Archives For church planting

Parenting & Church Planting: Puke

May 23, 2011 — Leave a comment

 

One. Proud. Papa.

I can’t remember the last time I left my house without some spot of baby puke somewhere on my person. (That’s a lie. I actually can remember: it was the day I left the apartment to bring Jubilee home from the hospital.) Each morning I carefully examine my clothing, take the kid (who has been carefully secured into her car seat) to the car, drive to the sitter’s place, and arrive at our destination only to discover that somehow between the ‘close examination’ and ‘arrival at our destination’ stages of the day, new puke is contaminating some article of my clothing.

But I’ve also discovered how understanding people are: the consensus seems to be, “You’re the parent of an infant. Infants puke. Wear it as a badge of honor; they’re only this young once.” I’m more worried about the goo on my shirt than anybody else is, and they see it as happy evidence that I’m a new dad.

The same has been with church planting (and any Kingdom ministry, really)–we’re dealing with a lot of mess: the pukey mess of broken lives, hurting communities, addiction, and an enemy hell-bent on killing, stealing, destroying… Loving people is messy. And it’s okay to have some of the evidence of loving people on you.

I’m not saying we pursue contamination by the world; in fact, we’re reminded that though we are those set apart for a new Kingdom, we  still journey here. As strangers and foreigners undefiled, we are to live out the hope we have (cf. James 1:27). So the question I’m asking myself is this: what happy evidence do I carry with me that I’m hanging out with people in the midst of their mess? Do I view each day as a new opportunity to take part in someone else’s life (as I do with my kid) and journey with them?

It is a high calling and real joy to do life together with others. It may be messy (and more than messy, it will be painful to ‘do life together’), but we see the mess as part of what we get to do.

In Parenting & Church Planting ,
 permalink

Parenting & Church Planting: Stop

May 19, 2011 — 1 Comment

 

courtesy of Alain Limoges/Flickr

They warned us it would happen. It was almost guaranteed.

In our birthing classes, those of us who were active as ‘support people’ were given instruction on how to help an in-labor mom move beyond that point in the labor/delivery of a baby when she wants to quit. The gist was that it gets too hard, too exhausting, too much for mom to keep going and she will become convinced that the birth can progress no further.

I know my wife wanted to quit at points, but the funny thing about delivering a baby is it’s kind of hard to stop part way… I can’t blame her for wanting to stop; while I don’t have first-hand experience, giving birth sure looked like a lot of work (something about why it’s called ‘labor’). After about three and a half  hours of pushing (and many more hours of hard labor) in the process with our daughter, my wife felt like she couldn’t do it any more. But she had to. At that time she needed someone, a ‘support person,’ to help assure her she could do it.

That was my whole job in the process of labor and delivery: being a ‘support’ person. I existed to support and encourage–fail in those things and I had no reason to be there. Sarah was doing the hard work of labor. The nurse was doing all the medical stuff. The doctor showed up every now and again to sound all doctor-y. And I supported.

There are times during the church planting process (and ministry and life in general) when you will want to quit…

when everything tells you it’s too hard, too exhausting, too much to keep going. In those moments you need someone in your corner with a different perspective; someone not overwhelmed with pain and exhaustion, someone who isn’t there in a technical capacity, someone who isn’t a pro, but someone who can remind you that you were made for this and that the place you’re in where you feel the need to quit is a natural place to be–they’ll tell you to keep pressing on and the One who called you to this has prepared you for this and will be faithful.

In Parenting & Church Planting ,
 permalink

Favor: Post 5 (of 5)

January 28, 2011 — Leave a comment

image: Bob Croft

In March of 2010, we hosted a Prayer Walk(athon) in Pittsburgh (the above image is of most of the participants).  Rick (Lead Planter) designed a couple of these as significant fundraisers allowing The Bridge to have the ministry dollars needed to carry us through the year.  He would later share that he sincerely, genuinely sensed $30,000 would be raised for ministry purposes.  It was also a tremendous way to build interest and momentum for church planting in Pittsburgh.

The people who participated in the Pittsburgh Prayer Walk(athon) contributed in a big way.  But by the time all of the fundraising was calculated, less than $7,000 had come in.  This was enough to cover ministry during the summer and provide a number of opportunities to connect with the community.  But it wasn’t $30,000.  And we still had the biggest event of the summer to be cared for as well as making sure a facility could be rented for preview, launch, and post-launch gatherings.

But we were amazed as series of incredible points of supply came our way, some more breathtaking than others, while we ‘prayed in’ daily provision:

  • Other churches provided recreation/games at no cost to The Bridge for our Family Fun Day
  • Other churches supplied nearly all of the food (for over 400 people!) for Family Fun Day
  • Area businesses freely gave merchandise & giftcards to give away to Family Fun Day participants
  • Other churches have creatively raised funds to help cover portions of meeting-place rent
  • The Bridge received free use of new sound equipment from a recently-closed church
  • Another church supplied for many of The Bridge’s printing needs
  • Area businesses helped provide for an Autumn Trunk-or-Treat event
  • 3 Lakes Golf Course invited The Bridge to meet weekly in their facility at a very affordable rate

And do you know what all of this provision amounted to?

At latest tally, just about $30,000.

We know that the work we’re doing is much more about heart and life transformation than money; we know that financial provision is not a ‘goal’ but is a necessity.  For us, it’s just one more way we have seen God’s favor and answer to prayer; it’s one more evidence of being where God is working.  It makes me excited: if the Holy Spirit has been so faithful in bringing us to launch, what will he do as The Bridge continues to develop?!

—

This post is the last in a series of five celebrating God’s favor as we have moved toward the launch of The Bridge this Sunday.  Here are links to the earlier posts: One, Two, Three, Four.
In church planting , , , , , , , , , ,
 permalink

Favor: Post 4 (of 5)

January 27, 2011 — Leave a comment

THE CALL.

image courtesy of 3 Lakes Golf Course

For our pre-launch gatherings,we found the perfect place to meet.  It was the ‘dream location’ for any church plant: a community hotspot, modern facilities, plenty of room to grow, plenty of parking, an area for connection, rooms for children’s and nursery ministries. Perfect. We might never leave.

But as we looked at what the cost would be to stay in that facility following our Grand Opening when we moved from monthly to weekly gatherings, things looked impossible. We asked God to please provide what was an overwhelming amount for our perfect place to meet.

One day, the phone rang. On the other end was a representative from 3 Lakes Golf Course with an offer:
Rather than paying hundreds of dollars for a few hours on Sunday, what if we payed a quarter of the cost for an entire day at their club house? With a fully stocked nursery? And a dedicated children’s ministry area? And all the space we could need for a long while? With permission to use the marquis signs and put up semi-permanent banners?

Yes, that’s right. A ‘more-perfect’ place than ‘the perfect location’ didn’t need to be sought out; they called us. Once again, God moved in an unexpected way and we were reminded of his faithfulness and the great love he not only has for us, but for the people he has commissioned us to reach.

What impossibility are you facing? The answer of Heaven may be unexpected, but rest assured as you pursue the heart of God that he remains faithful.

—

This is part four of a series of post recounting God’s faithfulness as we prepare for the Grand Opening of The Bridge.  You can find part one here, part two here, and part three here.

In church planting , , , , , ,
 permalink

Favor: Post 3 (of 5)

January 26, 2011 — Leave a comment

LEAP OF FAITH.

image courtesy of CRASH:candy/flickr

“Either we sell the house, or Sarah gets a job.  We can’t move to Pittsburgh until then.”

Of course we couldn’t move ‘until then.’ It was the only way ends would possibly meet. It made practical sense, so we dedicated time to trying to sell or rent the house and hunt for work.

But after a couple months, neither the house sold or rented and my wife, Sarah, had yet to get a call for potential employment. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the moment, on my way to the ‘Burgh to look at potential apartments for us, when God clearly spoke to me that he had called us to Pittsburgh and we needed to be *IN* Pittsburgh.  I immediately called my wife from the car and said, “I think I’m going to find our new home today, and that we need to move as soon as possible; are you okay with me signing a lease even though you won’t have seen the place?”

Out of gracious faith in God and me as her husband, Sarah’s response was, basically, “Go for it.”

I did find a place, paid a deposit, and planned our move-in day.  We wouldn’t be able to sign a lease until we were both present, so we prayed with extra fervency that God would provide a job for Sarah.  And nothing changed.  Still, we knew it was time to be in Pittsburgh, so, in faith, Sarah and I met in Pittsburgh to sign a lease.  On her way into the City, Sarah got a call for an interview.  We moved into our Apartment and Sarah got a call for a second interview.  Ten days after quitting her job in Carlisle, she started at a new job with better benefits and more pay in Pittsburgh. And this at the height of the Great Recession.

I’m convinced the job wouldn’t have come if we hadn’t taken our leap of faith by moving.

There have been trying times, tests of faith, and incredibly difficult circumstances since then, but God has proven himself ever faithful and has continued to lavish his favor on us. It makes me wonder, what steps of faith are you being called to this week and need to trust that God’s provision will be found on the other side of your obedience?

—
This is part three of a series of post recounting God’s faithfulness as we prepare for the Grand Opening of The Bridge.  You can find part one here and part two here.
In church planting , , , , , , , ,
 permalink