Land in a Church Plant

We started New Season church with the intention of purchasing ten or more acres of land. We were quickly slapped down when we say how much money land cost- even land that was not in the prime areas. It is ridiculous.

So, we then thought we can maybe just exist nomadically for a while. Maybe we will never own land. Perhaps we can rent out an old supermarket that has closed down or something. We will go where God leads us.

Then, recently I was talking to someone about 8,000 sq. ft. or so in a fairly decent location (though not the best) and they want $20 a square foot. That amounts to about $160,000 a year for rent for a smaller space in a so-so location. Are they smoking crack? Hell, we mind as well just but some land at that rate.

Again, we trust where God will lead us and trust Him to open the doors that need to be opened!

Red Sox Win!

Well the Red Sox wrapped up the pennant last night by winning the AL East. The Yankees lost to the hapless Orioles in a come from behind effort capped by Melvin Mora's bunt!

I do have to give the Yankees some due as much as it makes me queasy since they have had a great run. Baseball is about momentum and I hope the Sox are getting some! Now it on to play the Anaheim, California, Los Angeles whatever they are called this week Angels!

U2 Audio Up

I wanted to let everyone know that the audio from the U2 messages "I Believe in God Do U2" is up and available for download. You can go to the New Season Message Vault and get it here. Or, simply click the links below. You can also get the text at the Message Vault as well.

We had a bit of delay in getting it up as we were in between offices during the series and did not have our high speed Internet up yet.

With or Without You

Where the Streets Have No Name

One

Relationship Rescue this Sunday

This Sunday at New Season Church we are starting brand new message series called "Relationship Rescue." The first message will be a back to the basics look at the truths about relationships as found in God's word. You won't want to miss being there. You can spread some word of mouse and send an e-vite by going here.

Hang Out with People Smarter Than You Are

One of the lessons I have learned when it comes to leadership and a being more effective church planter is that I need to hang out with people smarter than me. This is often pretty easy for me but is also crucial for me. I think hanging out with people that are smarter than you allows you to grow in knowledge, vision, and character no matter what "field" you are in. What I have found is it is best to intentionally initiate and cultivate those relationships. Don't rely on people to come to you or worse yet a denominational program.

This past Thursday and Friday I got to hang out with Mark Miller from Ebenezer UMC and with a group of people whose goal is to help our conference begin 250 new faith communities in 50 years. All of these people were smarter than me :)

Vision

As I have been reading Andy Stanley's Visioneering I have been spending some time reflecting on things I have learned about vision and have had others reinforce for me when it comes to vision...

• It is true without vision, the people perish. It is equally true, especially in the church planting world, that without people the vision will perish. Thanks Jim Griffith.
• In the initial stages of starting a church vision is overrated. The only vision that matters is your vision as the church planter given to you by God that you have discerned through searching the scriptures, prayer, and seeking godly counsel from others. There is no need to debate the vision God has given for a church with the team that assembles. In fact, if you have people that are constantly wanting to debate the vision God has given you then ask them to leave as perhaps they are not called to be part of the vision God has given you.
• One has to be mean about the vision. Thanks Shawn Lovejoy. Not mean as in "mean and nasty" but mean as discriminating in the ministries, programs, teaching the church does- does it help to fulfill the vision?
• Vision has to be verbalized, written, and presented time and time again.
• It is easy once a church has begun public worship to begin to lose its vision. This is the enemy's work.
• Vision largely remains the same, the methods used to accomplish the vision can change. For example, if you envision a church that is for people not yet in the church and you are using radio ads on the Alternative Rock Station and you have seen no results you might instead do a servant evangelism project whereby you are polishing people's boots at a club.

Waiting...

This past year we had our house renovated and had to move out for about 7-8 months. During that time we had moved into an apartment. One of the advantages to moving to an apartment was that there was high speed Internet available which we took full advantage of. We also had high speed Internet at the New Season Offices until we moved offices and found out the Verizon did not provide DSL to where we moved. It was a frustrating few weeks when we had moved backed into our office and had moved the New Season Offices when all we had was dial-up. I felt like just banging my head against the wall repeatedly. What did we ever do before? Thankfully, we have been able to get broadband at the office and will be trying satellite at home.

I am convicted though about how our world, and my own little world, wants everything quickly.

• We don't like to wait too long at traffic lights.
• We like food served in less than five minutes.
• We want our money instantly out of ATMs.
• Our communication happens in seconds via email and texting.
• We get PO'd when they do not open more registers at Wal-Mart when there are more than three people in line.
• We try to schedule our flites so we do not have to waste time and wait for connections.

But, how does that affect us spiritually? I find myself expecting the same thing from God- quickness. Give me the answer now Lord. Bless me or these people now Lord. Lead me now Lord. There is an old saying that talks about "waiting on the Lord." Interestingly, the disciples waited three days on Jesus to be raised from the dead. They then went to Jerusalem to wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit. There is a lot of waiting going on there.

Perhaps some time the answers to our prayer is to wait.

• Wait for the right mate.
• Wait for the next promotion.
• Wait for the next group of people to be reached for Jesus.
• Wait as your child grows up and matures and then they will make good decision.

Waiting is hard. Yet, it is something God wants us to do because despite all our pda's, Blackberry's and Google Calendars the God who made and owns the universe also owns time and that is a good thing. Here is a good quote.

A. B. Simpson once wrote: "There are some spiritual conditions that cannot be accomplished in a moment. The breaking up of the fallow ground takes time. The frosts of winter are as necessary as the rains of spring to prepare the soil for fertility. God has to break our hearts to pieces by the slow process of His discipline, and grind every particle to power, and then to mellow us and saturate us with His blessed Spirit, until we are open for the blessing He has to give us."

Robert's First Day of School

Our oldest, Robert, had his first day of school this past Tuesday at Bowling Green Primary School. We put him on the bus bright and early at 7:30 AM. Diana and I did pretty well (well she got teary eyed and cried a little bit while I was my regualr stoic calloused self:) Robert looked real cute waving to us out the bus window. He did real well and did not cry and sat right behind the bus driver.

As any good obsessed parent would do in sending their first child off to school we followed the bus. The bust took like an hour and fifteen minutes to get to the school! We got there before the bus and were there when he got off the bus. He was doing fine until he saw us and started to cry. We brought him to his classroom and got him situated and left.

He apparently calmed down pretty quick and had a great day. He has been doing really well and seems to enjoy it. Diana and I are so very proud of him.

I continue to pray for him and one thing God has tuaught me in all this is my need to surrender, even the cocoon I try to put around my son. For the Heavenly Father is the one who will ultimately keep watch. Those are far better hands and protection than mine!!