No ad in the paper. Certainly no realtors involved. She got a call on Feb 7th from her neighbor about a lady interested in buying. Her neighbor mentioned Juanita's place. The lady (who's 81) looked at it, liked it and brought her son to look at it on the 9th. They closed last Friday (16th). Go figure. The week before she had started to pray for God to send the right person who could buy it and would enjoy it the same way she had. It looks like she'll be here around the end of April. Now we have to get that basement finished:)
I also finished my prospectus last week and emailed it to several people. If you have any interest, email me and I'll send you a copy (can't figure out how to post it here). Please pray that God will use it to show people the need for churches in Omaha and lead them to either help us or someone else in the work. I met with a pastor from Lincoln, NE that is starting a new church and has a vision for starting one church in each of Nebraska's 93 counties. Many of them are very rural and have NOTHING - not like they have a Lutheran or Methodist, but not a Baptist. i mean NOTHING. I have a vision for planting several churches in the Omaha area, so there is a huge need and several opportunities. Please pray for a movement of new churches in Nebraska.
Saturday, I thought I would take a day off and take the family to a fish and game expo. OK, I know it sounds like something I would want to do, not the family, but I think J enjoyed it more than I did. She and the boys watched guys tie flies, talked dog food, watched a seminar on dog training, and sampled several things they'd never tried (elk, duck, pheasant, etc.). The really cool part for me was that there were several people I have needed to talk with that I haven't been able to catch. I think I saw just about every one of them there and had several productive discussions.
One specific request I have is that you would pray for openings for the gospel. We have several people we've gotten to know and are trying to follow up on those. There are a lot of open doors. Much of evangelism in my book involves these repeated contacts, sharing, praying, until God opens their hearts. I am probably most productive with this approach, but we really need a quicker harvest. it has been difficult to meet people lately (they all bunker down with the cold), but I really need wisdom on how to meet them, opportunities to share Christ, and some to respond. Salvation is God's work, not the result of our efforts alone, but concerted prayer to open the hearts of unbelievers moves God to work. You have not because you ask not.
PLEASE PRAY FOR:
Supporters for a church planting movement in Nebraska.
Open doors to share the Gospel - and fruit from it.
God to call those who are to be involved in the Launch Team.
Thanks for the prayers - they move heaven and earth!
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