Lesson's I've Learned # 3

You got to talk about money...a lot! I do not like talking about money. Especially when I know people are already giving to their church and other ministries. But you have to talk about it whether you like it or not because it is EXPENSIVE to plant a church. Just to have Sunday morning worship and some childcare for about 90 minutes could cost thousands of dollars per month. It makes my head swim. Then when you add all the stuff that God is laying on your heart to DO besides meet for worship each week, things like service projects, the Boys and Girls club, single mom car maintenance, tutoring, and community bridge building, it becomes a very EXPENSIVE endeavor. I don't like to ask, beg, or plead but it seems like I have to a lot. It's awkward and uneasy.
But then I remember that its not about me or about Journey Community. Its about the kingdom of God and the hearts of men. I don't ask people to give because I've got a big dream or some good ideas, or even because some people may like me enough to give. I ask and sometimes plead because its about the kingdom of God and the lost in Fernley Nevada. I love what I am doing and I am learning to love the people of Fernley. Actually that last part has come pretty easy. I prayed non-stop before I moved out here for a heart for Fernley, and God has answered that prayer.
So when you give...it's not about ME...huh, who'da thunk?
Take care. Thanks for giving to the kingdom of God for the lost of Fernley.
I love you in Christ.
Rod

Lessons I'm learning #2

Lesson’s I am learning #2

As all of you know, planting a church is new to me.  And as I go down this road I believe I am learning a few things along the way.  So I though over the next few Blog’s I would share some of those lessons with you. 

Lesson #2: It’s up to me but it’s not because of me

Another thing I am learning in this process is that there is a lot of work to do and no one to delegate it to. 

Where ever I have served before I worked with a team, and together as a team, we would accomplish what needed to get done.  Here, it is Gay and I doing all of it.  If we don’t do it, it doesn’t get done.  That means the things I love like meeting people, strategizing, and dreaming.  But it also means the things I don’t love like administrative stuff and paperwork.  So in reality, it is up to me if things get done around here.  BUT, to be successful it will not be because of me.  Does that make sense?  I know the work needs to be done and if it will get done it will be up to me, but the church will only be successful because of God. 

Sometimes I get those mixed up and I think that this church will be successful because of all the work I do.  Nope, not true.  The church will be successful because God is at work in Fernley and He chooses to use Journey as part of his work.  There’s a balance that I am learning, that I should have learned a long time ago.  The church does not become successful by the work of man, but rather by the hand of God.  I pray daily for the work to get done and that God will bless Journey and allow us to be a FORCE in Fernley for His kingdom.  Please pray for that as well.

Thanks.

Take care,

Rod

Lessons I am learning

As all of you know, planting a church is new to me.  And as I go down this road I believe I am learning a few things along the way.  So I though over the next few Blog’s I would share some of those lessons with you.  

Lesson #1: Some people are just not interested in what I am doing.

In my ministries in the past, I have always been surrounded immediately with church-goers.  They are my world when you first arrive on the scene of a new ministry.  They visit, they eat with you, have coffee, go to your meetings, and even laugh at your jokes.  Because you’re the new pastor you start on the softball team, get invited to all sorts of family activities, have numerous options for golf buddies, and people want to hear your story.

However, in church planting, you find a lot of people who have absolutely no interest in the church.  In fact, in Fernley we have found that the local church doesn’t have a great reputation in town.  I am not sure all of the bad press is warranted, but that is how many of the people feel.  So since they feel that way, they have no interest in a new church being planted somewhere in their town.  It is amazing how many conversations have stopped once the person asks me, “What brought you from Virginia to Fernley, Nevada?” and I tell them, “I am here to plant a new church.”  There has been no fanfare, no potlucks to welcome the new pastor in town, and no special meetings to hear about the vision God has laid on my heart for the church.  

I think people want to follow someone who is interested in them.  You see, I am not sure there are many people outside of God’s family who care about what God cares about until they are sure God cares about them.  I am finding that people have needs going unmet and God has put me and my family here to meet those needs.  Then and only then will they care about the vision of Journey.

Take care,

Rod

Trailer

Yesterday Gay and I drove over to the Napa Valley region and picked up a trailer full of church supplies and much needed items for starting a church.  It was an adventure for me.  I am not used to hauling a trailer and yesterday I got to do it in the driving rain and through the mountains all while being overwhelmed with allergies, sneezing and hacking all the way home.  I am glad the trip is over and we didn’t have any incidents.  Today we are going to go through all the stuff, take inventory, find out what we can use and what we still need.  It’s like Christmas!! I am sure we will find some good stuff waiting for us in all those plastic bins and cabinets.  To quote Forrest Gump “Life is like a box of chocolates.  You never know what you’re gonna get.”  

All of this is just a microcosm of planting a church.  Doing things you have never done before while experiencing some opposition and trials.  But then at the end, you get to see what awaits you.  Some good and some not so good, but all in all, it’s worth the struggles.

Wow, I am not sure I should have gotten that out of a one day adventure with a trailer…take it easy Rod!

Take care,

Rod

GPS

I have a GPS system for my car.  I have GPS on my phone.  Now I want GPS for the golf course.  They have these real cool handheld GPS for golf courses.  It will tell you how far you are from the green, the pin, the pond, the trees or whatever.  It is really cool and I hope someday to find one laying in a fairway somewhere and have one because I know I can’t afford one.  So I will have to find one laying around somewhere…

But my point is that I like being led.  I like being warned about traffic, detours, sand traps, and trouble.  I like being told to turn right on Main Street and my destination is on the right or that the Par 3 is exactly 187 yards from where I am standing at the moment.  I like it because it eliminates trouble.  It lessens the chance of getting lost.  It lessens the chance of hitting the ball into the pond.  

I wish there was a GPS for planting a church.  It would be cool if I could point a GPS system out in Fernley and it would tell me where to plant the church, what to do, who to talk to, and what decisions to make.  But as I have found out, there is no GPS.  So many things that you do, you cringe as you do them.  You hope you don’t make a bad move, a poor decision, or miss a great opportunity.  

The answer?  God.  Simple I know, but the thing I need to remember that is that God is going to make this church successful, not me.  I can’t think so highly of myself that I believe I am going to make this church successful.  It is only God who will make this church successful.  I want Him to take the controls of Journey Community.  He will ensure success.

Now, I wish He would take the controls of my golf game too…

Take care,

Rod

Obsession for the Lost

I am at Exponential this weekend.  The title of the week is “The Art of Movement”.  The whole challenge given to us is not just to plan to plant a church, but rather start a movement.  It got me thinking about Journey and what we are called to do and to be.  I am determined to be a church that is about the kingdom.  I think the temptation might be to make Journey about Journey and I don’t want to get comfortable with being a church.  I don’t want to be measured by church attendance alone, or by offerings alone, or by being compared another church, to be confident on what God is doing.  If we are going to be successful, the measurement is going to be God’s standard, not yours or mine. 

In the movie the Guardian, the main character is played by Kevin Costner and he works for the coast guard rescue.  There is a young kid who is new on the force, I believe he is played by Ashton Kutcher, and he is gunning to be the best rescuer ever on the force.  There is a scene where the young kid asks Costner “What’s your number?”  He was wondering how many people Costner saved over the years.  Costner paused and said “22”.  Thinking for a moment, the young guy says, he had to have saved more than that, more than 22.  Costner then says “No, 22 is how many I lost. 22 people drowned.  That is the only number I ever kept.” 

I wonder what would happen if the church became obsessed with the number of lost people instead of how many people attended this week?  I hope I can keep that the priority of my life from this day forward.

Take care,

Rod 

The Masters

Did you watch the Masters this weekend?  What a great tournament!  I was rooting for Kenny Perry to win it.  Anybody who is my age and can hit the ball as long as those young bucks is a hero of mine.  Even after losing on the second playoff hole, he was a truly gracious man.  When they interviewed him afterward he talked about playing well and how proud he was of the winner, Angel Cabrera.    When he said that I thought “what a really nice guy”, so I instantly became of fan of Kenny Perry from Kentucky. There was no jealousy, no anger, no visible disappointment, just total graciousness out of the man because he recognized how hard it is to win the Masters and how well you have to play.

Gay and I have been visiting churches in the area and every time we meet the pastor they always ask “So what brought you from Washington DC to Fernley Nevada?  I must admit that I am a little nervous when I tell them I am out here to start a new church.  I don’t want them to think that I am there to steal their sheep or saying that they are not doing a good enough job so I am here to do a church right.  The reactions have been mixed but there have been two pastors that have been more than accommodating as we begin this adventure.  One in particular, Duane, had introduced me to the Rotary Club and his wife is the one who invited me to the Chamber of Commerce meeting this Wednesday.  He has been friendly and gracious in his approach with me. 

It’s all about the Kingdom, isn’t it?  I mean we do this to win people to Jesus, right?  Of course, I have thought about being the pastor of a large, mega church, with multiple staff, being on the speaker circuit, writing a few books, and making a name for myself.  But that is not what it’s about…it’s about the kingdom.  I appreciate guys like Duane who understands that too.

Take care,

Rod