Our ministry future

For over a year now, Shane and I have been praying about our future in ministry. Specifically, we have been praying about the calling that God has laid on both of our hearts to plant a church. And today, God has continued this wonderful journey for us when we were finally able to tell our church family here in Gatesville that we would be planting a church in the Waco/Hewitt area.

Let me go back just a bit to explain a little bit about how this came to be...One day last spring (2006), Shane and I were talking about our future and he said to me, "What would you think about planting a church?" I turned to him with a smile and remember being so giddy about the idea immediately. I shouted, "Yes! Yes! I want to do it!" What's interesting is that I had been praying that God would show us what he wanted us to do about ministry and that he would open our eyes to what he had in store for us. After Shane mentioned this idea, I felt it was an answer to prayer. I had this feeling...it's hard to describe...but this sense of peace and a sense of urgency came over me--as if the Holy Spirit were right there pushing me and prodding me, prodding us, to go and do this thing immediately. For months, I could think of nothing else but the wonderful opportunity to touch the lives of the lost--people who were aching to know Jesus but had this void because they didn't know what they were missing. I wanted to be around people whom I could touch and who could touch me in ways that don't always happen in established churches. Why? Because we are so set in our ways and don't know that we can have so much more through relational community with God and with each other. The idea really appealed to me because my favorite memories of the church are meeting in each other's homes, small group Bible studies, and relationships with other Christians.

Anyway, we began to learn more and more about church planting and soon got in touch with Gailyn Van Rheenan of Mission Alive, a church planting organization still in its infancy. We went to a seminar in October and learned about how the United States should be our mission field and how only 15% of all Americans even go to church although 90% say they belive in God. I also learned about this wonderful notion of "missional"--the idea that instead of a church being based on an "attractional" model--one in which people come to us because of the wonderful programs we have or the children's classes--we instead focus on going to the people and being a part of spiritual formation in everyone you meet. I also heard stories from several church planters and their experiences with reaching the lost, with focusing outward rather than inward. All this was so exciting to me.

Since then, we have been to two of the labs set up by Mission Alive and have learned so much about ourselves, our marriage, our teammates, and the wonderful redeeming love of Jesus Christ. I am so blessed and excited to be a part of this church plant. Though we don't have everything figured out, we have faith that God is leading us in this specific time and place. He is going to do great things, and I can't wait to witness all that He will do. There's a lot more that I could say about this, but for now, I just wanted to share the news with you. I've been wanting to blog about it for a really long time, but only now am I able since we have told our church. Real quick--one of the best parts of this is that our church is actually sending us out to do this. They will be our sponsoring church and will support us, pray for us, and help us somewhat with the finances. We are so blessed and thankful that our church family here will be a part of this. I think it says something about Shane and his influence here (but I'm not biased!!).

In the meanwhile, we covet your prayers over this venture. We are scared, but excited, nervous, but hopeful. Pray that God will continue to bless this church plant and our church planting team and that he will remind us that He is the giver of life, the Redeemer of all mankind, and the ONE in whom we should place our trust. In all things God works for the good of those who love him.