A new focus

One of the things we thought would be immediately different in our new venture from our experience in LaGrange was a decreased number of friends in our home.  I mean that was our life, especially on Sundays for the last 4 years in LaGrange.  What we've since learned is that hospitality is going to be the cornerstones of our life here, too.  We've had more family/friend visitors than I'd expected in the first month of living here.  This is a good thing.  We love it.  I guess I thought we'd have more of our house completely in place before many of our guests arrived.  I thought wrong!  And we are always open to visitors from points north or south (just if you want to stay the night you may want to call about vacancy first)

The past few weeks have given me more opportunity to think about what this new church will look like, what its passions and dreams and foundations will be.  It's looking more like we won't be named Restoration Church, but that's okay (and btw it's still our business name, so if you're sending donations, please put that on the donation because otherwise the bank will not take it, haha)  I think restoration will always be our purpose, our desired end.  Right now we're going a little more bland.  We are Exit14church.  I love it.  When you see that exit sign on the interstate, you may know a few options that are on that new stretch of road, but there's pretty much limitless possibilities on that exit.  Anything could be out there as you drive towards the horizon.  I feel that way about our church plant right now.

For now, here's what I know.  Here's who God is revealing us to be, and as God forms us into something else, something more, that horizon will be reached down the road.

• God is calling us to be a Community of healthy individuals and families (spiritually, physically, emotionally, financially, relationally)
  
• Who live out the way of Jesus (as His disciples, committed to His saving grace as well as his living/dying example)
• As a movement for good in the world. (We are an active part as followers of Jesus in restoring the world to the way God intended it from the beginning. We aren't perfect, but we are being perfected and should extend that work into the world)

Please note we are not watering down the gospel, forsaking evangelism or mainlining toward some liberal theology.  Rather, the essence of the scriptures I think boil down to these ideologies.  Interrelationships.  Holistic health.  Practiced discipleship.  Serving and giving of ourselves.  So these are the "who"s, who we are being called to be.  Some of the "why"s are self-evident, they just need to be put into clear language that is easily readable/speakable.  It's the "how"s that we aim to ingest and experience and then disseminate into the community that will gather with us.  I hope that you are praying even now for the men, women and children this will include.  I hope that in some ways, our church will be the simplest in the community, that we will strip away and resist everything that doesn't contribute to this mission of living out the example of Jesus in our lives and in our church.  I sense that God is beginning to laser in our focus and our purpose, and we are pleading with Him to make His desires a reality in and through us.

Another reminder...another task

Yesterday it was as if the Lord blessed us with yet another reminder of the excitement, the necessity and the reward that comes in interrupting your life when you sense He's redirecting Your path.  At Crosspoint it was Baptism Sunday yesterday.  And just like usual, in the midst of a group of mostly strangers where I didn't know anyone who was getting baptized, there I was in tears.  Some people cry at weddings (okay I sometimes do this, too); I cry at baptisms.  How can your soul not be stirred when someone stands before their family and friends and says, "Jesus has saved me and changed my life.  So I'm gonna follow Him and live out His ways for the rest of my journey on this earth, and I'm gonna invite people who don't know Jesus to join me on this journey!"  I guess the expression of that (applause, tears, hugs for the person being baptized) may be expressed differently by different people.  But it will never, ever get old, seeing that public demonstration of what Christ is doing in a person's life.  And honestly, if we could baptize 1 or 10 or 100 people in that first year, that first 3 years of ministry, it will be one of the high points of my life.

Now that we are kinda getting settled in in Pendleton (I know "settled" is so relative) it's really time for me to start doing a lot of the logistical tasks related to a church plant.  So this week the task of putting fund raising requests in the mail needs to be completed.  I think the blessing of being in these two churches for the last few weeks, (as well as being in LaGrange for almost 10 years) is that I am now less hesitant than ever asking people to partner with us in this endeavor.  When I remember, many if not all of those people yesterday wouldn't have been making that public statement of faith if other people hadn't given faithfully and sacrificially, I ask myself, "what's more worth giving to?"  As I write my own personal giving check to this new church, I do it with joy, because I know that God is going to multiply that money and use us to change the world through this new church.  And that is what this is all about isn't it?  God changing all of our worlds and redeeming His world through followers of His Son Jesus.  

So...even if you don't get a letter asking you personally to be part of what we're doing here, if you'd like to give a gift that will truly change a life, please feel free to do so.  You will bless us but even more than that, I know there will be people who come to live in God's Kingdom both here and now and when this life is over because you sacrificed for His purposes.

A few things to keep in mind.

1. Please note that any gift you give should not be deducted from what you are giving to your own local church (if you are doing so).  This is an above and beyond kinda thing.

2.  Please note that all gifts are tax deductible.  You will receive a statement of giving for tax purposes.

3.  Please note that the money you give to this ministry doesn't go toward paying our salaries.  Those funds have already been provided through our partner churches and Indiana Ministries.  The dollars you give will go directly toward all the other costs associated with starting a new ministry from scratch.  (Approximately $30k per year for the first three years)

4.  Any gifts can be sent to:

Restoration Church (that's our name for now)

c/o Indiana Ministries of the Church of God

13300 Olio Rd. Suite 303

Fishers, IN  46037

At some point, these postings will get shorter, but if you know me, I've been known to talk a little bit and so I guess writing a little bit extra is par for the course.

We ask for your prayers as we step out to contact potential financial partners.  It shouldn't, but talking about money often complicates relationships.  Sometimes that's a good thing.  I'm praying that this is one of those sometimes.

Grace and Peace

Greater Things...

It's amazing how music written by someone you've never met can stir your soul in a way that says, "Yeah, that's what I feel, that's what I believe, that's what we want to be and do."  "That's why God put us on this earth."  

I want to post a bit about two songs that have been stirring in my soul for the last days.  Actually, when I feel a little down, a little discouraged, a little uncertain if this jump we've made is really what God has called us to, I think about these two songs, and they just align my mind with razor focus about what our lives are really about right now.  

This past Sunday, I heard a song called "Why not trust God?"  (I think this was the title at least, sorry David from CATC if I got it a little off)  It was just a reminder that God is still in control of His universe, and when my life feels a little topsy-turvy, a little out of control, it's never out of His control.  

And the previous Sunday, we sang a song at Crosspoint that, and I must be honest here, is one of those songs for me right now that I can just listen to over and over and over and it never gets old.  It's called "God of this City" by Chris Tomlin.  Here's a link if you want to take a listen...http://www.christomlin.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7&Itemid=46

Here are the lyrics:

You're the god of this city, You're the king of these people
You're the lord of this nation,You are

You're the light in the darkness, 

You're the hope to the hopeless

You're the peace to the restless, You are 
There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God 

Chorus:

For greater things have yet to come 
greater things are still to be done in this city 
Greater things have yet to come 
greater things are still to be done in this city

For greater things have yet to come 
greater things are still to be done in this city 
Greater things have yet to come 
greater things are still to be done here

And so because these words are so true, "not because of any acts of righteousness that we have done, but because of his great mercy, by which He has saved and redeemed us (Titus 3:5)" I'll get up early in the morning, work late into the night, listen intently for His voice, and do whatever, whenever, and wherever He prompts in order to see His Kingdom advanced.  I'll meet strangers, ask people I love for money, ponder a million names for this church, and everyone of the million things on the list of how to start a church, because He has greater things, things I can't ponder or imagine, in mind for this city and these people He loves.  Every great movie, tv show, even sports teams, have a theme song that resonates with its fans.  And I think now we have ours.  And interestingly, so do you.  Because you see God has greater things to be done in your city, and among the people He loves who live in your own house, and in your neighbor's house, and in every house in whatever place you call home.  

There is no one like our God...and I can't wait to be part of the greater things He has for tomorrow.  Right now, I think I'll listen to that song one more time tonight.  Maybe you should, too.

 

A short update

Sorry we haven't posted in a while.   The hard work and the pace of trying to setup our house and do what we've come here to do has made me already understand why God gave Sabbath to people.  And someday soon, we're going to try our best to exercise that.  All kidding aside, last night and tonight seem like the first nights that we've taken the foot off the accelerator.  We've kinda felt like an out of control roller coaster with no breaks.  You pay an absorbitant price for what you think is the thrill of your life, and it is, it's just you also feel like throwing up in your mouth a little bit sometimes.  

I left LaGrange with the first load of our stuff last Tuesday at 5:30 am to be at the Church at the Crossing (CATC from here on) at 9 am.  It took about one day to realize that no one gets anywhere quickly in the city.  And you better know what lane to be in very early.  

The CATC staff made me feel right at home from the first moments.  We celebrated with Luci her change in Visa status (from student to a workers visa).   Our house closing went well.  We left straight from the closing and dove into the cleanup of our house.  Lowes smiles everytime we go there, because they know we're going to a) buy obscure paint colors they don't get to mix often, and b) we're hitting triple digits on the old cash register.  

And so we painted...and we want to publicly thank Carlotta's sisters Jennifer and Caroline (who painted til there arms almost fell off) as well as Fred Goode, Daron Cupp and Coral and Amber Snyder (as well as Madonna for riding down with them).

This week we were back at Crosspoint Church with Curt and the great people there.  It's great to know that we have three great home churches (because part of us will always be at LaGrange) who lovingly support us even when we're not even with them each week. 

We both kinda started our jobs this week, Carlotta at Pleasant View Elementary School and me...well, pretty much wherever we go.  I've already learned that the best way to do what we need to do is just to keep my eyes and ears open.  I'm working hard to put names with faces of strangers in the community, not with an agenda of even inviting them to church, but just to hopefully help them feel the blessing of the Spirit in our interaction.  We met two nice servers at the Waffle House down the road, Coral and Victoria.  Kris took care of me at the gas station yesterday morning.  And I bought gas today for $3.25 a gallon in Fishers.  I wasn't sure I'd ever live to see this day.

So the fun begins tomorrow as we have to come back to LaGrange to pick up our furniture and have our hearts break a little bit once again.  I'm not sure, but somehow I get the feeling this weekend may be the most emotional one we've had yet.  So pray for us if you think about it...and if you're not busy and don't have back problems and want to stop by Thursday or Friday, that'd be great, too.