A couple of days ago, I placed an Echo Group postcard on a community board in the newly opened fourth Starbucks in Greenville, NC (take that, Perry Noble). Today? Nowhere to be found. Planting a church is going to be fun, and I’m going to genuinely love telling the devil to shove it.
[DISCLAIMER: I’m pissed.]
There’s a church in our area that is beginning a “building campaign” (shiver). Here’s the stats:
By the way, this is just phase 1, and does not include a new worship center. That’s the next phase. Can’t wait.
My question is this: what were to happen if this church were to take those same funds and direct them into church planting? With an average budget of $400,000 per church plant (huge, by the way), this church could plant nearly 25 churches. That would most likely reach way more people, way faster, than the 2400 they plan on reaching with a ‘new building’. Especially in the long run.
And they say they’re being good stewards of their funding.
I am studying for Amos 7 this coming Sunday, where God repeatedly tells the Israelites that before Him, they are very small. The universe, as Jonathan Edwards’ eloquently explains, has been created to make us realize that we are small and powerless compared to the infinite and almighty God. The recent earthquake in Peru has made me step back and truly think about this fact. Sin makes the universe groan, and natural disasters have no cares as to who its victims are. Katrina, the recent tsunami, the bridge collapse last week all could care less whose lives they take. The universe that has been designed to point us to the Creator is now groaning until the day when the people of God are completely brought in to the Kingdom (Romans 8). When we step back and truly think about these things, we realize that we are truly small and utterly powerless.
In light of this, turn to Jesus.
We had our first Echo Group last night, and it went awesome! The vision went forth to a small group of people for Harmony Church, and they really grasped a hold of it. The one drawback: we didn’t have enough food! That’s a good problem to have. We introduced the study we’ll be going through, then went into the vision for Harmony Church. There were a few of us that were there for 4.5 hours, just talking and getting to know each other’s heart. It was wonderful. Miranda and I are very excited for the things to come, but especially excited for next Tuesday! Be there, and bring friends!
I know I’ve gotten a lot of traffic recently from Seattle because of a recent VoxPop post, so I figured I promo an incredible concert today at the Ballard Campus of Mars Hill: The Cross Movement. I recently downloaded the new albums from Da Truth, Flame, and some singles from Everyday Process (last night as a matter of fact), and they are incredible. You need to get your tail to the concert. Awesome, gospel-centered hip-hop. Check out the Mars Hill West Seattle Post here.
I'm a Christian/husband/church planter in Greenville, NC. I love my King, my wife, and my church (in that order). This blog is my place to put thoughts, encouragements, things that depress me, and an all-around mental dump-off for me. Hope you enjoy it...
