Surfs Up!

Rick Warren gives an illustration that really captures what one of our goals should be. Warren tells of how surfing is of course popular in California. For gym class the students have the option of taking an intro to surfing class. They are provided the proper gear and training before they tackle a big wave. It takes a lot of skill and practice to surf. However, surfing really cannot be done if there is no wave. Nobody ever says to a surfer to produce a wave. It's challenging enough just to surf on one. I think many times we try to create the wave instead of waiting for it and riding on top of it. The only one that can produce this wave is God. We must recognize when God is moving and then join in. No person can produce a revival or move of the Spirit. We are only along for the ride. Praise God that He uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things!

Three Moves in One Week

The month of December is usually a busy month for just about everybody. It was busy for me than other reasons besides Christmas shopping and traveling. About two weeks ago, I moved into an apartment close to where the church plant will be located. I got a great deal on a one-bedroom apartment. It is an old place with tile floors (which is good because of Rocky’s accidents) and has an elevated throne room that everybody enjoyed. Jason and Tawndee live right around the corner at the Americana Apartment complex. Abigail’s mom, Debbie, moved into their apartment complex the day after I moved and Abigail moved three blocks down the street from us earlier that week. A few other people might possibly join our church planting efforts that are already living close to us. We will be starting community dinners soon as a way to build relationships with the people we meet in the area. Please continue to pray for us all as we try to get to know our neighbors.

Happy Birthday

We have been going to Charlie Brown’s for dinner on Wednesday evenings since the summer. We would often sit outside and the servers would bring my puppy, Rocky, a dog bowl. We have made friends with many of them since then. Before I took off for Tampa, Florida one of our favorite servers told us that her 21st birthday was coming up. She said that she was going to Charlie Browns because they were going to serve her free drinks. She asked us to come and join her. So we showed up at like 10:30 pm on a Saturday night. It was a very late night. However, it was worth it. It was somewhat sad because none of the girl’s friends showed up except her boyfriend. She was grateful we were there. We wanted to support her and take care of her if she was going to drink too much. She literally only weighs 80 pounds! I was proud of her because she did not give into the peer pressure that many of her co-workers were trying to place on her. By us showing up to her little birthday celebration, we have intensified our relationship with this girl. God keeps teaching me that if we are willing to show up and get out of the way He can do His thing. Even if that means showing up to someone’s 21st birthday party where you know they are going to drink and possibly drink in excess. She was going to do this regardless if we showed up. I have realized we need to cast off the “conventional” ways we do evangelism. It is more than stepping outside the four walls of the church and stepping inside the dark places where the light is dim. We were not the first presence of God to show up Saturday night at Charlie Browns. God was working in our little server long before we came on the scene. This scenario brings into question everything I have ever learned about evangelism. Are we willing to go to places where other Christians might not want to go or feel comfortable in going? Are we like the chief priests and Pharisees who hammer people like Jesus and the disciples who commune with “sinners and tax collectors?”

The Small Things

Tonight we hard our monthly prayer meeting for the church plant. We have been meeting at Woodland Park for a time of corporate prayer and then break up into twos to do a prayer walk around the park. I believe this evening was different than our usual prayer meetings. At first I was discouraged that we only had a total of six people show up for this time of prayer. A few months ago it seemed we had over twenty! However something special happened despite us being few in number. A guy that I have been in relationship with over the past few months (we met at Charlie Browns) came to the prayer meeting. I know he believes in God but would not really call himself a devout follower of Christ, in fact he's been out of the church for several years. As we were praying God reminded me of the parable in Luke's Gospel about the lost sheep. Most of us have heard the parable about the shepherd leaving his ninety-nine other sheep to find the one that is lost. The shepherd rejoices when he finds that one sheep that is lost. Tonight, I would have loved it if 30, 40, or even 50 people were there tonight! However, I would not trade tonight for anything in the world because my friend has opened himself up more to God and God's people.

Why is it so hard to understand?

Maybe I'm naive, don't know what I'm doing, or just plain stupid...okay, i'll admit to some of that. Anyway I don't understand this business of targeting a specific population in starting a new church. I have been asked several times what population I'm targeting or trying to reach. My response has been everyone. I want to reach everyone who doesn't know Jesus. Is that too simple? I think we have complicated a simple thing. Did Jesus target a specific population? It was the poorest of the poor. However, If we are to remember the New Testament meaning of poverty it is not only about financial matters but more importantly the lack of Godly relationships. In a sense, those who do not have Jesus are the poorest of the poor!

Two by Two

The work that God has been doing on 12th Street has been amazing. It can be attributed to many factors. The first is there has been an intentional group of Christian people who filtered on the street for the past 31/2 years. Secondly, they have been in prayer, especially over the last few months. Thirdly, they have been building relationships with neighbors. The result has been greeting a few dozen people (who have never attended the church) from 12th Street and surrounding streets on Sunday mornings at the Rock. There are many facets to the third factor that the team and myself have recently learned in planting the Woodland Church. We have met a good number of people but the work cannot be done effectively on an individual basis. I have learned from Aaron and 12th Street that building and maintaining relationships will sap the energy of one individual unless it is a communal effort. However, I didn't need to look at the example of 12th street to tell me this fact. It was something that Jesus instituted in his ministry when he sent out the 72. Luke 10:1 says "...he sent them out two by tw0 ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go." As things start picking up, and we are able to meet more people we need to learn how to incorporate our community in the building of relationships. The most significant relationships I can have at one time are very few, but if there was someone else going out with me our territory can and will expand.
The key is no matter where we are we need to make disciples. It could be great if everybody could move close to the 05 or near Woodland Park. However, we all know that this is not realistic based on several reasons. The key is to be an active witness where one is already at and strengthen surrounding relationships.

A Taste of Crunchiness

Abs and I went to Starbucks yesterday for her to get some reading done (which she did not) and for me to work on sermon ideas (which I got very little done). Overall, it was a good time because we brought Rocky with us who was declared the Starbucks greeter. Honestly about 30 people stopped by Rocky and petted him. We met many interesting people including local business workers, a dog trainer (she did give me some pointers), and sctgm. What is a sctgm? It is what Aaron calls a Super Crunchy Turbo Granola Momma. I have grown fond of SCTGM since hanging out with the Gallahers. They have taught me a lot about the environment, recycling, and natural foods. This SCTGM made her living by selling necklaces and bracelets that she made. Abs and I talked with her and her boyfriend for a while. The girl left to go get her box of goodies. I saw a cool necklace I liked and bought one…even though it is not something that I would normally wear since I have often been called a metro-sexual. Abigail wanted her own special necklace made because she is difficultJ Abigail wanted a larger necklace made with different beads etc. I gave the girl my number just in case she finished so that she could give us a call. Before we left, Abigail and the sctgm had an awesome talk, which resulted in a hug. After starbucks, we went to Charlie Browns where we met a man that Abigail has been talking with at Starbucks over the past few weeks. Also, Heather came and joined us. Heather is new to ATS and wanted to get involved outside of ATS. While we were at Charlie Browns the sctgm came and had finished the huge necklace in about a half and hour. We talked with her more for a few minutes and Abigail pulled the coffee trigger on her. They are going out tonight for coffee, so please pray.


I think I may have found a place to live that I am checking out tomorrow. Also, I may have found a few roommates. It is cool because Jason and Tawndee Dillard already live in the area, then I will be moving in with two other guys, and in January, Abigail and a friend will be moving into the area. There are some awesome things happening and I am excited about what God is going to do next.