Leading a Home Group... and other updates.

For our friends and family that track us here and have not yet found the joys / pains/ and distration that others call facebook, I apologize for the lack of posts.
We are totally moved into our new home and new roles as a CARES team at Coldwater Springs apartments. Leah is literally days away from completing school. We are hoping and pushing for an Oct. 15th graduation. Septemeber has been very overwhelming with moving and a trip to CA to celebrate with Leah's brother who got married. We have a string of flu like viruses through our little family which I am currently trying to see through...


Last Night we had a great homegroup with folks from our church. I find great value in God's people meeting in homes, with food, and discussing the scriptures, sharing life together, and impacting each other's stories. I think everyone should do it. Its just not that easy...

Who's house will we meet at? Who will provide the food? What about kids? pets? football? curriculum? These are just the easy questions. Put together a diverse group of people from different traditions, cultures, and point of views and ask questions like "what do you think?". Oh My! On top of those you have to navigate both the "babbling brooks" (those who talk to much) and also the "dead seas" (those who don't talk at all). You navigate those who think every question is "too personal" and those with PHD's in TMI... either could potentialy sabotage healthy discussion. As a leader I struggle with gently steering the conversation. It might be easier to be hands off, watch the sparks and ignorance fly and then call time after 35 minutes. The other easy option would be to script and control the whole thing. Nah. There's something wonderful about the organic process of people learning courtesy, grace, and community together.

I'm getting better at it. It's an interesting skill. I'm just wondering how to put it on a resume.

Who...? CARES

Leah and I are officially accepted into (a not to be named ministry). Sometime between September 10th and 15th we will be moving into Coldwater Springs Apartment. (We will also be attending a wedding and Williams family reunion during this time). Some of the details are still up in the air. The apartment is actually very close to where we live now. We will stay friends with our neighbors (who will still be our neighbors, just on the other side of the gate). The kids will go to the same school they go to now. Leah will finish at Empire Avondale. And we will continue to Pastor Coldwater Church. Chris will continue to work for UPS, and he will stay on payroll at the hotel (that Hilton Family Discount is nice!). In the near future he will move from regularly working 16 hours a week at the hotel to merely filling in for vacations, peak seasons, and emergencys. Leah hopes to finish school in October and be working by November.

So what does (a not to be named ministry) do?

At the apartment we will assist the managers and leasing agents by planning great events, performing welcome visits, and doing we care visits. (a not to be named ministry) has an excellent bussiness model and the research is pretty overwhelming that apartments with (a not to be named ministry) teams have way better retention and happier residents. I'm sure some apartment management companies are very excited about having happy residents, but I'm sure all open their eyes when they see the thousands of dollars they save by turning apartments less. The evidence also shows employees stay longer when there is a (a not to be named ministry) team there to help them, appreciate them, and pray for them. Again...this translates into Big bucks for the management companies.

I thought this was a ministry?

54% on people in Metro areas live in apartments. Thats right, more than half. Less than 5% of apartment dwellers have any connection to a local church (compared to about half who dwell in single family homes). There are some real challenges for churches to get "in" to these communitys even if they would try, the gate is usually locked. We will live with these folks, inside the gate, become their friends and show them Jesus. They call it intentional relational evangelism and it's what Leah and I have been trying to be about. The cool thing is... the events, meeting space, and advertising are being funded or at least subsidized by the apartment company. NICE! We will be held accountable to attend training, have spiritual conversations, and yes they even track how many times we share the gospel. That'll be okay.

Aren't you busy planting a church?

YES! The events they want us to do are things we would do anyway; community gatherings, service projects, and intentional acts of kindness. They encourage us to work with outside organizations and even to have volunteers come help us with the events. Does this sound like an un official partnership? We will see. So it will be our "job" to meet and greet all the new residents in the community (about 33 households last month). Not only do they give me the address, they give me a reason to be there. Oh yeah, I also get the keys to the pools and clubhouse. YES! Don't get too excited. Its alot like doing campus ministry at a public school. We are governed by Fair Housing and I am quickly becoming familliar with conceopts like the "five resident rule" (if five residents ask for a Bible Study than it's cool). There are no ristrictions however on us having a book club, philosophy night, or educational seminars. I am confident our past experience and current perspective will allow us to navigate this well. We also see this as a wonderful oppurtunity that will be a blessing to our church and in a new way allow our church to be a blessing to our community... specifically an extrememly "unreached" portion of it.

What about moving your kids into an apartment?

Yes we have these concerns and thanks for expressing yours. We will be moving into a 3 bedroom apartment that occupies just under 1,400 square feet. It also has a full size washer/dryer, his and her sinks, and other cool upgrades you might choose if you were building a new home. We also get access to amenities like the gym, movie room, tanning beds, and pools. Yes... you can come visit. Apartments have changed a lot even since we moved out of Palm Court eight years ago. More and more we want our kids to know the adventure that is following Jesus. More and more the so called American dream of owning a home and having a nice car, big tv and stainless steel appliances seems like a distraction to this. We don't mean to pass judgment on anyone else, but for us this seems like a good way to practice living simply.

So that's what we're up to. We are pretty excited. We covet your thoughts and prayers.

Closing Time

So in my heart of heart I felt like speaking at youth camp was a book-end for a difficult season of ministry. We came home from camp only to be waiting still for some of the financial provision that we are planning on... but evidently still waiting for.

On Saturday my phone charger broke and and so did my car alternator. I understand these are minor inconveniences but seriously? Not really the evidence of the new season I was hoping for.

I was hopeful that Sunday at church would be a kind of homecoming with lots of excitement and record attendance. It was just another hot Phoenix Sunday with a lot of people missing and it's own unique struggles. Again, this is something I'm used to but it's not really indicative of a new season of harvest and fruitfulness.

I spent the entirety of Monday morning with Isaac at the dentist. He had a couple of fillings, a tooth extraction, and several crowns... Oh and lots of drugs to try to minimize the kicking and screaming. They had more work to do on the top but I stopped them when the bill hit $2,000. Welcome new season of monthly installments! It fills like another car payment... if only I could drive my son's baby teeth to work. CASH for CLUNKERS?

Today is meet the teachers night and it's also Leah's first day back at school. Today I got to take gum out of Olivia's hair and tomorrow both the girls get shots. Why does being a good parent involve so many opportunities to make your children scream?

Leah and I remain excited about what's ahead. I hope this real and a bit self pitying post doesn't cause folks to be concerned. I'm just realizing that there is still quite a bit of finishing to do in this new season.

Relational Ministry

Anyone following this blog knows I have been in anticipation of the next season. I've spent this past week at Camp SA HA LE in Big Bear Lake, CA speaking at a regional youth camp. It's been awesome. Exhausting, but awesome. 11 speaking opportunities. 10 of them unique messages. 70 some campers from four churches in two different states. It was a good week for campers. It was a good week for me. Tuesday afternoon I received the call from (a not to be named ministry) that we've been waiting for. We will interview next week to be the ministry team at our first choice property. I'm a bit in awe of God's timing and purpose. Long story short...we may be moving as early as September one. Relational ministry, new opportunities, significant monthly savings... here we come!

"My pastor"

Last week one of my co-workers said he was no longer going to refer to me as "the Pastor" because well... "You're the closest thing to a pastor I got it!" He has since introduced me as "his pastor".

The whole role, office, privledge (whatever you want to call it) is still a trip to me and it's hard enough to hear people in my church call me this... but people outside the church?

Maybe I get overly caught up in semantics, but this seemed significant and very encouraging to me.

Work

For a long time I've desired to have a job that would make enough money in a small amount of time so I could be generous with others and spend alot of time doing ministry. More and more I am seeing that ministry happens everywhere, even at work. Recent events have caused me to seek additional employment at a local Hotel. I get paid to serve others. It's every ministers dream! Maybe not. Seriously though,it has opened new doors. I have met other pastors from around the globe, and had the priveledge of connected with them. At least two days a week I spend most of the day in 3-5 minute divine appointments, and I get paid to do it. On occassion it's pretty slow and then I get paid to study. And I now get great hotel rates. I am so glad that God never does things the way I would. I am thankful for the mystery and excited about the adventure.

What burdens do you carry that might also be blessings?

Becoming more Prophetic

Have you ever driven through a neighborhood with an intense burden to pray for it?

Maybe decided to have church right next to it and try to explain the coincidence away that it is called the sanctuary?

Walked through the same neighborhood at night, passing out invitations, because it would be too hot during the day?

Wondered if you were still where you were supposed to be?

I did all these things. Today I was invited to watch football with a young family that lives there. She's from Socal. They have two kids. He works in the small package delivery business, some company called UPS. She's a beauty college student, same school as my wife. Coincidence? Maybe. But, I don't think so.

Today, I am once again hopeful.

Anybody else down with being a relational/contextual missionary in the suburbs?

ADVENT

I grew up in a church that would never call itself liturgical. But there were certain things we did every week and certain things we did every year. It was a rarity that anything would interupt a "liturgy" like the carols and candles service or the Christmas Cantata or the Thanksgiving bag outreach, or the annual car show. there was just certain things we did. We never celebrated Advent, at least not with that name. We never lit candles or had colors besides red and green inside the church at Christmas time ( There was an exception. One year we did blue and white.)

As a young church planter I have gone back and forth on making this ancient-future expression of faith a meaningful part of our new church liturgy. We are going to give it try. Typically, about the time I think I'm stepping outside the box and being really progressive I find out I'm only doing what everybody else is.

Not Making Things Happen

Part of me... will always be a youth pastor. Recently Mark Riddle wrote a fantastic piece for ys about youth pastors feeling the pressure to make things happen. I think the same pressure is often felt by church planters. His article was a good reminder to me that it is really HIS church (not Mark's but God's).

It’s important for you to understand something.
You aren’t called to make things happen in your church.
Oh, you may be paid to make things happen, but it’s not God calling you to plan, lead and pull off all that unsustainable stuff. It’s not God calling you build it all, or convince others to build your vision either.

Am I Emergent?

I'm almost done reading Tony Jones' most recent book. In it, Tony suggests that being a little emergent is similar to being a little pregnant. He suggests either you are or you aren't. Generally I'm pretty uncomfortable with the labels I wear, and as far as those emergent go I have been rather content to be the kind, understanding, but not ready to buy in, eavesdropper. My friends inside the conversation reassure me that I deffinently am emergent while my more traditional friends reassure me that I'm not. I found this tongue in cheek article by Sarah Bessey at www.theooze.com and it felt pretty condemning. I pretty much fit the bill except except for the liberal politics, clunky glasses and having an accent.

Tony's book is insightful and informative; a very fair insiders view of this enigma that is the emerging church. I like most of the dispatches (there are twenty). Yet some I would like to understand better - before I embrace or reject them. Perhaps I could just be a little emergent.

The most difficult one for me as a church planter, besides the one describing truth, was #17...

Emergents start new churchs to save their own faith, not necessarily as an outreach strategy.

I have a hard time describing church planting and excluding the concept of church planting as an outreach strategy... yet I identify with the idea that my faith needed some saving and doing church different has been part of that. How do I reach out to others... whose faith needs saving?

I am still not sure... What is an emergent? Am I one? How do we do church different?

Cutting Edge...

is a free publication put out by vineyard. It's also one of the magazines I normally read cover to cover as soon as it arrives. Recently while cleaning my office I found the recent winter edition unopened and unread. Adey Wassink has a feature titled dealing with the emotional ups and downs of church growth. It resonates with where I'm at...

"It is hard. It is really, really hard but it never diminshes the fact that it's this enormous privledge that we are given. No one is forcing me to pastor this community. Jesus Christ invited me to partner with him to see his kingdom established in my city. This is an unmerited gift of the father."

She says some other things that cause me to be hopeful...

"We did realize...there were people like us looking for the kind of church we were trying to build, and that if we could just keep at it long enough, they'd find us and we'd find them. It was very encouraging...to realize Jesus had put something in us that, if expressed, would draw others to him in the same way we had been drawn ."

What are your thoughts?

"Matthew Party"

I can't stop thinking about these ideas of relationship, yeast, and partying with the tax collectors.

As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

I'm trying to live this out and I'm finding out the "sinners" sometimes act like the church, and the church sometimes acts like "sinners." I don't feel like I've compromised who I am but certainly some of the gatherings I've attended lately have been culturally awkward as I still outgrow some of the sheltered pharisee like upbringing I received.

Recently I went to a largely hispanic birthday party. My kid who has been to parties with pinatas before, was visually bothered that we were beating the crap out of Buzz Light year. Largely this three year old's party was a little excessive (plenty of booze, food, drinks, jumper, water slide, pool, etc). They say you'll never take away the fiesta or the siesta, huh? Largely I felt honored to be there, one of the palest faces there I was made to feel like family and my kids were treated like all the other mijos and mijas.

A couple of fridays ago I went to my first guys poker night. Seven guys. Five I'd never met. Again plenty of booze, playing cards, and talk that some might describe as unwholesome. Really cool poker table, actual clay chips and authentic cards from a real casino. We also had shelled peanuts, pork rhines, and generic oatmeal creme pies. Nobody got drunk, nobody got angry, and no one became addicted to a slippery slope of gambling. I left feeling rested, relaxed, and again somewhat honored to be invited to participate in this round table.

Last Saturday I attended a 7:00AM bar-bq that included (again plenty of booze) brats, grilled chicken, and an orange watermelon. I know it sounds early for a bud lite, but this is pretty acceptable for a bunch of teamsters who had just worked all night. I was amazed at how thankful folks were that I had hung out for awhile. It literally cost me nothing but time. I enjoyed some great grilled meat, a very delicous inbred fruit, and several mt dews and my employees were saying "thank you. thank you. thank you."

In all fairness, I did very little preaching at any of these events. To my knowledge no one became "saved". Yet, I can't shake the calling that our generation needs some new prophets; That our culture is desperate to be influenced by God's Kingdom; That God is raising up the church and preparing her to be a voice of prophecy in our pluralistic post modern age; And that these kind of gatherings are exactly where an optimistic church planter should be hang'n out.

By Any Means Neccesary...

I do not believe the above statement. I think too often the church has let the ends justify the means. The means must be ethical, Godly, good and loving or the ends seems irrelevant to me.
Here are ways we grew the church this week. I feel comfortable with all of them.

We passed out thousands of flier invitations and placed them on doors. There is a fine line here for me. I am against putting things on people windshields. Yet somehow I think leaving a note, even a Xeroxed one, on someones door is moving towards a personal invitation, even when it's done anonymously.

We tried to treat service employees with dignity and respect. We tipped them well. And invited them to check out our community.

We gave away 750 bottles of water to movie goers, the swat team, to shoppers, and airport employees. Just a Random Act of Kindness... the bottles do have our church info but the gift comes with no strings attached.

We ministered to fifty kids in our community this week by means of gospel illusions, ice cream, games, cool crafts, prizes, songs, movement, stories, and fun.

A couple in our church gave birth to a beautiful baby this morning. This is our second newborn in three weeks. There is more than one way to grow a church.

I am so thankful for God sending a team from another church to help us with these, (accept for the last one). I am reminded once again the importance of living in and valuing relationship with others. Ministry flows out of relationship and we need each other.

Misconceptions...

Moving to a growing area would be an easy place to plant a church.
I never thought this would be easy but articles like this make me think it's hard times for folks here, and it probably won't get better any time soon.

$3.oo is an outrageous price for gas.
It's sick that I would be willing to hurt someone to pay this "little" again. I never would of imagined a national average over $4. This plus the credit crunch partly caused by the mortage crisis, have made it a little bit easier to "walk by faith, not by sight". I don't have a choice.

It's a dry heat.
Where I live it's Hot. I left for the airport Saturday morning at 1:30am. It was 90 degrees outside... AT 1:30AM! To make it worse the A/C's not working at our house. It's supposed to be 113 today. Thank God for property management. I hope they get it working before homegroup tonight.

I've never been one to cry "attack of the enemy, attack of the enemy". And I always thought there was some sadistic oddness to the idea that "we must be doing something right, because look at all the devil is doing to thwart us" (Where does that word come from? thwart?). But lately, I've been identifying with those thoughts. Also, realizing this adventure is really about trusting Jesus. And still feeling extremely priveledged to answer his call, and to taste, even in a small dose, the danger of truley following him. This church planting thing... it's the wildest ride I've ever been on.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY everyone. Remember it's the Lord's Day.

Marriage, My Mom, My Mentors, & Music

In John Eldridge's WILD AT HEART he suggests that every male is longing to answer the same question... Do I have what it takes?

As we settle into our recent monumental changes, I ask this question often. Being a husband, dad, pastor. Do I have what it takes?

Diligence. Faithfulness. Consistency.

Those are the three words for this new season. Three concepts I'm longing to understand better. Three attributes I want my kids to see in me. Three causes I wish the Church would wear better.

My wife is the best. I can't imagine living this adventure with anyone else. She has sacrificed so much in answering this call. When my time is in such high demand, I know our time is often what I neglect. Saying "I'm sorry" seems like an understatement and insufficient expression of my heart. I am hopeful for her to somehow know peace and quiet in a house with three small children.

My mom is a special lady. How do you forget to call your mom on her 55th birthday? Is that a symptom of overwhelming changes or a well meaning compliment? As we celebrated Mom's day at church Sunday, I was reminded of how my mom continues to go out of her way to make my life better, easier, and more meaningful. I can only hope she sees the grace and redemption in the legacy that is our family.

I was so encouraged to meet with a group of pastors this week; my peers, mentors, and friends. No one pointed out my failures. No one said "You shoulda...". They prayed for me. They acted like this little church plant in West Phoenix was the most exciting thing happening anywhere. And many of them drove a great distance to do so.

I struggle with creativity. Part of me longs to be an artist, a poet, a musician. Often people in those vocations frustrate me, yet I am envious inside. You may not know this, but from 6th grade - high school graduation I played Trombone. Marching Band, Jazz Band, Offertory Orchestra at church... that was me. I never really over achieved in any of these ( I got awards like "most improved" and ""most inspirational"), but I always enjoyed the social outlet of hanging out with musicians. There's always been something inside me that has great respect for those who can create expressions of beauty. Most recently I am impressed once again by Cobalt Season. Their new Song Time Will Tell resonates with some of what I'm feeling. You could listen on their myspace and check out the lyrics if you are interested. (By the way, I am biased towards the trombone accompaniment)

Diligence. Faithfulness. Consistency.
I am thankful for those listed above who have demonstrated these to me.

The Facts of Life

The Good...
Last night we had dinner with Leah's grandparents. Living closer to them has been a wonderful part of our new life here in the AZ.

I went online to update the Coldwater Church Website and found it was number three on google when you search for it. SWEET!

When I got up this morning to check out our church's first ever newspaper ad, I was so excited we had the "pole position" placement in the worship directory. Upper left hand corner baby.

I am so excited about the days ahead!

The Bad...
I worked nine and a half hours at my part time job this morning.

I missed a meeting with a city official earlier this week.

I planned a pretty major calender conflict that is for sure going to leave some folks with very hurt feelings by the end of this process.

I'm feeling the effects of higher price gas, and food. My most recent support check is currently four days late.

I'm feeling rather insuffiecent. I'm trying not to be discouraged. I'm hopeful for the days that lie ahead.

Adventure

"An adventure is, by its nature, a thing that comes to us. It is a thing that chooses us, not a thing we choose."
-G. K. Chesterton

I dated my wife seven years before we got married. It took me four years to get my Associates degree; and another four to finish my Bachelors. I have been wrestling with this church planting calling for years. Right now everything seems to be happening so fast. I am feeling totally unready and unqualified.

I was encouraged this morning to be looking in the scriptures and reading about Jesus calling his disciples. It says they left "at once". WOW! The severity of that staement blows me away. They didn't say "Wait I need to finish reading Moore". They didn't say "Hold on I'm going to raise $60,000 for the Hallelujah Package". They didn't say "Let's have a bible study for two years first". They jusy obediently stepped out in faith and went with Jesus. May I become more like these New Testament fisherman. May I demonstrate to my heavenly Father the quick obedience I demand of my kids. May I never miss the divine adventure because I'm chasing after what's comfortable.

Rivers of Grace

I am not a super creative person. Witty? Yes. Intelligent? I think so. Good at Communicating? Better than most. But not super creative. I am surrounded by and always intrigued by those who create music, capture ideas with photography, and those who design stuff. If you were to talk about spiritual gift envy, well mine would be the creative arts. Recently a new song has been meaningful to me. I thought it was a hot new song only to find out it's on a cd I've owned and listened to for seven years. It's called "Tide Wash over Me"

Chorus 1
I lift my hands up high
I send my praise to the Son
And my voice will sing it loud
(Wash over me)
Verse 1
As I cry out in the night
All my anger all my pride
Seems to wash away
In the strength of Your beating tide
Verse 2
Who could ever show
Mercy to me
Who can quiet an angry sea
It is Christ the King
Holy One who's saving me
Verse 3
I'm in trouble Lord once again
Slowly sinking in all this sin
All I need is Your strength
Flowing through me once again
Misc 1(BRIDGE)
Life with it's heartache
And all the frustration it brings
Get drowned in the light of my singing
And praising Your holy name
Cause all that I want
Is to see Your face
Praise Your name forevermore

My question is...Does this happen to creative people? Do you ever "miss", I mean totally not notice a song for like seven years, and then one day it hits you like a ton of bricks? Just wondering.

For those praying types...

Pray for Cold Water Church?
( I'm not sure that's the name) -
Pray that it will be a place where God
makes Rivers of Grace in the desert

Pray for my current home church - Provision and Plenty
With out sounding like a word faith guy, these words keep being spoken in a prophetic sense.

Pray for Pastor Raj, My friend Patrick, and JDF (JDF, If you're reading this, I'm very excited for you)

The Brotherhood

So I'm back from my meeting with the old white gentleman's club. They just weren't as old as I thought they were. Nor were they as white. I know having an Italian, 2 Scottts, and some Mexicans dosen't really count as diversity, but it's a step in the right direction. They even have a woman heading up the upcoming international conference. Hip Hip Huray! Fast Forward...NOW! I received lot's of encouragement at this meeting. The so called "death sentence"...just four more months. I'll be letting the cat out of the bag on January 6, 2007. Stay tuned! Things are changing.

A Poem by Edward Everett Hale

I am only one,
But still I am one.
I cannot do everything
But still I can do something;
And because I cannot do everything
I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.

This poem is just one paragraph from the 10 page packet I created that is being looked over by the elders of my church this weekend. Yesterday was a bizzare day. Exciting. Scary. Terrifying. All at the same time. In a sense I feel relieved. In a sense I feel nervous.

Cool poem huh?