Why Launch a Church?

It has been a slow process of seeking what the Lord wanted for our family.  It was about three years ago that I was encouraged by another pastor to be a church planter.  But I was unsure and chose not to follow on that path, but it has always been there in the back of my mind.  I was then encouraged later to even think about leading a church re-start.  Again I felt that it was not time for me to be able to take that step. So we continued to follow after what God had for us in the Student Ministry.  We have seen God do amazing things in the lives of students and through the student ministry leaders that we have worked with over the years.

It was this last October that I really felt a “Holy Discontent” with myself and what I was doing.  It had nothing to do with the church leaders or staff that I am working with it was something stirring in my spirit.  So on October 8th I wrote this “Lord as I sit here I struggle with doing what I feel called to do in church planting and bringing my wife along slowly to this place.”  But God was already at work during the time between this journal entry and me talking to Michelle.  She had been talking on-line to several friends that were living in Colorado and having conversations about Christ and their involvement in church.  She was feeling more and more the need for something to happen in the Parker/Aurora area. 

When I came to Michelle to tell her about what I was feeling she gave me that uncomfortable smile.  It said, “I feel the same way but I am terrified” with that I asked her to pray about it and we continue to talk about what we heard God saying to each other.  It was after much prayer and discussion that we both decided that we needed to involve in our kids.  So we sat down one night during our family meeting talked to the kids about what we felt God leading us to do.  It is so amazing to hear your kids speak about what they see God doing and how they feel about following His lead.  We all decided that we needed to pray about it and discuss it.  

It was on New Years Eve that each one of the kids made at least one comment each about starting a church and how excited they were at the opportunity.  So on New Years day as I was sitting in the kitchen having my coffee and having some personal time with God.  Michelle walked in and said, “So when are we doing this?”  That was all I needed to hear.  It has been since that day that I have been seeking God every step of the way and living with the word “terricited”.  It is terrifying and exciting at same time.