Great Lengths

I thought Friday night was going to be a pretty low-key night because I was sick all week long. I could not get out and do as much visits as I wanted to do. Before dinner the Lord brought me to read for the third time in the week Mark Chapter 2 where the paralyzed man was carried on a mat by his friends to see Jesus. I read it not thinking much but knew it was something that the Lord was stirring in my heart. I was surprised when we had 16 come to dinner! It seems as if we are bringing different people every week. Ryan Standish is already inviting people and bringing them to the dinner. New converts make the best evangelist because they are not afraid to share their faith. Before we prayed over the meal I shared the story of the paralyzed man. After all I had 16 people in a tight space. I asked them how many more could we fit if Jesus was teaching us and what would we do with the masses waiting outside? Out of desperation and love for their paralyzed friend, the men cut a hole in the roof to lower him into the house. I told the group that we must be willing to go to great lengths to bring each other to Jesus. Our church exist for the broken hearted and wounded because that’s what I am.

Resurrection Power

Easter Sunday was awesome. We had five of our guys show up to the Rock who have had some connection with our Friday night dinners. The Lord is really moving and it is exciting to see what is taking place. Ryan Standish was supposed to give his testimony in the first and second services. Ryan ended up sleeping through the first service and I called Schloemer between services to shake him until he woke up. Ryan gets to church in a daze with circles under his eyes (they been working him hard at Amazon and we stayed up late the night before). I pull him into the choir room and fix him a cup of coffee. At this point Dillard and I are worried because he looks like he had not woken up yet. We talk to him a few minutes and then he gets into the sanctuary. At that moment he taught me something I will never forget. In front of everybody and as genuine as he is, he kneels down to the altar to pray for God’s presence to help him. Aaron turns to me and says, “He’s teaching us all something, isn’t he?” When Ryan got up to speak he did an amazing job. I am glad to see the Rock embrace him. Ryan and I are so different and it’s amazing that he is becoming one of my best friends.

Monday night our church planting launch team hosted a dinner at the UK Wesley Foundation. I am thankful for such a hardworking team with Lacy, the Dillards, and Schloemer. We prepared food for about 50-70 people. I have been feeling run down quite a bit with moving non-stop. Everything is catching up to me. I woke up Sunday morning really dizzy and light headed. I felt like I was going to back out of speaking Monday night to the college students but my boy Jason encouraged me to press on and Ryan Standish said a prayer for me. When I got up to speak I felt the power of the Spirit and felt like the students really related to what I was saying as I shared my faith journey. One guy I met named Thorin related to me quite a bit. Thorin did not grow up in the church and has recently come to believe in Jesus. He has found a community who has discipled him. Thorin was once rough around the edges. We are going to hook up for lunch at some point next week.

Immediately after speaking I passed out for about 13 hours on my couch. Before I passed out Ryan Standish told me that he was feeling like he wanted to share his testimony at the Wesley Foundation. I feel as though he is one of my circuit riders.

I felt as if God was saying after Monday night no more running yourself thin. I am definitely scheduling a retreat time for next week.

Good Friday

I joke around and say that instead of having one office I have three offices, Starbucks, Common Grounds, and the UK Wesley Foundation. A few weeks ago I met a gentleman, let’s call him R. R is always hanging out at the Starbucks. I introduced myself to him and gave him my card in passing. Well what I thought was going to be the “day off” was instead a divine “interruption” as June Tunstil likes to call it. R decided to call me this afternoon asking me if I could help him out with something. I was not able to pay much attention to what he was saying because as I answered the phone Rocky escaped. I tricked Rocky to come back inside by shaking a bowl full of puppy chow. I told R that I would meet him at Starbucks at 2pm. Needless to say we ended up hanging out till 9pm. After I helped R out with something I told him that I want to meet with him on a weekly basis and that his spiritual life was very important to me. R ended up rolling with me to The Rock’s Good Friday service and then to the church plant’s community dinner.

What I thought was going to be a low-key night (I ordered pizza for my turn to cook) turned into more divine “interruptions.” I did not expect 16 people to show up to my little crib and both Ryan Ellis and Standish give their testimonies! Ryan Standish is going to give his testimony this weekend at church. The tight space poses a good problem to have. Ryan Standish may possibly move into the upstairs apartment which can provide another place to expand our dinners, along with the Dillard’s’ apartment as well. It is our dream to have a few houses for community living.

Later in the evening we went to Common Grounds where I met Adrea and Alex. I introduced myself to them and told them I was starting a church in the area. They live close to where I do. After a few minutes Adrea surprised me by giving her card to me. Adrea told me that she is a worship leader and recording artist. She would love to help out in some capacity. Andrew and I looked at each other with our mouths wide open. What is God doing?

Please continue to pray that God would bring us more unbelievers, more places for dinners, a big, big house, and a place for worship.

Shawn is Getting Baptized!

Last week Shawn gave his life to Christ in the parking lot of a Starbucks. It was an amazing time that we experienced. Today I met with Shawn and heard more of his story. Shawn testifies how God has led him his whole life, even when he thought he was all alone. Shawn desperately wants his family to come to know Jesus. He has a wife, Nancy and three sons. Shawn realizes that he has a responsibility to his family in helping them in their spiritual life. Shawn desires to be baptized and by faith I said to him that I would not only baptize him but his whole family. Please pray that Nancy would be open to the Gospel. Since Shawn works on Sunday he is not able to come to church but he said that since his boss is a religious man he would probably be able to get off on a Sunday to be baptized. I will be heading to his house on Easter to visit with him and his family. I believe by faith that Shawn's whole family will come to know Jesus. It will be an awesome day when we baptize the whole family!

Latest Encounters

The past few days I have gotten together with five new people that I have recently met. It seems like the reoccurring theme is that people have been hurt by the Church because they do not fit the mold, are sick of "playing" church, and want something were they can just be themselves. I have said in the past that I am hesitant pulling out the pastor card because once I do the person I am talking to quits swearing, smoking, or telling me dirty jokes. I do not want to make people feel uptight. However when I have engaged in conversation I am finding people are responsive to the Gospel because they are not feeling judged or looked down upon. People do not want to be talked down to but talked with. Even my barber this morning said that she respects my vocation but she likes the fact that I am normal outside of the church. She thinks Christians are not really normal people. They are fake and feel that they have to put a smile on their face all the time. I told her lucky I was Sicilian because I always wear my heart on my sleeve whether I like it or not! I believe our new church is going to be a place for everyday people. I want people to come as they are and feel welcome to come into a new place.

St. Patrick: The Church Planter

Before St. Patrick’s Day was about drinking green beer and brawling Irishmen it was in celebration for a pioneer of the Christian faith. I have come to appreciate St. Patrick because of the book that my team and I have read, George Hunter’s Celtic Way of Evangelism. Patrick grew up in what is now northeast England in the late fourth/early fifth century. When Patrick was 16 he was taken into slavery. However while in slavery he became a devout Christian who reached his captors. After his traumatic experience Patrick trained for the priesthood. England became the setting were he served the parish faithfully for many years. One night, Patrick experienced a dream that would change his life. At age forty-eight Patrick interpreted his dream as a calling to spread the Gospel to the Celtic peoples of Ireland. Pope Celestine commissioned Patrick as history’s first missionary bishop. In 432 A.D. tradition tells us he arrived in Ireland with an entourage of Christian workers to help him in this task. What was the big deal about Irish Celtics? Well the biggest obstacle was the way they were perceived. They were thought of as “barbarians.” The issue for many was it is impossible to “civilize” a people such as the Irish Celtics. However Patrick didn’t look to evangelize a people simply to civilize them. Prior to Patrick the Church viewed these Celtic peoples as impossible to reach. The reason why Romans thought of the Celtic peoples as “barbarians” was because they thought highly of themselves. Anybody who wasn’t Roman was considered a “barbarian!” History tells us that 700 churches were planted from Patrick’s mission, and he ordained 1000 priests.

I believe today Christianity is a hard “sale” to somebody who thinks they have it all. It is difficult for people to find a true faith in a nation that is plenteous with all sorts of resources. Despite the difficulty we must trust that God is working in the hearts and lives of his people before we even arrive on the scene. Just because the task is difficult doesn’t mean we should stop trying to do the very thing Jesus called us to do. My verse as of late has been Joshua 1:9, “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” If we trust that God is with us and goes before us then we must not view reaching certain people as impossible. I ask myself, “has anybody ever given up on me?” I have come to the realization that we can’t give up on others because we might not be able to see the work God is doing in a person.

A Congregation Reproducing Congregations

Yesterday was one of the best days I have experienced in a long time. My boy Ryan Standish, a guy from our church plant was baptized and made a commitment to follow Jesus. Later on that evening Ryan Ellis, Ryan Standish, Andrew Scholemer and myself hooked up with another crew in Cincy. We went to experience the 14 stations of the Cross but with a more artsy feel behind it. It was a powerful experience for all of us. Ryan Ellis admitted that he did not know what exactly to expect. As we were driving back to Kentucky we decided to grab a bite to eat. So as we were sitting at Subway I looked at the three guys and told them that I will pray all three would plant churches that would plant churches. They were excited at the possibilities that God could bring to us. At every meeting and gathering we have for the church plant I want to emphasis that we are a congregation that will reproduce congregations all over the state of KY, the whole U.S., and around the world. I am not merely content with having a large church but having one that is willing to send people out to start over and expand the Kingdom of God.

Don't be surprised when prayer works!

Probably six months ago a few of us were praying for some needs with the church plant.  One of the particular needs is for a youth leader who knows how to skateboard.  The prayer maybe answered.  My friend has put me in touch with a skate boarding pro who attends Asbury College.  We are going to talk about him putting on clinics at the park.  It amazing how things are coming together.  Please pray for a possible launch service in early October!

Not So Small World

I met Ralph over a year ago at the Bluegrass Festival that we had at The Rock. We hit it off immediately. We lost touch for a while until I saw him at Woodland Park a few weeks ago. I got his number and invited him to the community dinners. Ralph could not make it to the dinners because of the bad weather we have been getting. Yesterday Aaron called me to go pick up the boys from school because he was running behind in Cincinnati. I am always thrilled to hang out with the “little men” because they are off the hook. When I went to pick John and Joe up I was greeted by Ralph who was picking up his niece and nephew from Arlington school. We were able to connect and plan a time to get together for lunch.

One Big Party

Ryan Standish (vesailles) told me that I reminded him of a friend. I asked him who I reminded him off and he said his friend Duke who use to throw three day rave parties.  I asked him why and he said it is because I throw parties (he's talking about Friday night dinners) and care about him. I think Jesus and the disciples were associated with throwing parties because wherever they went was fun times.

Ryan is one of the three people that was convinced I was an undercover cop.  He is stinkin hilarious.

Following His Steps

I have always enjoyed praying while on long car rides.  It's something I actually look forward to.  Prior to praying I listen to my NLT on CD.  I was praying about this weekend but then was prompted to pray for the rest of my day today.  Shortly after praying I received a phone call from a guy I met in the gym over a year ago.  Muhammad and I talked about getting coffee together but I had failed to hear back from him after I tried calling a few times a couple of weeks ago.  Out of the blue he decided to call me.  We are having coffee tomorrow morning and I ask that you all would keep us in your prayers.

I got a late start in the gym this evening.  I hate lifting at night because Ryan and I have gotten so use to training in the mornings.  As I was finishing up my leg workout I struck up a conversation with a young African American man by the name of Rob.  I told Rob I was starting a church.  He thought that it was pretty cool.  I asked him if he attended anywhere regularly but said he did not.  For some reason I told him I was training for a bodybuilding show.  Come to find out he is very interested in getting involved with the sport.  I told him that I could give him some pointers to get started since I am a beginner myself.  Rob was excited and gave me his phone number.  I love meeting people in the gym!  When I tell them I'm a pastor they think I'm not telling the truth.  In fact I have had to convince a few new friends that I was not an undercover cop as they suspectedJ

This evening I was taking Rocky out to the bathroom when my neighbor asked me what breed he was.  I told her Rocky was a boxer and that he loves people…all people even if they don't like him.  Anyway as she was petting him I told her about the community dinners at my house.  She thought it was a good idea and said that she would have to stop by sometime but for the next couple of weeks she was going to New York.  I told her that I was from New York and she was surprised.  It turns out she use to live a few hours from me in Western New York. 

Shawn Received Christ!

Today after prayer service I rolled with Lacy to Common Grounds and we were planning on going to the park to do some tag team evangelism.  Lacy said she wanted to tag along with me on days she has off which will work out better in reaching out to girls.  Anyway I got a phone call from Shawn saying how he couldn't meet tomorrow but that he could meet today.  So Lacy and I met him up at Starbucks.  I told lacy at Common Grounds that today was going to be the day that Shawn would accept Jesus.  We get to Starbucks and Shawn begins to tell about the changes he wants to make in his life.  After a few minutes I asked Shawn if he was ready to accept Jesus.  Shawn said, "I am ready to do that, I have been ready for a while to make changes in my life.  I want to be an example for my wife and kids."  I asked Shawn if he wanted to pray outside the Starbucks parking lot.  He enthusiastically said yes!  There we were in the Starbucks parking lot and Shawn asked Jesus to come into his heart.  I will be meeting with Shawn on a weekly basis to do a bible study in his home.  Please pray for more conversions and people that would be willing to disciple others. Thanks be to God!

In the words of Ice Cube, "Today was a good day."

Connections

Today was once again an awesome day.  I had a district committee meeting for my continuation as a pastor.  It couldn't have gone any better.  Yesterday I wrote down in Aaron's notebook to call Jerry Beck, the pastor of Park UMC, which is right in the location we want to plant the church.  We were hoping to visit with him and share the things that God was doing.  The great thing about Methodism is the strong connectional system of pastors and churches in the conference.  Well, when I normally meet with the Dcom there are usually three people I talk with.  This time it was only two, Mrs. Bowden and somebody who was not on any of my subcommittee's before, Jerry Beck.  They asked me what I was up to in ministry.  I shared with them everything that was going on.  They were overwhelmed with my enthusiasm.  I got jerry's card and we are going to do lunch sometime soon. 

Bridges of God

After I left my meeting I went to Chik Fila to meet Ryan and his friend for lunch.  On the days Ryan Ellis is off from school I take him with me as my wingman for ministry.  I told him he going to learn more than what I know, which won't take much!  Anyway I keep reinforcing to Ryan that he has would missiologist, Donald McGavern would call the "bridges of God."  The "bridges of God" are basically the relationship that one has with non-believers.  I told Ryan he has an opportunity to win his old friends to Christ.  The tendency is we divorce ourselves from the world instead of embracing what God is already doing in a person's life.  We met with one of Ryan's friends today and hung out.  We had no "God" conversation but we are working on building a relationship and showing him I am a regular guy even though I am a pastor.

Our next stop was to the VA Hospital after our late lunch and afternoon of watching Ryan and his friend play video games.  We went to the VA to visit the grandfather of Becky (who I met in the tattoo parlor).  We got there and were disappointed because he was moved to the Leestown Rd location.  It gave me an excuse to call Becky and ask her about his condition (left a voice mail message).  I explained to Ryan that even though God calls you to do something it might not work out the way you anticipate it.  It is a matter of obedience that you are willing to do what He asks of you.

Baptism

Tonight I decided to go to Common Grounds to hang out and work on my sermon for this weekend.  I decided to call Ryan (Versailles) on my way up to see how he was doing because he starts his new job tomorrow morning.  I told Ryan that I was going to Common Grounds.  When I pulled up to the parking lot he was waving at me with a cheesy grin on his face.  We sat down and had coffee together.  I was then prompted to ask Ryan if he had ever been baptized before, he said no.  I explained to him what baptism was and why it is important.  Needless to say Ryan is going to get baptized this Sunday (my first baptism)!  As we were sitting and chit chatting the person behind us said I can't help but overhearing but what church do you go to.  I told him The Rock/La Roca and he said he knew Jeff Rogers (thinks highly of him).  Zach told me he had been out of the church for a while.  I invited to the community dinner at my house and church on Sunday, he was excited.

 

Friends, keep praying!

Birthing A Vision

It seems that are Friday night dinners are getting better ever week.  This week had a lot of diversity added to the group with our new friends Sunny and Crispin.  Sunny lives in the neighborhood and is originally from Nigeria.  Crispin is from Haiti and is an engineering student at UK.  God is adding an international flavor without us planning for it.  I also have been working with a few of the refugees who like close to me on Richmond RD at the Heritage apartments.  They have trouble coming to church on Sunday mornings and to dinner on Friday nights so I have been trying to be intentional in meeting with them.  Next Friday night I have invited a few of the young Hispanic men from our church that I have built relationships with.  Anyway our time Friday night went well.  At the close of the evening Ryan (Versailles) and Dillard joined Ryan Ellis and me for our Psalm/Prayer time.  We were overwhelmed by the presence of the Holy Spirit as we were reading scripture and praying together.  Tears pretty much swelled up in all four of us.  I can't explain what God is doing in our midst.

It was during this prayer time that I felt the Lord was giving me clarity of what the new church is going to look like.  It is a place for hurting people who need to feel accepted.  I wasn't surprised when he put that on my heart because that's who I am.  I had lived my life in denial for many years because all I wanted to do was to feel loved and accepted for whom God made me. It wasn't until recently where I absolutely sensed how much God loved me as he said that I am his beloved Son in whom He is well pleased.  It didn't matter if this new church failed because the work that God is doing in me is not failing.

Also, about 7 months ago I felt the Lord was telling me to pray to be freed up from the school debt that I accumulated at seminary.  I feel as if God is going to take me around the world to serve Him.  Because I am noticing this international flare of what God is doing I know not to limit my church planting efforts in KY or the U.S. alone but maybe around the world.  I know that God wants to use my ethnicity for his glory.  I speak Italian/Sicilian for a reason.  I have a heart for immigrants because the fact my family immigrated to this country.  Aaron and I were talking about how we received a prophecy that 2008 is the year where big things are going to happen.  We are not stopping at just planting one church but we are already thinking ahead to plant a church out of our church plant in three years and more plants from The Rock.  We want to build into our existing church and new church that we are a congregation that will reproduce other congregations.  Praise God for what He is doing!

Divine Appointments Continued

Today I took some lunch to my roommate Ryan who is always busting his butt at U-Haul.  Afterwards I figured that I would go to Barnes and Noble since it was close by to pick up a few things.  I decided to bring my laptop because I felt the Lord was telling me I needed to hang out there and work on my sermon.  As I was talking with a guy who worked there by the name of Mike I asked him what his tattoo was on his right arm (mike's hand was amputated).  He told me it was scissors and we both agreed how addictive tattoos can be.  I asked him where he got it.  He said he got it for free from Exalt because his good friend Megan worked there and her boyfriend works at Barnes and Noble with him.  Megan was the same girl who gave me a tattoo!  I knew that God had ordained this divine appointment so I told mike I was a pastor starting a church in the woodland park/Chevy Chase area.  He thought that was cool.  I got his phone number and invited over the house for Friday night dinner.

I can't explain what is taking place.  It is the work of the Holy Spirit.  I can't take credit for it the only thing I'm doing is being obedient to the Spirit.  Please continue to pray for the people that my team and I have met over the past few weeks.  Also, pray that the divine appointments would continue.

Divine Appointments

I got my first tattoo eight years ago in Savannah, Georgia that day I graduated Marine boot camp. The year after I got another one in North Carolina when I was with the Marines. I thought I was done getting tattoos and thought that foolish stuff was behind me. Unfortunately it’s not; yes I defiled my body once again and got the thorns of Christ around my right bicep. This is something I have wanted for a few years and didn’t get around to it until now. I think Ryan Ellis may be corrupting me. Ryan and I went to a tattoo parlor on Winchester Road by the name of Exalt. I waited a few minutes to pick out exactly what I wanted and for the artist to get her equipment ready. Ryan took off to eat dinner back at the house. The whole thing lasted and hour and a half. And yes I got it around my whole bicep! Anyway the whole time I was getting my tat I was talking to the artist whose name is Megan. After a few minutes Megan asked me what I do for a living. When I get to that part in any conversation people are usually surprised at what I tell them. I told her I was starting a church. She thought that was cool because her grandfather was a pastor in Morehead, KY. Megan said her faith was stronger when she was younger but has been burned by the church and has not really returned to her faith. Since moving to Lexington she has tried going to some mega church that shall remain nameless. Megan felt as if she didn’t belong, she felt out of place. Let me call a spade a spade and say she would not fit in because she has numerous tattoos and a few piercing. The churches were too big for her and she felt like an outsider. She said that many Christians look down on her profession. I told her that I thought it was cool and would refer her to my friends. The weird part about the whole thing is that she lives in the Americana apartments with her boyfriend. It is the same complex that’s around the corner from my house where Jason and Tawndee also live. I invited her to the Friday night community dinner and told her I would drop by to say hi sometime to her and her boyfriend. As we were an hour into my tattoo a woman by the name of Becky came in. She is friends with Megan. Megan was asking Becky about her grandfather. Becky’s grandfather is in the VA hospital dying from lung cancer. He has about a month to live. I introduced myself to Becky and asked her if I could see her grandfather if that was ok. Becky was thrilled when I asked her that. She wrote down his information immediately. Becky told me that he became a Christian and was baptized last week. When I was done with the tattoo I met Becky’s husband and invited them both to my house for dinner.
I think an important part of the great commission that we overlook is “as we go to make disciples.” No matter where we go about our day I try not to compartmentalize it but rather share my witness everywhere I go. Wild things have been happening and I cannot take credit for it. Praise be to God!

Prayer Power

I was meeting with David Calhoun the other day that is my coach for this church planting experience. I was sharing with him all the wonderful things that God has been doing in our midst. David was very excited and thinks that we can launch at the earliest this fall. While talking with him my phone rang and I got excited like “Jo-Jo, the idiot circus boy” (this is from Tommy Boy). It was that Shawn guy I met at Woodland Park the other day. I was very excited to say the least. I tried to answer my phone but was frustrated because I forgot that my speaker was out. After meeting with Calhoun I rushed into my car to get my Bluetooth. Shawn sounded like he was in a panic. When I called him back he explained his dilemma. Shawn asked me if I knew anybody or any organization that could assist him with something. I told him to drop by my crib that night. Shawn dropped by and was surprised that I wanted to help him. He said with a puzzled look on his face, “man, you don’t even know me and your are willing to help?” I said the primary thing I care about is his soul first and foremost. I asked him if he would be willing for me to come to his home and study the bible together with his family. Shawn said yes to this! Shawn did not believe it was a coincidence that the day after he met me he faced a dilemma that I was to help him out with. Pray for Shawn and his family that they would receive Christ as savior. Also, thank you for those who prayed for me when I text-messaged them before I met with him.

Prayer Walking

One of the things I look forward to when the weather's beautiful is a prayer walk.  Since today was a nice day I decided to take time to pray while I was walking Rocky or when he was walking me:-)  I bet during Jesus' ministry he did a lot of prayer walking, especially on his long journeys. I prayed specifically that God would grant me divine appointments when I approached Woodland Park.  When I arrived at the park I was focusing on keeping Rocky from all the little kids and adults.  Rocky thinks that everybody loves him and wants to play.  When joggers run by he wants to go after them and ends up pulling me with him down the street.  Anyway as I was trying to get Rocky straightened out I heard somebody attempting to get my attention.  I looked over and to my surprise it was a gentleman I met at our churches family fun night last summer.  Ralph was at the park with his kids and mom.  I told him I was starting a church and he was interested in hanging out sometime.  As soon as I got his number Rocky jumped in his lap.  Even though Rocky is 7 months old and weighing in at 50 pounds he doesn't know that he's not suppose to be a lap dog.  After my encounter with Ralph I kept walking and 5 seconds later I saw another guy I recognized by the name of Shawn.  A few months back when the weather was warm the Gallahers and I went to play basketball at Woodland Park.  While we were playing I met Shawn.  Shawn surprisingly remembered who I was and asked me how the new church was coming along.  I told him that he needed to come sometime to the Friday night dinners and got his phone number.  

The more I continue in this work the more I am amazed at God's hand.  His mark is all over this thing and it is starting to bear fruit. Unfortunately it has not been always like this.  For the first six months I wanted to quit maybe 10 times a day!  I think the difference is that my faith has increased and my focus has been more centered than it has in my whole life.  I have been through a rough year and have faced many obstacles but through it all God has been faithful.  Anybody in there right mind would have quit, moved out of the Rock UMC, and probably out of the state of KY.  I can't say that it was not a temptation.  I was also faced with many discouraging voices telling me that this may not be the time to plant a church.  God's plan and call has not changed.  I praise God for friends, mentors, and a church family who has stood next to me.  To God be the Glory!

Leonardo

Today I met a Hispanic man by the name of Leonardo.  Leonardo is from Mexico.  He was hired by my landlord to do some work, I guess he is her maintenance man for the properties.  When I saw him I introduced myself and I could tell he was surprised that I did so.  I told him that I am starting an iglesia and that he should join us.  I invited him to the Friday night dinners and said that he would come.  Sometimes God wants us to reach the people who are right in front of us.  Before this encounter I went to the Euclid St. Kroger to talk with a girl who works there.  I was disappointed when she was not there and then I come home to meet Leonardo practically on my front porch!  God is Good!

Reading the Psalms

Since Ryan Ellis moved in he has been getting up in the mornings with me to train.  Ryan is a good training partner because he pushes me in the weight room.  Usually I am the motivator pushing my training partner then having to motivate myself but having Ryan there adds extra energy.  We have not only been training the body together but also the Spirit which is the most important.  Every night we have been praying and reading the Psalms together every night.  Ryan has never read the Bible before and is really digging the Psalms because he enjoys poetry.  Also, Ryan has never prayed out loud before and says it is getting easier because we are doing it so often.  This week Ryan came to the understanding that praying is "like talking normal."  When we practice the presence of God in our lives our hunger for Him grows deeper.  One night last week Ryan from Versailles dropped by.  Ryan V.  has been coming to our dinners and I would consider somebody we converted through Christ power.  When Ryan V. came in at like 12:30 am we asked him to join us in reading the Psalms and prayer.  He was grateful to spend that time with us.  God is definitely up to something!  Aaron and I are not only looking forward to launch this church but the one that will come after it in the coming years.  Who knows, maybe Ryan Ellis could be our next church planter...