I think this post is the reason I created this blog, to be honest. I'm hoping it won't disappoint or upset anyone, and I'm hoping it will stir you to pray for us, because it looks like we're going to be needing it.
I suspect that the majority of you who read this blog will already be well-acquainted with this fact, but if you're not, here goes:
We're getting ready to launch a new church!
There! It's OUT! Are you HAPPY NOW?? :-)
Assuming that isn't big news to you, my next task is to update you on where things are right now. Be forewarned: this "bloggage" comes in no particular order.
*We have been massively busy for the last year, basically, with the church we're now serving at West Marion, with preparing for the future church plant, and with family stuff like helping my mother-in-law, Sondra, move from Rutherford county to McDowell and settle into a new home.
*In reference to the above statement, let me say up front that Kristi and I have both been massively frustrated by the fact that we seem to have a lot less contact with some of you that we'd like. We don't intend to let this become an ongoing thing, so if you've not heard that much from us in recent months, GET READY! lol
*The focus for the proposed church plant at this point is Buncombe county, around Asheville. We've both arrived at this through prayer and serious thought. God has given us an appreciation for the cultural life of Asheville, and we both feel a sense of connection there. (Not to mention all the great places to eat!! haha)
*Right now, Steve is busily cultivating contacts ("networking") with a variety of national and international leaders in church-planting missions. Significant credit for our core planning goes to Nelson Searcy, whom I've known in some capacity since he was fresh out of college and working for the Baptist State Convention of NC. Nelson went on to head the entire Purpose-Driven community for Rick Warren's Saddleback Community Church in Orange county, California, and now pastors The Journey Church of the City in New York. Also highly influential has been the work of a variety of solid critical thinkers in Missiology including Aubrey Malphurs, Ralph Moore and Steve Sjogren. Round that out with input from e-mail and interaction with pastors like Andy Stanley and Ed Harris, and there's a pretty good springboard for strategy.
*I have to say (and I've probably already said this to you if you're reading this), we have never tried to presuppose or second-guess God's calling to the church we currently serve. That being said, we also have to admit that we've not yet experienced a point where either (a) we felt called to permanently lead that congregation or (b) the passion for church-planting has decreased in any way.
*Trying not to "push" anything faster than God was ready, and having long-since learned the value of my beautiful wife's discernment and input (the fact that she's beautiful really has nothing to do with this part, but she IS, so why not say so??), I waited to see if Kristi's prayer life and intuition confirmed what God was telling me. I was quite relieved when we reached the point that it began to seem like a "given" to her, too.
*One of the most important and potentially valuable pieces of wisdom we have learned about church-planting is this: In the case of almost every single church-planter we've studied, God had already put a variety of people into that person's sphere of close friends who possessed the requisite talents, interests, drive and desire to help launch a missional, passionate church.
*If you MISSED it, the above paragraph is your WARNING! We are actively praying about YOU, and we suspect God may involve many of you in some capacity, so please pray with us and be open to how God might give you the opportunity to serve Him and be blessed through this effort.
*Your INPUT, your ENCOURAGEMENT, and your WORDS OF WISDOM are greatly valued!
Please do no hesitate to provide them. In fact, please be PURPOSEFUL about providing your prayer support and your feedback, so that we can continue to discern God's voice through you.
Praying God's Very Best for You this week,
--Steve & Kristi
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