Prayer Walk (and Swim)

My three boys and I went on a walk tonight. We prayed for the neighborhood, for people to come to know Christ.

Then it started to rain. And we were taking a short cut.

Over the creek.

Well, almost.

I was lifting the one who weighs about 60 pounds and did not specify that he needed to put his feet down when he reached the Easter shore. So he hit the dirt... or mud... and landed mostly in the water.

Church planting is a messy business.

Accept, Reject, or Replace

I have been thinking about this for some time. I mentioned it to a friend of mine the other day who is participating in TPC.

I would be interesting to go through and list all of the common characteristics of the stereotypical American church. Then we could attach a direction of "Accept, Reject, or Replace" to each one.

For instance:

Adult Sunday School- Reject
Worship Through Singing- Accept
Church Building- Replace

The list would be really really long. I'm going to put a few on here. If you want to comment as to whether you would "Accept, Reject or Replace" that's great.

• Sunday morning services
• Prayer during the service
• Passing the plate
• Lots of programs for different ages
• Paid staff
• Communion every week
• Church membership
• Ministry teams
• Elder board
• 30 minute sermon
• Food pantry
• Sport program
• Youth and teen ministry
• Certain attire on Sundays

You can add to this list if you want.

Network

We are considering partnering with a network of church planters. It's called the Growing Healthy Churches Network. I met a GHCN pastor a few weeks ago. He was telling me about the network and it peaked my interest.

They do several things for their church partners:

• Some financial help
• Serve as an advisory/accountability board
• Church planter assessment
• Coaching
• Training
• Interation/Encouragement between church plant pastors
• Conferences

In turn, we would give back to them some financially over the years so that more churches can have the same experience.

Here's what I really like about them.

As I talked with JD Pearring, the leader of the network, yesterday he told me "We let you lead your church. We aren't the decision makers, you are the one God chose to lead your church. We provide advice and accountability."

I have talked with several of their church planters who give the network rave reviews.

How can you help?

• Pray for our wisdom as we get to know the network
• Give financially- although the assessment isn't extremely expensive, there are travel and lodging fees involved.

If you could give a few hundred dollars, or even just $20-50, it would help make this a reality.

Please send your check, made out to Triple Pointe Church, c/o Keith Layman 1919 Bear Paw Drive, Fort Wayne, IN 46815.

DONE!

As of last night at about 11:00, I am DONE with my course work for my masters degree!

I cannot begin to describe how good that feels or how wonderful the experience has been.

I would like to tip my hat to my advisor, Tom Thatcher. He has made a lasting impact on my life.

He not only is one of the best teachers I have ever had, his character and commitment to the truth stick with me significantly. All told, I will have taken 5 seperate classes with him including two independent studies.

Tom is a serious egalitarian and believer in the transformation that the truth of the Gospel can bring into people's lives.

He believed in me and that made a big difference, too. I still have my thesis to go, and he will be my advisor- something I am really looking forward to.

Now, on to the task at hand.

Here comes Triple Pointe Church, baby.

Under the category of things that piss me off

So, I am in Cincinnati last week right? And it was a great time. I got to meet a couple great new people, hang out with some good friends, spend a ton of hours studying and in class.

I turned in my key to grad room, surrendered my study carrel and turned in the last of my library books. In addition, I attended my last class while I was there.

On Thursday night I went out to a restaurant in downtown Cinci. It was kinda nice, but not like super fancy. I would rate it at about the Applebee's level or just a shade above.

My friend Ed paid for my dinner and all I contributed was $4 towards the tip.

As we got ready to leave, I stopped at the bathroom.

There was a guy in the bathroom. Like an employee.

He was handing out paper towels to the guests using the bathroom.

His job is to stand in the bathroom all day and hope someone puts money in his tip jar.

"How are you doing sir?" He asked.

"Fine, how are you doing?" I say, looking nothing like a 'sir' in my torn jeans, hoodie and ball cap.

"Just fine, sir." He says with a forced happiness and smile.

"How's your day been?" I ask, though I know it's a stupid question- he's been in a bathroom all day.

"Just fine sir, trying to stay positive."

As I walked out into the brisk night air I just felt wrong. Because I have a buddy who paid $10 for me to have a Philly Cheesesteak and Onion Straws, I have the priviledge of using a human towel dispenser.

*Looking down at his mid-nineties brightly colored bracelet* What would Jesus have done?

That young man, whatever his name, is worth just as much in God's eyes as I am. God created him, has watched him grow from babyhood to boyhood to adulthood. When Jesus stretched out his arms on the Cross, he had bathroom guy in mind.

And yet, he is my paper towel dispenser for 20 seconds.

I was "better than him" for a few seconds. He had to call me sir even though he was wearing a tux and I was wearing a hoodie.

Something ain't right.

I can't get away from the feeling that Jesus loves the drive thru person at McDonald's.

I can't get away from the feeling that he died for the people I met at InAsMuch ministry downtown.

Something tells me he values all people everywhere equally despite age, gender, culture, color or political position.

I echo the sentiments of my academic advisor. Tom is not a dogmatic person- one of hte least dogmatic Christian leaders I have ever met. He had his PhD when he was 27 and is an accomplished author and editor the world over on the Gospel of John.

He said one day in class, "There is no way I would be caught dead letting a black man shine my shoes at an airport when I travel." Tom knows that Jesus loves the shoe shiner in the same way he loves him as a PhD professor of New Testament.

Until the Church gets this- valuing all people equally- Jesus is set against it.

Triple Pointe will not discriminate- in any way- ever. We will not cloak ourselves in the tradition of a movement to hold people down. We won't value the almight dollar so much that we are ok with victimizing others.

Following Jesus must mean serving the world. Not the world serving us. Following Jesus means following him to the basin and apron the night before we follow him to the Cross.

My PR Person…

is six years old. When picking him up from his class at Pathway a few weeks ago the teacher said, "So, your son tells me you are starting a new church."

 

A neighbor was walking by a couple days ago and he started talking to her. After a few minutes I could hear him from a distance telling her about the new church.

 

And I got business cards. Kristen and I jokingly said that when we got them he ought to carry a few with him. And he hears everything. So, when they arrived in the mail, he showed up in the kitchen with his Spiderman wallet, asking for one of "our business cards about the church."

 

I'm lucky that our associate minister at Triple Pointe is already on the payroll- and he is happy to be paid in Fruit Roll-Ups.

 

What we are doing is new. Not that no one has ever done it, but we have never done it, and Triple Pointe Church has not existed previously. So, there is a lot of handshaking and introductions. Had one such meeting this morning.

 

And when there is so much new, the role of the Holy Spirit is so important. Let's pray that He directs us to the right people for the right things at the right time.

Fully God, Fully Man

Fully God
Fully Man

Fusion
Of opposites

Coming together
Of enemies

The incarnation
Is the lesson

Can man and God
Live together?

Can they
Be reconciled?

Can God live with man
And man not be destroyed?

Can man live with God
And God not be tainted?

Can man approach God?
Can man be accepted by God?

Can man be used of God?
Can man be treasured by God?

Can man be perfect?
Can he be changed?

Can he be redeemed?
Can he be forgiven?

In Christ
Both together

Even before the Cross
Man and God are coming together

Fully man
Fully God

Yes
Yes

They can be together

More experiences with local churches

We've been to Pathway (http://www.pathwaycommunity.org/) the last two Sundays. It's been great. Our kids have loved it. It's where some good friends and some family are on Sundays, which has been great, too.

We were there yesterday for Easter. And so were a few thousand other people. It was really really great. The message was great, music was moving, and the children's classes were excellent.

We had the chance to be back at Christ's Church at Georgetown (http://www.ccatg.org/) a couple weeks ago and get to be there again this week because a good friend is being baptized. Needless to say, it is always great to see our friends there.

I am cherishing this time, because I know it is short-lived. It is great to see all these area churches. We've been to 4 just in Fort Wayne in the past 6 weeks or so.

Life, Death, and Easter Egg Hunts

Life is very busy... like it is for you. Why you took time to read this blog is beyond me. Kristen has been gone for the past few days due to a family tragedy (see Death below). So, my goals with my studies have been somewhat stalled. I have been like a single dad with three boys. In part it has been great, just spending time with them and doing a lot around the house. But, it has been busy.

Death hursts like hell. Kristen has been gone because her sister lost a baby at 23 week in utero. Terrible. Painful. Lots of other words that could be written, but I don't want you to 'flag' my blog. Without going into the details, you will just understand that this experience with death has likely been similar to what you have experienced with death. God is good, times are bad, repeat.

The neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt was this afternoon. Kristen got back in town with the baby about five minutes before it started. After much preparation by the organizers (picture a field filled with hundreds if not thousands of colored plastic eggs), they got the kids together. "3 and under on the left side of the sidewalk." With that, the three and under crowd started slowly making their way out. However, some older kids thought that meant it was time for everyone to go. And once 3 or 4 went, it was like a crack in the dam. Suddenly, there was a flood of kids running to the eggs.

Now picture this. I had left the older two behind while my child who qualified for the 3 and under age group needed a little encouragement. So, when the flood of older kids started rushing down, my two were at the back of the pack. I told them to wait until I said it was time to go for it. I anticipated they would take their cue from the mob and start running.

But they didn't.

I look back about 20 yards and see the 5 year old in the Colts hoodie and the big boy in his stripped 'nice' shirt looking for their daddy's face (rather calmly).

I finally locked eyes with the big boy. "Daniel, go for it!" I said. And they did.

What's the point of this string of Life, Death and Easter Egg Hunts?

Life is busy, death sucks, don't follow the crowd.

Jesus has called us to be different. He has called us to be lights in a dark world. Let's not get so caught up in the daily crush to get more that we forget to look for our daddy's face.

One day, I will be a dead child coming to life in the arms of my loving Father. At that point, the pursuit of plastic eggs won't mean much.

It's like slowly turning a corner

As of later today (hopefully) I will have all the course work done for 2 of my 3 classes this semester. Then I have one long project in the third and I will be 100% done with all my course work for my Masters.

Things are getting in place for the ministry. CCLI liscensing, 501c3 status, relationships with area churches, research, relational connections, the launch team, facility, fundraising, the website...

All these things are now at least begun.

And it's April. The ticker that is counting down to our hard launch on September 13 is not adding any days.

I woke up this morning with a little more of a realization that in just over 5 months I am going to primarily be a church planter/pastor, not student.

"Oh God, you are my God. And I will ever praise you... I will seek you in the morning and learn to walk in your ways... and step by step you lead me, and I will follow you all of my days."

I sing that to my boys every night when I put them to bed.

Step

by

Step

The vision is clear... lead people who aren't following Jesus to LOVE GOD (through obedience to Jesus Christ, particularly in areas of access to God), GROW TOGETHER (because Christian maturity doesn't happen in a vacuum), and SERVE OTHERS (because selflessness is the goal of the gospel).

We take steps everyday to see this vision become a reality.

60 chairs

Craiglist is a beautiful thing. I think we are getting hooked on it. We sold our car on it last spring (yes, I said car). This week we did something else.

We bought 60 chairs. They are the foldable, stackable kind. Very similar to what you might find at an outdoor auction or wedding reception.

They're in ok shape. But here's the nice thing- the price. We got the 60 chairs for $80. New they would be over $17 each. We paid... (hold on while I get a calculator...) $1.34 each.

As I was powerwashing them all (with much help from my oldest son) yesterday, I was thinking about how we will use these. They were sitting in rows in the driveway. The driveway forms perfect theatre seating if you put a screen down by the sidewalk... neighborhood kids' movies?

Backyard parties.

Meetings in the basement.

Extra chairs for Sunday morning services.

So, that made me pray. I was praying as I was powerwashing. Praying for people who might sit in these seats someday and need to submit to Jesus for the first time.

It's so much more than just cheap chairs.

BTW- Powerwashing 60 chairs in your driveway in an affluent subdivision draws some interesting looks.