So, I Have This Dream

I met with my senior pastor yesterday to talk with him about my short term ministry plans, and my long term ministry dreams.

Short term is obviously the Utah thing - paying off debt, getting to square one so that I can do ministry unhindered. I feel like a majority of ministry majors could benefit from doing what I'm going to be doing. Debt is such a chain.

Long term, I shared with him my dream of planting a church in New England (around the Boston area) in 2013. I'll be thirty by that time and should have at least 5.5 years of full time ministry under my belt, as well as be ordained (the next step past liscensing) by the Assemblies of God. I'm blessed to be at a church that has leadership that sees the call of God in such things. Pastor Rob doesn't know me that well, honestly, but he heard where I came from and a little bit of my heart. And he encouraged me, he gave me advice that he put through his "Son" filter (he'll only give advice he would give to his own sons).

This wasn't a meeting of specifics, but rather a meeting of dreamcasting. I need men of God like Pastor Rob to support me as I approach this. Seven years is a long time, but without good wisdom it might as well be tomorrow.

I hope in the near future to share some details about what I see the church looking like, specifically related to

• Initial target group of the church.
• At what point intentionally expanding the target demographics would be possible and/or appropriate.
  
• How the initial target group will naturally evolve into broader groups, i.e. young marrieds with no kids to families that give the Amish a run for their money number wise.
• Building a community with broad demographics in which the mixture doesn't seem forced (this intimidates me!)
  
• Initial leadership structure of the church.
• The role of the Pastor
• Understanding of Elders/Deacons
• Primary ministry focuses and responsibilities
  
• Initial financial planning of the church.
• Fundraising options.
• The reality of "tent making" as the church starts.
• Building a culture of obedient, joyful giving.
• The difficulty of Midwest "Modern" Fundamentalist Mindset vs. East Coast Post-Modern Mindset.

That's an oversimplified fractional part of the concepts and tasks that have to be mastered before the church could be planted. Ultimately, I want to point people to a saving faith in Jesus.

Off to the land of the Mormons to prepare - 2 weeks left. And my soul is weeping for the friends I'll leave behind.

Goofy Pastor Pictures

The church picnic was a blast the other day. We had over 600 people come and over 30 got baptised! I love times like this and think we should do them more often.

Just for a treat, I thought I would post 3 of the goofiest faces you've ever seen RVC Pastors make. OK, maybe more demented than goofy.









I also had the chance to take some more engagement pictures of Levi Hoyt and Kelly... well, I guess I don't know her current last name. She's in my phone as a Hoyt. Their wedding is coming up really soon, and I hope that it goes well! I know it will. Those two are gonna make a great married couple.

Peter Eigner

I just got a phone call today at the office asking for prayer for a very sick little boy. Peter Eigner has cancer, and he needs you to pray for him. So, no deep thoughts, just pray that God would heal him.

My Muffler is my Copilot

Someone once wrote a book, God is my Co-Pilot. I never read it, but the title stuck with me.

Then, the other day, my muffler fell off and I put it in my front seat. Now my muffler is my co-pilot until it gets put back on... and I think that's funny. I put a picture of it up for you. :)

The People I'm Leaving

One of the difficult things about moving is the people I'm leaving behind. I'd like to talk about a few of them, and why it sucks to go!

Shawn: Shawn has been my housemate all summer, and we both work at RVC. This dude is gold. Reliable, temperate, self controlled and focuses, Shawn is going to do a phenomenol job pastoring one day. I'm excited for him as he steps into new roles at River Valley Church, and I'll miss him.

Pastor Alan: Pastor Alan is a blast, but more than that he has a heart for the church that goes beyond the four walls of any building. I'm really disapointed to leave him as the youth ministry really is just about to finally launch out into the vision that God has given Pastor Alan. The dude has a great family that I'll miss as well.

Pastor Troy: I was once told that I'm the only person that would ever put up with Pastor Troy making fun of me. While I don't know about that, I do know that I've really enjoyed getting to know Pastor Troy this summer. I've enjoyed the Vietnamese coffee. I haven't enjoyed the decades of proofing that go into each bulletin ;). Maybe he'll get married while I'm gone so I'll have an excuse to come back?

Jesse: Dude. We wandered around France together and we don't even speak that language! Ha. This is one of the most agressive people that I know, and while there have bene times I've wanted to throw him out of Zfrat 201 onto the sidewalk, I realize that the only reason he's able to bug me the way he does is because we're so dang close. I was supposed to have roomed with him this year, but now I'm not.

Richard: I was looking forward to getting to know my other roomate this year. However, I won't. Which sucks - he is easy to get pissed. It would have been fun.