Sharing The Vision – Sharing The Mission!
Since we’ve started the new church plant it’s been an exciting, new adventure. I’ve always had the blessing of pastoring established churches throughout my ministry. Now God has given us the blessing of being a a part of a new multi-cultural church start – from the ground up. It’s totally different than just moving into a parsonage and getting to know people in the already formed church, in the already accepting community. It’s putting “leg work” to get the necesary paperwork done. It’s working to physically get the building up and ready. It’s praying, planning and preparing to reach new people for the core group and get them trained. It’s getting trained yourself (God bless the great folks at Arkansas Baptist State Convention and North American Mission Board for the extensive training we were blessed to attend and enjoy!). It’s seeking to enlist “Partner’s In Ministry” Churches to support the new church plant monetarily, physically or prayerfully (or all three!). This coming Sunday, Cindy and I will be representing Life House Church & Ministries at a church in North East Arkansas. This church has asked that I come preach, share the mission and vision and give them a chance to prayerfully “get on board” with us! This church isn’t a large, booming, mega-church. They simply want the chance to get involved in missions. Thank God for churches who look past their building, budget and programs and seek to be the type Church Jesus built – one that has an outward focus rather than an inward focus. One that loves the lost (of any and all colors) more than they love their own little kingdom. We are excited for another chance to share the work. Pray for our safety and for the Life House Church Family as they worship without us next Sunday. We have a “preacher boy” from our sponsor church who is going to share and preach while we are gone – so pray for him too! Does your church have an INWARD or OUTWARD vision? Do they take the step of faith to do more than just “open their checkbooks and give money to missions”? I encourage whole heartedly giving to the Cooperative Program and our various SBC annual missions offerings — but what about doing more personally and as a local church. Why not adopt a local or state church plant and sacrifice a little prayer time, elbow grease and monetary gift to help them get off the ground? GOD WILL BLESS your church – I promise! So get off your “padded pews” and get out into the fields – it’s time to reap a harvest!!