“Where our affections are, there will our meditations be also. We cannot keep our thoughts from what we love.” - Matthew Lawrence
by Mark on April 19, 2016
What a whirlwind of a month we have had as a family. God has truly been good to us in our seeking Him and His will in our life as a family. The prayer continued to be, “is church planting where God wants us?” And we kept getting confirmation after confirmation. So we set our sights toward what was ahead following what Paul told the Philippians, Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you. (Philippians 3:14)
So, I attended a conference for church planters and churches that desire to plant. This was a week of refreshment and reflection. The Lord really used this week for me personally. I was able to hear God’s word preached powerfully and effectively. I also heard some really good lectures, one being on church discipline that I think has been the best I’ve ever heard on that topic. The weather was beautiful. I also got to meet some new friends, which was really neat.
I bookended this trip with a spending some time with my family and some other friends who were camping together on our spring break. It was a great week for all as we needed it after moving to a new home. We were blessed with spending some invaluable time with friends who have been great prayer warriors and friends for many years.
Then came MNA assessment for Lisa and I both in Atlanta (Hot-lanta!!). We had filled out surveys. We had some of you fill out surveys. We were surveyed more when we arrived. For us this was the last confirmation before a Presbytery (somewhere). We didn’t know what to expect. There was apprehension. There was a sense of nervousness. What would these peers and church fathers think about us? Were we “church planting people” according to them?
Enthusiastically I can say that we met the assessment’s requirements. In fact, we were given the score of going ahead and moving to a field if there is one we feel called. This was a sense of relief to some extent; although we didn’t feel defined, or did we place our identity into whether we would be “church planter people.” We knew God has an awesome plan for us even if we were told that church planting didn’t suit us.
Yet we passed. Another confirmation for us to “go.” So where do we go? And what will we do when we get there? The answer to the second question is much easier than the first. We find a place to live and begin to build relationships. That is the starting point. We will build relationships and tell others about our wonderful, loving Savior! The answer to the first is not yet completely revealed. We have a sense of where we like and fit best. However, the final determining factor is Presbytery of that area. There are still talking, planning and most likely fund-raising. So as always, we ask now primarily for prayers; prayers for the place, the plan and the pledges.
Finally, since assessment is over. I will continue to send out newsletters. However, I am going to update my blog more often. I am thinking one time every 1-2 weeks. So if you want information on us quicker, refer to it periodically.
