I apologize for the lapse in posting blogs. I know it has left many of you with an empty space in your life. I'd offer excuses related to two weeks fighting gall bladder disease (I'm doing great now) and two weeks traveling in the Middle East without a computer (it was a great trip). But excuses won't fill that empty space, so let me try and offer something more interesting.
In an earlier post answering the question "what does a church planter do until he has a church?" I shared some of the many tasks on the to-do list of planters. However, the work we're involved in is about much more than task lists (I still wonder how the Apostle Paul functioned without project management software!). So, what else does a church planter do at this stage of the work?
One important part of any church planting effort is fundraising. That involves preparing materials that explain the mission we are called to. We are working on a new brochure that we hope to have ready to mail by the end of this month. It also involves meetings, calls, prayer, and planning. The fundraising has been going well, but there is still much to be done.
Another key part of planting a new church is connecting with various community leaders, non-profit organizations, and ministries already working in the community. I've met a couple of times with the manager of the housing project in our community. We are excited about the possibilities for serving the residents there. We've also connected well with the local elementary school and look forward to helping impact the lives of the children. We're getting to know a variety of charities and non-profits working in the downtown area. Recently I was invited to attend a breakfast for Conexion Americas, an impressive organization that promotes "the social, economic and civic integration of Latino families into the Middle Tennessee community." (I actually got to sit at the table with the mayor—but he was on the other side of the big table and we didn't get to talk.) Almost every week, I am told of another good organization or hard-working community servant I need to meet. The possibilities for cooperating to improve the lives of people are very exciting!
Most important, though, is connecting with the people who live where we will live. One reason we chose the Hope Gardens neighborhood is that it has an active neighborhood association, a very positive spirit of cooperation, and a growing level of social interaction including a community garden and regular gatherings in the neighborhood park. We've been attending the neighborhood meetings and gatherings and already know more people in our new neighborhood than we know in the neighborhood where we have lived the last 6 years. (That strikes me with both a sense of excitement for life in the days ahead, but also a sense of shame for the isolated way we experienced life in the suburbs.) Ultimately, our mission is to form relationships, to spend time with people as Jesus did, to be involved enough in their lives to know their needs and love them.
This summer we are actively looking for people to join us in this effort. We are networking with churches, campus ministries, and individuals to connect with Christians who have a heart for living as followers of Jesus in the city. Just yesterday we spent time with a young couple who came through town to learn more about the city and our work here. While it's too soon to know if they will move here, it is exciting to be with people who are excited about what God is calling us to do. Pray with us that God will connect us with people who have a passion for God's mission in this world.
