The Richness Of Fellowship

One of the greatest opportunities and challenges we're facing in starting a new church is the constant need to initiate new relationships. Wherever we're at- in churches, our neighborhood, or other venues where we're trying to build relationships- we're the new guys on the block. Almost without fail, people are very friendly. Yet, we've definitely felt the weight of the energy required in the many new relationships we've formed in the 7 weeks we've lived in Columbus.

I'm always amazed at how God knows and meets our needs. In the last two weeks, we've enjoyed rich times with new and old friends who share our same love for Jesus. We are so thankful to Him for the people He has brought our way. We've had dinner and fun times in our home with:

• one of many great couples from our new ABF at Northwest Chapel
  
• a staff pastor and family from the Eastside (Columbus) GBC
  
• a family we met while on a walk in our subdivision that just so happen to be members of the Powell (Columbus) GBC and that the husband was on a Barnabas Team Trish led in 1996 (what a God-appointed-connection!)
  

We also were invited to the home of friends we met in IN who are now on staff at the Pickerington (Columbus) GBC and had a great time there. In addition, Trish has had several play-dates with other Moms and their kids and I've enjoyed lunches with the staffs of both the Northwest Chapel and Eastside GBCs. To top it off, tonight we enjoyed time with Jason and Marcie Haymaker and kids who we worked with for 6 years in the Cleveland area.

When I think back in our first few weeks here, it seemed like we knew no one and things could feel quite lonely at times. However, now we look at life here as an opportunity to embrace new friends. Fellowship is much richer when you no longer take it for granted.

I'm so thankful for these times. They are like gas in our tanks. One of the ways that God fuels us with His love and fills our hearts for the work He has given us of loving and serving those who do not yet know Jesus is by enriching our lives through His people.

Thanks, Lord. These times are gifts from you. Help us to offer others the gift of true fellowship by sharing your love and inviting them to join your family.

My Kids, The Evangelists

Everyone said that kids will be an asset in church planting. Sometimes that is hard for us to see amidst the joys and challenges of chasing around a four and one-year-old. But, I'm beginning to see others' words take shape- and I love it!

Recently, we were outside on a beautiful pre-spring day. Since I haven't had a chance to build a sandbox in our new backyard, our front flower beds have become construction sites where all sorts of Tonka trucks and equipment are busy moving mulch all over our side-walk and grass for various "parks", "bike-trails", and "sky-scrapers". Anyway, being out front has allowed us to meet and talk with many people taking walks and enjoying the great days.

On this particular day, a mom and daughter came by and proceeded down the street. Silas, newly walking and unsteady on the grass and uneven surfaces outside, took off after them, waddling down the sidewalk. He walked a good half-block and, with me following after for protection, bee-lined across the street right over to these people. Silas broke the ice and allowed me to have a great conversation with this neighbor. Seth followed us and began playing with her girls. Without my kids, I wouldn't have had an "in" with this mom...or an excuse to stand around and have a spiritual conversation.

I'm beginning to realize these little gifts God has given us are probably our biggest church-planting assets. May the doors they open lead to lives focused on Jesus and His mission.

March Prayer Update

Time To Get To Work
Since our last update, we've moved to Columbus, unpacked all of our boxes, set-up our home and what will be our church office (in our basement), worked through MORE sickness with Silas, and faced all the natural adjustments that come with moving and its challenges, stress-ors and emotions.

God has a sense of humor, I'm convinced. Columbus dealt with its worst snow and ice storm in several years on the day we picked to move. Special thanks to our supervisor from Northwest Chapel, Pastor Martin Guerena and his brother, Phil, for braving the elements with me (left) to move items into our house. Thanks also to David, Dan, and Jim for helping us get the rest of our stuff a few days later. We're glad to be "home".

More importantly, however, we've begun "contact making" in full-force. This will be the most important and time-consuming part of our work for years to come--meeting, connecting, and building relationships with unchurched people with the hope of loving them into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Shoveling snow and ice created opportunities to initiate greetings and conversations with all of our direct neighbors (6 different families). Other highlights include:

• Trish making contact with high-school classmates and associations that could lead to friendships for us and our kids or possible launch team members. In one God-appointed-opportunity, a woman came up to Trish in a Panera Bread store and said, "I think I know you..." She's the mother of a high-school classmate that Trish hasn't seen in 16 years.
  
• An encounter with Mark in a Graeter's Ice Cream store. First- I'm (Andy) so thankful that ice-cream can be a tool for building God's Kingdom. That helps soften the challenges of church planting! Anyway- after a conversation, Mark and I connected around the fact that he had recently moved to our community from Dublin and is a member at Northwest Chapel! He expressed interest in our work. Could this be our first teammate? Pray...
  
• A possible coaching opportunity in the New Albany recreation league. Our moving date put us just beyond the sign-up deadline, but after inquiring I learned there is still a need for coaches. I'm praying this opportunity will open up.
  
• Trish attending a one-week training class on church planting. While watching our kids, I participated with 15 women and 25 kids in a "baby lap-time" story/play time at our local library. Not necessarily something I want to do every week...but a great opportunity!
  

Please Pray With Us...

• To thank God for our home, the snags that He worked out to get us into it, and the help He provided in moving and unpacking.
  
• To thank God for His movement in the contacts and conversations He has ordained thus far. Please pray for additional interactions with neighbors, contacts at the YMCA, New Albany library book club and classes for kids. Pray that we would display the kindness and love of Jesus and lay a foundation for redemptive relationships.
  
• That Andy would be able to get a soccer coaching assignment in New Albany to build relationships with families.
  
• That God would lead us to teammates He'll provide to help us launch a new church.
  
• For wisdom as we complete the vision, strategy, and financial support structures of our new church by the end of March. You'll be some of the first to see how God leads!
  

How Would Jesus Start A Church?
This is a question I've contemplated much during my times with God. I've been working my way through Matthew, fascinated anew with Jesus' interactions with people and His disciples. As I constantly feel I'm on the outer edge of my faith and am woefully inadequate for the work God has given me, there is something peaceful and comforting in studying how profoundly simple Jesus' approach to ministry was. I notice that He was about at least 4 things: loving sinners (Matt.9:9-12, 11:19), healing everyone that came to Him (4:24, 8:16-17), teaching truth in creative ways (13:34-35), and making disciples (4:18-22, 10). I'm SO excited about the privilege of building the foundation of a new church. It is a large but AWESOME responsibility to build an organism that will follow Jesus' model by finding, loving, and healing those who need hope, teaching creatively, and measuring results by reproduction of mature believers and churches. By God's grace and discerning how to practice Jesus' methods in 2007, we will see the Kingdom of Heaven "forcefully" advance (Matt.11:12)!

Silas Turns 1!
It is amazing how much can happen in one year. We mark much by the birth of our little guy. Last March we began a journey that culminated in the last few weeks of searching for and discovering a new calling of God on our lives, welcoming Silas into the world and enjoying him despite his many and consistent (minor) health issues, and moving to Columbus for a new leg in the journey of our family and ministry. How thankful we are for Silas (and Seth!) and the marker that his birthday will always be of God's great faithfulness and movement in our lives.