Some Things To Pray For This Week!

August will be a key month for us. We were energized by time in Winona Lake, IN for the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches annual conference and are back ready to pour ourselves into loving people to a clear view of Jesus and His mission.

Along those lines, please pray with us over the next week that:

• God would work in a breakfast meeting I have with a neighbor. We have built a good relationship and I am praying that Jesus would be clear in our conversation and that my friend would move closer to a relationship with Him.
  
• God would cause our Block Party invitations to stand out in people's schedules and piles of mail and that they would plan to come.
  
• God would open doors at places like Home Depot, Meijer, local car washes, and YMCA pool as we strategize how to love and serve people that do not go to church. We're thinking of Sunday a.m. coffee give aways, snow cones, car washes, etc. to serve those who are not in church. We'll be talking to managers of these stores/places soon to seek permission/team-working.
  

Thanks for praying! James 5:16!

Thanks, God, For Acts 4:23-31!

I was thankful to God, and my friend Dan Gregory (Pastor), for the opportunity to speak at Community of Hope Grace Brethren Church on Sunday, July 29. God used the message from Acts 4 greatly in my life and I was thrilled to be able to present what God has been teaching me to the good people at Community of Hope. If you, like me, are looking to spice up your prayer life and see God change your world through you... check out how Peter and John (Acts 4:23-31) (1) moved with urgency to pray; (2) prayed with partners; (3) prayed to a God they viewed as sovereign, Creator, fulfiller of Prophecy, and as having a perfect plan; (4) and prayed for supernatural results out of a Kingdom perspective. Your prayers just might rock the world! :)

Pray for our block party, August 18!

We're anticipating a fun time with neighbors on August 18. This has been another great opportunity to get out and meet people and invite them to something fun. The reception to our invitations and conversations thus far has been very positive. Please pray that people come, make connections with us and each other, and that this will be a step forward in the trust level in our relationships with those in our neighborhood. We feel that if we can build trust...perhaps people will be more open to our invitations to dinner or our spiritual formation group.

Knowing that you are praying with us for movement in our relationships is a huge blessing to us! Thanks!

Preaching at Community of Hope

I'd appreciate your prayers this weekend (July 29) as I preach at Community of Hope GBC in Columbia City, IN. My good friend and mentor, Dan Gregory, provided this opportunity. Its been a long time since I've preached...so I'm shaking the rust off and really enjoying the prep. this week. I was unusually discouraged this past weekend and really sought God on some things. Through this time, and considering the theme Dan asked me to preach on (power/passion of prayer), God led me to Acts 4:23-32. It has been great to develop the theme of this passage- a prayer for boldness for mission. EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED RIGHT NOW... along with a solid dose of prayer with our team and trust in God's sovereignty and PERFECT timing.

So, please pray for preparation, for effective communication, and that I would apply what God is teaching me FIRST and then be able to encourage and challenge others from the Word.

Trish and I are looking forward to briefly attending the FGBC's Equip conference this weekend and early next week in Winona Lake, IN. We'll travel out Saturday and come back Tuesday a.m. Hopefully we'll be able to connect with some friends and make some good ministry contacts.

Thanks for praying with us!

What a GREAT week!

We are so thankful for all that God did during the Neighborhood Bible Club we hosted last week (July 9-13). God truly answered many prayers, like the following:

• We had great weather. It wasn't too hot and several storms that came through during the week finished before we were due to start each evening.
  
• Our team worked together well. This is very exciting for us to see God providing help for missional work through those who have been meeting with us on Sunday evenings. Special thanks to Beth and Luke Fields for helping with crafts and games and to Erin Whinnery for leading songs and teaching the lesson each evening.
  
• We were able to deepen connections with many neighbors we had met before and meet several families we had never met before.
  
• Numbers were great (especially when you consider we've only lived here 5 months). Totals included (at different times throughout the week) 33 kids, 63 people (including kids and workers), 7 families we had never met before, and ministry to 13 unchurched families!
  
• The kids had fun! Highlights of the week included games, snow-cones, cotton candy, popcorn, huge (killer/injury machine) "earth-ball", and water slide.
  
• Most important: kids and parents were loved with Jesus' love and the Gospel was clearly communicated to each child present on Friday evening.
  

Thanks for partnering with us in prayer. We're excited about God's movement in northeast Franklin County!

Pray for Neighborhood Bible Club

With help from Beth and Katelyn Fields (our friends and neighbors), our family passed out almost 100 invitations to the Neighborhood Bible Club we'll be hosting next week (July 9-13, from 7-8:30p.). We're so thankful for the help of our spiritual formation group and the Powell Grace Brethren Church (providing curriculum and supplies) for helping us pull this off. Many in our small group are taking key roles (teaching, snacks, games, crafts, etc.), so this will be our first project together and a fun team effort. Please pray:

• That God would bring many children out.
  
• That we would have good interaction loving children and connecting with parents.
  
• That God would lead some to attend our spiritual formation group as a result of attending the Club.
  
• That children (and parents) would hear and be open to the Gospel.
  
• That our team would enjoy working together and catch a vision for doing mission together.
  

Thanks!

Thanks, Lord!

Some things I've praised God for this week:

• Silas ate more than I've ever seen him eat the other evening. Usually we have to force food down him and dinner is a concert of crying and fussing. At this particular meal, Silas ate well and even fed himself most of the time.
  
• We spent Monday evening passing out invitations in our neighborhood for Bible Club next week. In an effort to meet as many people as possible in person, we knocked on doors (instead of just placing a flier on the door). After a while, Seth insisted on going to the door by himself to greet whoever answered and give them the invitation. What a joy to a parent's heart to see a 4 year old fully engaged in ministry!
  
  
• Yesterday (the 4th of July) we went to New Albany's parade and fireworks (2 separate events/different times of day). At each event, we saw and talked to 3 different people that we knew (most unchurched that we've met through soccer or neighborhood). While seemingly small, this was a huge milestone to us. We can see progress in meeting and making contacts with people when we're at an event of thousands of people (none of whom we knew 5 months ago) and run into people we have met and talked with before. Now... may God use us in their lives for His work and glory! Pray with us to that end...
  

Its a joy to give God praise- for big or SMALL things. What's He doing in your life? Feel free to share it here if you'd like to leave a comment. We'll praise God...publicly... with you!

Group Meetings Are Going Well!

Most of you know that we've started forming our church through an initial small group where we're gathering together those God has brought us in contact with for fun, new friendships, discussion around Bible passages about Jesus, and simple prayer. We've had consistent attendance, seen new people visit at each of our three meetings, and had great discussions. One truly exciting note has been meeting Bill (right), pictured with Daniel (left). Daniel and his wife, Erin, are a super couple and have been participating in our group faithfully. Dan has been working with Bill and faithfully and gently being like Jesus in front of him and sparking spiritual conversations with him. The long and the short of it is that Bill attended our meeting 2 Sundays ago and shared that he had made a commitment to Jesus as leader and forgiver of His life a few days before! Praise God! We had a WONDERFUL meeting hearing more of his story and what God has been doing in his heart.

Obviously, we're elated at the way God is working in Bill, using Daniel in Bill's life, and that Bill's story brings genuine discussions of life transformation to our group. It is so good to see God changing a life right in front of our eyes. May that be the continual flavor of our group(s) as we move forward and gather those God brings.

Please pray with us for Bill- for growth and encouragement in this new journey with Jesus. Please pray with us that God would continue to bring us close to people Jesus loves that do not yet know Him. That's our highest aim.

Silas AND Seth are improving...

What a week last week! I was away most of the week (in PA for a church planting training) and Trish was home with sick kids. Thankfully, Trish's parents and my mom were able to come and help at different times. Silas vomited and had diarrhea through Wednesday evening (about 6 days total). We were very concerned, again, about dehydration from what we're sure is Rota Virus (again!). God was merciful to us and allowed us to get enough fluids in Silas to keep him hydrated. Some blood tests done on Monday (testing for immunity problems- trying to find out why Silas keeps getting sick) came back normal. Praise God!

To top off the week, Seth began throwing up on Friday. We took them both to the doctor that morning to find out that Seth was in the beginning stages of pneumonia. He began keeping food down on Saturday night and with an antibiotic and some rest was doing better on Sunday.

So, we're thanking God for healing and feeling like life is returning to some sort of normalcy. We spent all day Saturday and most of Sunday cleaning every single surface (including every Lego and Matchbox car and GeoTrax piece...) with clorox to try and prevent more sickness. We know God is teaching us patience and trust through illness. So, we're trying to learn His lessons and thank Him that we're not dealing with anything more serious.

Thanks for praying with us for our kids!

Please Pray For Silas

Unfortunately, I've written this title to a blog post before. But, we could really use your prayers again for Silas' health. He is again battling some mysterious virus that causes symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea. This started late Thursday and he really hasn't been keeping anything down since. He won't eat and we have to force him to drink anything. Obviously the concern is for his hydration. Please pray that God would help his stomach to settle soon and that he would be able to keep liquids down. We're earnestly asking God to protect him from dehydration. Please also pray that we could learn to trust God at deeper levels with our fear for him and frustration over yet another sickness.

To complicate matters, its an important ministry weekend and week for us. We're trying to canvass the 191 homes in our neighborhood to meet people and hand out invitations to our neighborhood Bible Club (July 9-13). We had a good spiritual formation group meeting tonight. And, tomorrow, I'm (Andy) to leave to go out of town until Thursday night to an important training time for church planters. Please pray for Trish as she man's the fort here with a sick little one and active 4-year old. Special thanks and PRAISE GOD! to friend (and blog reader! :) Anne Stansfield and my mom (coming out on Tuesday) who will be an enormous help to Trish while I'm gone.

Bottom line as parents- we're concerned about our little boy and we covet your prayers. Thanks!

If you pray for one thing...

...please pray that God helps us make many, many contacts this summer. This is our number one priority at this stage of beginning a missional church- learning how to focus on reaching people Jesus loves that do not yet know him. For fodder for your prayers for us...I'm giving you (wow- aren't you privileged as a blog reader! :) an inside picture of our journey. Below is a plan I've submitted to my coach (Tony Webb) for making contacts this summer. Would you pray God leads us and brings these desires to reality...for His glory? Thanks!

Contact-Making Strategy
Andy Wirt
June-August 2007

I envision meeting new people, building deeper relationships, and inviting receptive people to our spiritual formation group through the following fishing pools:

• Expanding neighborhood involvement. I would like to go door-to-door several times to invite people to a Neighborhood Bible Club we’re planning July 9-13. Also, I’d either like to sponsor a block party for our street or participate in facilitating the neighborhood-wide block party this summer.

• YMCA. I have a goal of meeting a new person every time I work out there. I want to look into classes or activities I/my family could join to be around new people.

• New Albany pool. We’ve joined the pool there with the desire of making contacts while enjoying good family time.

• “Renting” office space at Panera Bread or Starbucks. I frequently (2-4) times a week try to do administrative work or study outside of my home office at one of these places to meet people and start conversations where God opens doors.

• Volunteering for community service. I would like to find at least 1 large-scale, community-wide event to volunteer for (and get others from our group to help when possible) per month to be involved with. Possibilities:

• June: Cancer walk in New Albany on June 12. Blues/Jazz Festival in Gahanna on June 15.
  
• July: July 4th celebration in New Albany.
  
• September: Walking Race in New Albany.
  

• Facilitate ClearView Church joining New Albany and Gahanna Chamber of Commerce. I’d like to utilize contact making/networking, marketing, and event participation that chamber membership would offer. This would open the door to unlimited new contacts.

• I’m thinking about the viability of some door-to-door work individually, with my family, or with teams. I’d like to do soft demographic research (“What could a new church do that would benefit this community…”) and make new contacts… but not sure how effective this would be in our community. Might be a negative contact?

• Secure a soccer coaching position for this fall.

• Select service events (car washes, etc.) and request teams to come and help us serve and meet people in the community.

A BIG WIN!

The first meeting of a new church is history! Thanks so much for praying! We met June 10, from 4-6p. Since we count everything that breathes and moves...there were 13 people representing 5 family units. Being that this is 4 more family units than we have had in our previous meetings (our family :)...PRAISE GOD! We were excited as people came together, enjoyed meeting new people (everyone was new to each other), participated in lively discussion around Matthew 4:12-25 (great passage-check it out!), and interacted with a brief bit of vision on what God has called us to in northeastern Franklin County.

Please praise God with us for this first meeting and for those willing to take a risk and attend something new. When you consider that just a few short months ago, we knew none of these people, bringing five different family units together for an initial small group gathering is huge! There is an amazing God-story in how we met each of these people. Also, there are several more people who communicated interest in attending that could not make it yesterday. Please pray that they would be able to participate in the future. Each participant was encouraged to invite someone new to the next meeting. Please pray that we would have 10 adults and 6 family units represented when we meet again June 24. Finally, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, please pray that this group would be used to reach people Jesus loves with His truth and grace.

I can't thank you enough if you prayed for us this past weekend. We heard reports of entire churches, Sunday School classes, families, and many individuals from all over the U.S. praying for God to work in our first meeting. He did! Praise God!

Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Mercer!

We had a special weekend this past weekend. I was truly blessed to have the privilege of marrying Jamie and Bobby (whom I've written about in the past). Bobby committed his life to follow Jesus a few months ago and we've been meeting regularly for pre-marital counseling ever since. I've been ministered to by the opportunity to get to know this genuinely super young couple. Their wedding rehearsal and ceremony went well. Praise God!

One of the things that impacted me this weekend is the hundreds of contacts that each of us have for Jesus. Because of being invited to officiate this special day in Bobby and Jamie's lives, Trish and I had the opportunity to meet many people we never would have otherwise come into contact with. The grace and truth of Jesus was clearly evident in the ceremony and we were also able to talk and get to know several individuals and couples from the Columbus area.

Please thank God with us for Bobby and Jamie and the privilege of marrying them. Please pray for a lifetime of love and blessing for them. Please pray that we, and our new church, would be able to walk along side them as we work together to reach their friends and loved ones for Jesus.

What A Small World!

It is amazing to me how God works and can tie people together through common associations almost too bizarre to be true.

Several weeks ago, I was "renting" office space at Panera Bread (I bye a drink and work there for a few hours to get out and be around people...looking for contact making opportunities). While there, I drink a lot of their excellent sweet Green Tea. On my 43rd trip to the men's room, I walked by a man reading biblical Hebrew. On my way back by this gentlemen, I stopped and asked him about what he was reading. I admitted my poor Hebrew (I hope Drs. Abegg and Davis aren't reading this!)...but nonetheless, we had a fascinating conversation.

As we talked, I discovered that Daniel is Jewish and attends a local synagogue. We were surprised to discover that we shared a common association with someone who used to be on staff with Grace Brethren International Missions. Daniel had not seen this person in 20 years (a childhood friend of his), so I promised to track down this person and asked Daniel if it would be OK if I got them in touch. Through sharing this information, Daniel and I e-mailed back and forth a few times and I asked him to lunch.

Today we were finally able to get together again. I was truly challenged and inspired by our conversation. I don't know about you, but I'm not sure I've ever truly sat down across the table from a Jewish person and really tried to understand what they believe, what they don't believe, and why they don't believe Jesus was/is the Messiah. I learned a lot from Daniel...none-the-least being how much more I need to understand to be able to articulate why I believe what I believe about Jesus to a Jewish person.

Amazingly, as we talked...we had more common associations. Daniel had been to several Grace Brethren Churches- one being Bowling Green while Ron Boehm (from our former church in Macedonia, OH) was pastor. He also knows a cousin of mine here in the Columbus area. So interesting.

We also shared a connection around life goals. Daniel is an attorney turned financial advisor who owns his own business. He truly desires to help his clients find genuine meaning and fulfillment in life. I asked him to help me understand the mindset of a rich person in our area (this is one of the most affluent communities in OH). What I learned from this man who advises many wealthy people in this area is the confirmation that money doesn't bring fulfillment. Daniel shared a story about two doctors (married) who make over $600,000 per year and can't pay their bills. His summary statement to me (a blessing!) was, "You will do well here...people need what you are offering."

Would you pray with me on two fronts:

• Pray for Daniel. He is truly a kind, good-hearted man. I don't know exactly where He is at with Jesus. We obviously believe different when it comes to John 14:6 and Colossians 1:15-23. Pray that Jehovah would meet him in his passion for the OT and show him truth about the authenticity of Jesus as Lord in the NT. Pray our relationship would continue and grow.
  
• Pray that God would show us how to communicate the hope of Jesus to those with much material wealth. The work will not be easy...Scripture makes that clear. But, with God, all things are possible.
  

Would You Pray For Our First Meeting?

Our first group meeting on June 10, from 4-6p. is a strategic time for us. In some ways it's the culmination of months of solo work in trying to meet as many people as we could and find initial contacts that would be willing to meet with us for spiritual formation and cooperative ministry. In many other ways, it's just the beginning...the beginning, Lord willing, of a movement of people that will touch thousands of lives for Jesus and form a healthy, disciple-making, reproducing church.

Please pray that in this first (and subsequent) meetings, God would:

• Give us wisdom as we plan each meeting
  
• Lead the people we've invited (and others they invite!) to come
  
• Give our new group a spirit of unity and excitement over what God is doing and could do...
  
• Assist Trish and I in ministering to this new group
  
• Assist Trish and I in clearly sharing our vision and calling for a new church and inviting the group to join us
  
• Help us to have fun!
  
• Help us to incorporate children and any other dynamics in a way that is healthy and flexible
  
• Help us create an environment that is accepting and open to seekers AND inspiring to believers
  

The following is a list of people we've invited to come. Please pray with us that God would join our hearts together in co-mission.

• Victor
  
• Ryan and Rachel
  
• Dan and Erin
  
• Luke and Beth
  
• Michael and Marlissa
  
• Miserat
  
• Melissa
  
• Jay and Sylvia
  
• Cathy and Greg
  
• Mark
  
• Bobby and Jamie (who I'm marrying on June 9. I told them they better NOT be there on June 10! :)
  
• 2 other neighbors
  
• Andy and Trish (I'm pretty sure they'll be there)...
  

Thanks for praying with us! Your prayers have never been so critical as they are this week.

Praise God For A Great Vacation!

We're thankful for the time we had together with my (Andy) family in Myrtle Beach, SC last week. We all enjoyed the ocean, pools, and time with family we don't get to see often.

Seth and Silas enjoyed the sand and water...and had a super time with their five cousins from Georgia. Fun times included building projects on the beach (Seth would build and Silas would wreck!), Seth's first miniature golfing adventure, tag with cousins and grandma on the beach at night, etc.

Whenever I have the opportunity to enjoy the ocean, my spirit is enriched by contemplating Psalm 93. I love being tossed around by the waves on a boogie-board and being actively reminded of God's power. My heart is stilled as I look out over the ocean from a balcony and am comforted by God's sovereignty. There is something peaceful, inspiring, and challenging about observing the ocean's beauty and power and realizing that God is "mightier than the breakers on the shore" (vs.4). His power over this natural phenomenon is illustrative of the fact that "the world is firmly established (and) cannot be shaken" (vs.2) and that His "throne...has been established from time immemorial" (vs.3).

So...why do I worry and fret? Why does planting a church seem impossible? God has it all under control...it's no stretch for Him..."the Lord above is mightier than these!" (vs.4b).

A Good Day...

I praise God for a great day yesterday! I wanted to make that praise public by giving God praise for...

• A great meeting with Mark, a friend we met several months ago. We haven't been able to get our schedules together until, finally, yesterday we were able to connect. Mark was a member of Northwest Chapel before he moved to the northeast side of town several months ago. God directed our paths together miraculously. Mark works many hours, including Sundays, but he's going to try and make our group and desires to help us get a church off the ground as his busy schedule allows. Please praise God for Mark and his heart to serve.
  
• Our end-of-season soccer party last evening. We played well in our last game and had a great time of celebrating the boys and their accomplishments and connecting with families. I created an award for each player based on skill or character and presented them during the party. This was a fun way to commend them. God allowed many good conversations with parents. I believe we had a positive testimony for Jesus. Praise God. Please pray that some type of spiritual fruit will come from this investment of time...even if it is 10 years down the road. Pray that these precious boys and families are drawn to Jesus.
  

Date Is Set...Invites Are Out!

Please pray with us! We're excited to ask you to pray with us on June 10, from 4-6p. as we host our first spiritual formation group at our home. Together, with several of our new friends, we've invited at least 12 different family units to attend. So far, we've gotten good feedback on desire to attend from about 7 of these invitations. Please pray that God would bring people out, bond our hearts together around Jesus and mission, and help us have fun! Pray that those that attend would see and feel the vision God has given us and desire to partner with us. This first meeting is important, the culmination of many God-stories, and a key next step in the development of a new church. Thanks for your prayers...please keep them coming!

Some Exciting Family Times!

Trish and I celebrated 10 years of marriage (5/18/1997) last weekend. We enjoyed a great overnight away at a beautiful state park lodge on Lake Erie. It was the first time in over a year we had been away together without the kids. We enjoyed being together, remembering all that God has done and brought us through in 10 years of marriage, God's creation, and some needed R&R. Praise God! I'm so thankful for the wife God has given me and the children and work He's blessed us to build together.


Last Sunday, we also had the special privilege of being interviewed in the service at the Woodville (Mansfield, OH) Grace Brethren Church. As, Trish's dad interviewed me, we were able to share about what God is doing in the church plant and encourage people to pray with us for God's continued work. We very much enjoyed spending the day with Trish's parents, connecting with Pastor Ron Smalls, and the sweet people of the Woodville GBC.

A special time yesterday- Seth came home from his last day of pre-school with his first report card! He did well and his teacher commended him for how well he did despite all the changes that have occurred in his life this year (he started at this school mid-year in February). We praise God for Seth and how well he has come through all the changes we have made! Great job, buddy! We celebrated with some great ice-cream at a Columbus favorite, Greaters!

Music To Our Ears!

Praise God! Tonight, we got home after spending some time with some old friends in Upper Arlington. There was a voice mail from one of our neighbors, Beth. The gist of her message was that she was sharing that she's excited about helping us invite people from our neighborhood to attend our initial spiritual formation group this summer. She's already talked with two people willing to participate and a teenager that will assist with childcare during the gathering!

Please thank God with us for Beth and her husband Luke. They have an effective ministry of loving people and living for Jesus in our neighborhood. People like and trust them and when they tell someone about what we're (the new people...with no track record here) doing...the message is credible because our neighbors respect Beth and Luke. They are truly "people of peace" (see Luke 9:4) and God is using them in great ways.

A Cool Way To Spend A Friday Night

Last Friday evening, I got home around 7p. from being gone all day. As I was getting out of my car, our neighbor, Jay, yelled over to me and invited our family to attend their son, Sebastian's, birthday party that evening. We quick got ready and headed over. Seth enjoys playing with Sebastian and talks about him frequently. This was the first time we've been invited into a neighbor's home in our neighborhood and were thrilled with the opportunity to get to know Jay's family, some of their friends and co-workers, and some of our neighbors better.

Please praise God with us for this opportunity to meet several new people. As I was sitting at their table...with kids yelling and playing all around us...surrounded by handfuls of people that don't know Jesus, my thought was, "God, thanks for opening up this door...this is what church planting/being a missionary is all about..." Please pray we would be a light for Jesus in our neighborhood and that these new relationships would lead our friends to a friendship with Jesus.

More Surprises from God!

We're learning from Jesus' example that a prime way to love and reach people is to look for practical ways to serve them. Here are two recent stories:

1. With the spring rain and sunshine comes high, green grass! One of my neighbors is going through a divorce and is a busy, single dad. I noticed that his grass needed mowed...so I mowed it. I love mowing anyway and figured it might be a building block in my relationship with Maurice. He and I have enjoyed good initial interactions, even discussing religion, Jesus, and the Bible. I left a note letting him know what I had done and that I'd love to have breakfast or lunch sometime.
   
   A week or so later, I found this note in my mailbox. In part, it read: Dear Andy, I cannot say how touched I was to return home from a grueling trip for work, to find such a neighborly and friendly gesture. As I'm sure you know, times of divorce or separation can be very difficult periods of transition...I look forward to getting to know you and the family better!.
   
   I was so thankful to God for the opportunity to serve in this way and Maurice's positive reaction to my effort to encourage him in a practical way. It was a bit risky (sometimes people don't want help), but God worked it out well. Maurice and I are having breakfast tomorrow. Please pray for Maurice. Please pray that our time together will honor Jesus. Thank God with us for His work in this new friendship.
   
   
2. A few weeks ago, we were saddened and concerned as one of our distant neighbors (a few houses down the street behind us) was violently assaulted in her home. By God's grace, this woman lives two houses down from some new friends of ours, Luke and Beth, who are faithful, godly members of another GBC. Luke and Beth quickly began looking for ways to minister to this woman.
   
   Beth networked a few of us together and sent the victim flowers at the hospital. Trish and I pitched in a little to help with the purchase and offered to help Luke and Beth minister to her in any way we could.
   
   Last night, we were pleasantly surprised when our doorbell rang. Guess who!? It was Mesirat, the woman who had been assaulted. She's doing much better, is healing emotionally, and was going around greeting and meeting those who had ministered to her through the flowers. She also had a friend with her. The four of us got to talking, and somehow our work came up. We mentioned that we are starting a new church. Mesirat told us that she attends a good local church and is also going to church with Beth and Luke this Sunday. Great! They asked where we would be meeting. We said, "Here." They said, "Let us know. We'll come!"
   
   I was really encouraged by this. I was impressed that Mesirat took the initiative to go around and thank people she didn't even know. Please pray that we can minister to these two ladies and work together for God's Kingdom.
   

Please praise God with us for His progressing work. It is exciting to see things working out that can only be God!

Family #3 Is On Board!

Please praise God with us! Sunday night, we met with a family that we connected with at the YMCA. Trish knew the wife/mom of the family from her high school days. Through a God-ordained encounter, we connected with her at the Y, renewed contact, and were at their home for dinner Sunday night. We enjoyed a great time of fellowship, and towards the end, they shared that they have been praying with us about becoming involved in our first spiritual formation group. They've sensed God leading them to help us in any way possible. We're excited!

We're working on finding the best date for all involved to come together for meeting #1. It looks like this will take place sometime in early June. The other couple teaming with us is getting married in early June...so they are understandably focused elsewhere (smile!). Pray God works out all the details of people's busy schedules so we can commence this important first time together.

We have confirmed dinner plans with another couple for this Saturday that are also praying about if they should become more involved with what we are doing. Pray for them to sense God's direction and that God would continue to lead us towards those people that will help to accomplish the work of beginning a new church.

God is working...

"If I believed in signs..."

Yesterday, I was working in Panera Bread. Not working for a wage as an employee... but using a table there as an office. With my two little angels at home...sometimes it is hard to get any administrative tasks accomplished there. So, I sometimes take my office on the road. Earlier that morning, I had asked the Lord to use me in conversation with someone at Panera that morning. By trial and error, I've found that a favorite table by the door gives me a vantage point to notice people as they enter and exit and the opportunity to offer a friendly smile and greeting to anyone who passes by.

When Graham entered, he commented on my computer from the vantage point of a fellow Mac fan. On his way out, we started talking. He's a friendly, brilliant man of Australian descent and a business man who lives in northeast Columbus part of the year. We discussed his work. He travels all over the world. He asked what I do. I told thim that I'm a pastor working to begin a new church in this area. He mentioned that he is a "spiritual person and is not interested in religion" that adheres to a form of Buddhist beliefs. I asked him how he defines "religion" and "spiritual". We had a riveting discussion on the differences between Jesus and how the Church (sometimes) postures itself. I shared that our church adheres to a literal interpretation of the Bible, what it says about Jesus (I shared John 14:6), AND the love and compassion and respect Jesus had for individuals (even if they did not follow His teaching).

I learned a lot from our conversation. I learned that some of the current writing on how the world is open to Jesus and even His teaching but views the Church with contempt is true, at least for Graham. I was also struck by something else that Graham said. As he was leaving he shared how he had recently returned from a business trip to Ecuador. Sitting next to him for four hours was an ancient language scholar from a South American University. From the way Graham described this man, he is a believer that discussed spiritual things with Graham on the plane. Graham said, "I don't believe in signs...but if I did..." I didn't even respond...because I think it was obvious to both of us that God is working in his life...drawing him to Himself.

I'm amazed at the way God works and uses His servants as links in the chain of His work in the lives of those who are not yet part of His family. My conversation with Graham was just one step in the journey God has him on. By God's grace, our conversation will move him forward towards biblical Truth and a personal relationship with Jesus. Who will be the next step?

I left this encounter with thanksgiving for God answering my prayer to be used in a spiritual encounter with a seeker. I left the encounter amazed at the scope of God's plan as He uses people all over the world to reach out to those that need Him. I left desiring to be used further in the lives of others.

Would you pray for Graham? Please also pray that God will continue to use us in people's lives for Kingdom purposes. Where is the next person that God would have us serve as a link in His redemptive chain in their lives? Whose life does He want to use you in?

Please Pray With Us For Team Members

God has led us to some extraordinary connections within a few short months. We've met a lot of great people and had several encounters that only God could orchestrate. Praise be to God- He did choose to answer our (and YOURS- THANKS!) prayer request to provide one family to begin a spiritual formation group with by the end of April! Much to our excitement, Bobby and Jamie (picture right; the young man I led to Christ a few weeks ago) have agreed to begin meeting with us soon. In addition, there are at least 4 families right now, that we know of, that are praying about if God would lead them to team with us to begin a new church. We've invited these people to our new group and are praying they will join us. Obviously, if God chooses to bring one or more of these families on board...our potential for impact and service to our community grows exponentially. The exciting part about this phase is that one or two families double our efforts and add significantly (relationally, spiritually, service-wise) to our baby church.

Please give praise to God for His work...and keep praying for His guidance, provision, and step-by-step wisdom. WE APPRECIATE YOU!

Pray for Impact Through Coaching

One of the activities I have enjoyed most since we've been here is building relationships in the community through coaching soccer. I have the privilege of direct contact with 10 boys and their parents and indirect contact with other coaches, officials, league leaders, etc. It allows me to naturally plug into a place and activity where hundreds of local people gather several times per week. PLUS, I love the game and enjoy being around the boys and serving families.

Please pray with me that I have a positive testimony for Jesus. Pray that relationships can be established and built. Pray that serving people in this manner will open up doors for sharing about Jesus and our work of beginning a new church. Pray that our team wins one game (I'm sort of kidding...but you really could pray for that...we need all the help we can get!) THANKS!

Simple Things Can Be HUGE Praises!

Last week, the battery on my Mac (given to our new church by a donor!) laptop died. I was concerned about this due to the fact that there isn't much ($0) in our family's "technology fund." I was looking online at new batteries and was ready to buy one. I felt a prompting in my spirit to find a local Mac store and have the computer looked at. After having it checked out, I found out the battery is indeed dead. However, I also found out that the computer IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY FOR 16 DAYS and they replaced the battery at no cost. I had never even considered this possibility. God saved me from buying a battery online and wasting $130.

I'm so thankful for blessings like this that we didn't even know to ask for. God is good!

Happy Birthday, Trish!

We enjoyed this past weekend as a time to celebrate Trish and her 34th birthday! We're so thankful for our wife, mommy, church-plant partner... etc, etc.! Please pray that this new year will be one of rich closeness with God, blessing, and fruit for Trish.

How Did He Do It?

THE major goal we are praying about and working on right now is asking God to lead us to the person, couple, or family that would be willing to join us in our first spiritual formation group (Bible study with an emphasis on building genuine spiritual community together). We're continuing to meet new people every day, trying to gently and lovingly feel out spiritual receptivity among the people we meet at the YMCA, coaching soccer, in our neighborhood, etc. We've asked several people to consider participating in such a group with us. However, the challenge of finding people who trust us enough or are open to such a relationship is even larger than we expected.

I'm trying to learn and contemplate why this part of our journey is so difficult. Part of it has to be that all of our relationships are new and there has not been time to build trust with our new friends. God has even led us to numerous mature followers of Jesus. These people are already connected to good local churches and friendships and I'm sure the prospect of starting a new church from scratch seems risky. Whenever we meet anyone and tell them of our work, their first questions are Where are you meeting? and How many people are working with you? I'm sure it is a bit freaky when we answer (something like), We're not meeting anywhere yet...because it is just our family. I guess I would be skeptical of me too.

These thoughts and fears in mind, I'm more amazed than ever at Jesus' methods. Mark 2:13-17 describes His call of Levi (Matthew). Jesus was out among people, saw Levi working, asked Levi to join Him, and Levi accepted. Calls of Simon, Andrew, James and John (Mark 1:16-20) were also successful. How did Jesus know who to pick? Why did the men readily accept? Was there any relationship or history or trust there that the Bible doesn't record? Did any initial contacts refuse Jesus' invitation? These are the questions I'm asking God today.

What I do learn from Jesus is that He was constantly among the people. Mark says He saw Levi "...as He walked along...". We've got to continue to find ways to meet more people. Jesus also had His eyes open. I don't know what it was, but there was something that prompted Him to approach Levi. God, open our eyes to the people and opportunities you want us to see and approach. Finally, I notice (simple!) that Jesus wasn't afraid to ask. He simply said, Come, be my disciple. God, give us the courage, wisdom, and words to clearly request of people that they join us on mission for you.

Friend, your prayers are needed. Thanks for praying with us. This post is an honest reflection of my heart today. I want to live Matthew 21:21-22...but sometimes my heart is weaker than my head. I also know we have a responsibility to work hard to meet and befriend people. But, ultimately, this is spiritual work. Please pray that Jesus would deepen our faith and do Matthew 16:18 with us today.

There Is Joy In Heaven!

We praise God for the first tangible fruit from our work here in the Columbus area. I've been working with a super young couple as they prepare for their upcoming marriage. This contact was passed on to me, by God's grace, from my new friend Nathan Harrison (a pastor at the Eastside, Columbus, GBC).

Last night we met for the second time. Jamie and Bobby and I were looking at what the Bible says about the role of the husband and wife compared to the example of Jesus and the Church (from Ephesians 5:21-33). I felt led of the Lord to ask some follow-up questions of Bobby from our initial conversation a few weeks ago. The long and the short of it is that the Holy Spirit has been working in Bobby's heart. He believed in Jesus as God's Son, the One who offers forgiveness for our sins, and his own need for Jesus' grace. After some good discussion around Titus 3:4-8, Bobby stated he was ready to communicate a personal commitment to Jesus. We prayed right there at Caribou Coffee.

Pray for Bobby as he lives out this new pursuit of Christ and he and Jamie as they prepare for a lifetime commitment to each other in marriage. Please praise God with us (Luke15:10) for His work! Pray also that they might accept my invitation to join us in our initial spiritual formation group as we move towards a new church.

"I don't think we have a Bible in our house..."

My new friend, I'll call him Ed, shared this with me at lunch. We had an great conversation (over some wonderful food at the Columbus Fish Market...I never thought I would like Walleye...) where he taught me some tips on marketing and developing a customer base (from a business perspective) and I shared with him our vision for starting a church from scratch by loving people who don't go to church or know Jesus.

Ed shared with me that he has a life-coach. The coach works with him from a holistic perspective- health, spirituality, vocation, relationships, etc. This opened the door for me to ask what sort of guidance or encouragement the coach offers in the spiritual realm of life. Praise God, for a first conversation (Ed did our mortgage...so this was our first contact outside of business), I was able to lay a foundation for my beliefs in the authority of the Bible and what it says about Jesus and His purposes of forgiveness and eternal life.

Before we met, I had no idea where Ed would be coming from. As it turns out, he is friendly, successful, kind, and giving. He loves his family and works hard to help other people. It hit me as we were meeting- this is the type of person God sent us to Columbus to reach. Ed is a good man, but, even though he doesn't realize it, he's apart from Christ. This breaks my heart and I'm determined to pray and try to find a way to further our relationship and conversations.

I learned some interesting (to me) things from Ed:

• Unchurched people aren't as scary as I sometimes think they might be. I'm not sure why Ed was willing to have lunch with me, but he was as open and kind as any believer I know. He was even open to the spiritual elements to our conversation.
  
• If I'm going to be effective in reaching out to those who do not yet know Jesus, I'm going to have to be willing to hear others' political views and be careful how I share my own. Like it or not, in many cases, as conservative Christians, we've ruined our credibility with unchurched people because of how we posture ourselves publicly or are portrayed politically by the media. Jesus was interested in loving, healing, and teaching truth...not winning converts to a political agenda.
  
• Ed is more open to spiritual things at this stage of his life because he wants his children to have an opportunity to explore various religions. A church that impacts his kids has a good chance of impacting him.
  
• It is more and more acceptable in the professional world to recognize the role of the spiritual in achieving "success". May this trend help missional people be more effective in sharing Jesus as The Way, Truth, and source of Life.
  

Would you pray with me for Ed? Pray for God's movement in his life- maybe in some result from our time together today. Please ask God to give me wisdom and opportunity for future interactions.

Rethinking Evangelism

I was talking with my neighbor, Sarah. As we watched our kids play, I tried to direct the conversation towards issues of spiritual significance. I shared with her that we had moved to the area recently to begin a new church and asked her what she thought of the churches in the area. She said that she really wouldn't know how to respond to that question because she isn't "really religious". My heart broke as we talked more about how she feels that "the whole religion thing is a sham" and doesn't believe in God. I said, "So, you can really look around you (at nature- sky, trees, etc.) and believe it all came into existence by chance. I know for me, when I see the amazing beauty and detail of nature, it reaffirms my belief in a Creator and Supreme Being."

On a different occasion, I was talking with another neighbor (I'll call him Jack) about his work and spiritual beliefs. He is an adherent of Sufism, an offshoot of Islam. God opened the door for a conversation that revolved around the reliability of the Bible as the sole source for spiritual Truth and Jesus as the Son of God.

I'm learning that evangelism in today's culture is a process, not an event. Previously, I would have been disappointed and felt that my conversations with Sarah and Jack were incomplete because I did not have or did not force an open door to share the complete plan of salvation. Now, on the contrary, I'm coming to believe that sharing my faith will be more effective as I enter into a journey of spiritual discovery with those God places around me. I'm praying for opportunities to build on these conversations with my new friends. My role with those God loves is to pray for them, look for opportunities to model and share Jesus' love, invite them into spiritual community, AND share the Gospel with them at the appropriate time.

In his book Planting Missional Churches, Ed Stetzer advocates that any discussion with a lost person that clarifies a misperception about Truth or Jesus or causes them to reconsider a rejection of faith in the Gospel qualifies as evangelism. In other words, stimulating an irreligious person to reevaluate their stance that there is no God or a Sufi to consider the authority of the Bible is evangelism (as seen as a process rather than an event).

Stetzer also quantifies the importance that spiritual community is to evangelism in the 21st century. He writes, There are two conversions-one temporal and one eternal. The first conversion is the conversion to community. With few exceptions people come to Christ after they've journeyed with other Christians, examining them and considering their claims. A next step with Sarah and Jack is to invite them to participate in a new spiritual formation group with other spiritual sojourners in our neighborhood.

I know that many of us long to practice a life of mission. I hope you're encouraged to forge ahead in making disciples as you remember that every time you share God's work in your life, share your trust in God's Word or your hope in Jesus, love another with Jesus' healing love, invite someone to join you in spiritual community, and/or share the plan of salvation--these are all evangelism. These are all important elements in the process of a seeker moving to faith. Conversion is an event, but in most cases, it is preceded by a process.

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.

What Are The Chances Of That?

God is working. I'm amazed. I spent time in prayer this morning, crying out to God out of a heart full of fear and being overwhelmed at the great work ahead of us. I was thinking out of a heart focused on my inadequacies. God brought me again to Psalm 145 and focused me on HIS greatness and the power of HIS work! He also challenged me from John 15 with His promises of great fruitfulness if we remain vitally connected to Him. Cognitively, I understand that any success God gives in church planting will correlate to our ability to keep our eyes focused on Christ and off of ourselves. That is easier said than done...but I want to learn how. I believe Jesus promises fruit when there is a central and consistent focus on Him and His mission.

That being said, I came out of my devotional time with a peace from God that I was very thankful for. My heart was at ease. And, the exciting thing is that we can see God working in a bunch of odd circumstances. Here are some below. Keep in mind- we're in a place unfamiliar to us with tens of thousands of people all around us. Encountering someone we know through other people is analogous to a miracle!

• Last week Trish and Seth were getting a drink at our local Panera Bread. A lady approached Trish and mentioned that Trish looked familiar. They talked for a while and Trish learned that this woman was the mother of a high-school classmate of hers. Add to that, this woman keeps in touch with the wife of another classmate of Trish's that lives in the New Albany area AND has a 4-year-old boy. Trish has since made contact with the couple and we're hoping for renewed friendships for us and a new friend for Seth. Could they be partners in our launch? We'll see what God has in mind.
  
• Yesterday at church, Trish ran into some other parents of a high-school classmate of hers. He is an elder at our sending church, Northwest Chapel. They also know a couple our age related through Worthington Christian (school) that they think might be interested in helping us launch a church in northeastern Franklin County. They are finding this couple's information and will get it to us. It is exciting to us as God reveals people who are thinking and praying with us about those who might be involved in God's work in this area.
  
• Also yesterday, our family is learning the area. For Wirt boys (and Trish too :), this has to include frequenting any ice-cream establishment in a 35-mile radius. We were in a Graeters in northern Gahanna (about a mile from our home) ordering. I was talking to the man behind the counter, Scott, who happened to be the manager. I was trying to make small talk to break the ice and build the beginnings of a relationship. As the conversation unwound, he shared that he had just moved to the northeast side of town from the northwest side of Columbus. I told him we had moved the area to work with a church in the Dublin area. I asked him if he had ever heard of Northwest Chapel. He said, "Yeah, I go there!" We had a neat connection talking about people we both know through the church. I was able to share what we are doing in the northeastern section of the county. He said, "Well, I'd come!" I asked him if he'd like to help us. He enthusiastically agreed.
  
  I was absolutely stunned. I can't even believe God would take us out to ice-cream and lead us to a friendly guy who, with his skills as business man and many community contacts, will be a huge asset to our fledgling ministry. Needless to say, I got Scott's card and plan to try to take him to lunch as soon as possible.
  
  
• Also at Graeters, we met a mom named Mara. We had a good conversation with her about raising kids and the related challenges. It proved to us that our target area includes many families, like ours! :), that face challenges with their children and they need biblical help. By God's grace and provision, we'll see Mara again someday!
  

To me, it was if God was saying, "See...you were all uptight at the beginning of the day...focusing on your weaknesses and how large the task is from your perspective. You focus on ME and I will work GREAT things that only I can do. You just be obedient and love people." I'll take that any day.

Thanks for praying with us! Praise God!

We're In!

I'm learning that we have many regular blog readers! Thanks! I don't want to be too surprised...but you never know who is reading! Thanks for caring to check up on us and pray with us! We appreciate you and recognize that your love and prayers are one of the reasons God is going to do Ephesians 3:20 type things in northeastern Franklin County!

Well- we're in! Moving day was quite an adventure. From what the natives say, the day we moved (or tried to!) was the worst snow and ice storm Columbus has seen in about 5 years. I'm learning that right from the start- God is teaching us that church planting is about flexibility. My supervisor (Martin Guerena) constantly teases me- because I'm not naturally flexible. However, I am learning that things will not go as planned and you just have to figure out how to get the job done without ideal circumstances. I look forward to applying this lesson to winning souls for Christ and not driving moving trucks on unplowed roads!

Anyway, due to snow, we really moved stuff over the course of a week rather than one day. And, in God's providence, that worked out better. We got to gradually process through stuff and try and empty some boxes a little at a time since we didn't have everything all at once. With two kids in tow, it was easier to do a little at a time. Martin and his brother, Phil, were a huge help in the snow and mess one day and three men from Northwest Chapel (THANKS JIM, DAN, AND DAVID!) helped us empty our stuff from our storage unit and unload it in our house/garage. God was good in helping us get all our stuff home in such crazy weather.

Incidentally- the weather gave us great opportunities for beginning connections. Due to so many being outside to shovel snow and ice throughout the week, I got to meet Steve, Maurice and his daughter Raden, Cathy and Greg, and Tommy. I'm thankful to God for this odd weather and the chance to meet so many when people would normally be inside.

Trish made our first night as a family in our new home a special time with a great Valentine's Day party! This time was extra special because it helped us celebrate an event in our new home. I think all of us feel a bit out of place in this house and area and have an ache in our hearts for familiar friends and places- so a time to celebrate and have special fun in our new home was truly a great first memory.

Otherwise, our last 10 days or so have been filled with all the joys of moving- unpacking, moving heavy stuff back and forth 13 times as you try and get it in the right place, hanging pictures (which I usually hang 5 times before they are in the right place!) taking plenty of breaks to play with kids, change diapers, clean up throw-up, etc. Fun, fun, fun! Seriously, we constantly remind ourselves why we moved- and are continually challenged and excited by God's call on our lives and the work ahead of us.

We've also been able to begin making connections with our new (sending) church family. The staff at Northwest Chapel has been extremely helpful and welcoming, for which we are grateful. Trish has also enjoyed the opportunity to attend a monthly mom's gathering and is on a women's retreat with the church as I write.

A continual challenge for us physically, spiritually, and emotionally, is Silas' health. He does seem to be recovering well from pneumonia he had a few weeks ago, but now is again throwing up and having diarrhea regularly. He also went through a long bout of this type of stomach issues around the Holidays. We're not sure what the issues are but are watching him closely for dehydration and praying God spares him from elongated sickness. Please pray with us for healing.

That's a brief (?) update. We are ready to roll. Please pray with us for God's great work. We're asking for wisdom to do the right things in the right time- for God's glory. Pray that God would help us take advantage of every opportunity He gives us to be a light for Him. Pray with us for a healthy baby church to move from embryonic to birth stages in the next 18 months. We appreciate you so much!

Silas Is Improving and WALKING!

We had a day full of driving and adventure yesterday as we went to Columbus to sign papers on our new home, came back to Mansfield to pick Silas up, and then drove to Cleveland for doctors appointments for Silas and Seth (who also has a bad cough and an ear infection). We returned to Mansfield last night. All in all, the kids did well, despite being sick.

God is so amazing in how He allows challenges and then couples those trials with fun and exciting things. Silas is responding to medication and breathing treatments and is doing better. The doctor confirmed pneumonia but said his lungs are much clearer and was pleased with everything else. Silas has maintained his smiley demeanor and is a lot of fun even while being sick. Not only is he a happy little guy, but he is also becoming braver and is connecting more and more steps together while walking between safe items. It is a joy to watch him develop and conquer new things even while he is sick.

THANKS FOR PRAYING! We have been overwhelmed by the response of so many praying for Silas and our important day yesterday. God is working. Please continue to pray for the health of Silas AND Seth, our wisdom in caring for them, and that God would help us persevere through the grueling week that next week (moving from storage to our house) will be.

We appreciate you and your faithful prayer.

Silas Has Pneumonia

We just returned from a 3-hour adventure to a Mansfield medical clinic where Silas was diagnosed with pneumonia. We’re waiting to here results back on an RSV swab. He was given two breathing treatments and a shot containing strong antibiotics. Besides being concerned for Silas, we are a little unnerved at being away from familiar doctors. By God’s grace, Silas got excellent and aggressive care from doctors and nurses at this clinic. Please pray for complete healing and wisdom for us as we watch and care for him. We also praise God that Grandpa Botdorf can stay with Silas as Trish, Seth, and I drive to Columbus tomorrow a.m. to sign papers to close on our home there. We’ll drive back after closing and run Silas back to the Cleveland area for a follow-up visit with our doctors there (as we don’t have doctors in Columbus yet). Pray for a busy day and wisdom as we make decisions and strength as we deal with challenges. Thanks!

Some Much Needed Family Fun!

Change always has its challenges. Many aspects of our life right now lack routine and are unpredictable. If you know me (Andy), you know I am ultra flexible and take everything just as it comes. If you really know me... you know I am lying through my teeth (smile!). However, God has us in his own training program...and we're glad for it. We understand that in church planting, there will be many times where we will need the flexibility we are learning now. Things won't go as planned and there will be many days where we have to make structure for our family out of instability.

I say all that to say, that we felt it was important during this in-between-houses-time of our lives that we make some memories together as a family. For the next week or so, all the boxes are packed and stored, and we're waiting to get set up in Columbus. So, we're doing some fun things.

Last week Seth enjoyed his first bowling experience. Mom and Dad also enjoyed higher scores-due to a nice feature called a "bumper" that kept many a ball on the lane and out of the gutter. I also found a way to injure both my ankle (by hitting it with the ball on release) and my knee (hitting it on the ball in motion)! I'm learning that I need to do a better job of taking pictures!

Before sharing briefly in the service at Northwest Chapel this past Sunday, we stayed at the house next door Saturday night. Seth declared this "the best vacation ever!" Oh to be 4 again. We love his attitude (most times! :) and aptitude for adventure.

A real highlight was fun at "Splash Harbor", a local (close to Mansfield, OH) Comfort Inn that has a great pool/indoor water adventure set up and gives discounts to pastors during the week. Both Seth and Silas (and Mom and Dad) enjoyed the pool and water slide.

We're so thankful to God for our family and for this interlude time in our ministry. Its challenging not having a home and frustrating to be delayed in our work...but in God's timing, He is readying us for His Work and leading us through His perfect training program.

February Prayer Update

Transitions...
The last 4 weeks have been ones of much change for our family. We're learning that following God is fulfilling (we know we're being obedient), exciting (there's never a dull moment as we wait for answers to prayer on a daily basis) and challenging (everything won't be easy even if we're being obedient). God is building our faith and honing our character. We're thankful for both.

One big curve-ball was learning that we couldn't rent from the purchaser of our home until we found other housing in the Columbus area. So...we hustled and rented a storage facility (picture below) in Columbus, rented a truck, and moved everything there--all within a week.


God has also brought many blessings our way. Thanks for praying! Praise God with us that:

• We found a house and God has worked out several issues!
  
• Grace Church (Macedonia, OH) and Northwest Chapel (Dublin, OH) provided so much help in moving that we loaded the first truck and cleaned our house in less than an hour, unloaded that truck at storage in 45 minutes, loaded another truck that night in an hour and unloaded this last load in less than a half hour. THANKS EVERYONE!
  
• Trish's parents, Jim and Janet Botdorf, are allowing us to stay with them until we can get in our house (2/12). Thanks Botdorfs!
  

Please Pray With Us...

• That God would work out some last minute snags related to our new home and closing so that we can get in on the date scheduled (2/12).
  
• That God would again provide sufficient help in moving our things from storage and into the new home so that we can unpack quickly and get to work!
  
• That God would help us through the transitions we're making (moving, unpacking, lack of routine, making new friends, learning a new area, etc).
  
• That God would be glorified by first interactions with people in our target area.
  
• That God would give guidance and wisdom as we continue to dream and record the vision, mission, values, and strategy of a new church.
  
• That God would prepare and lead us to those that will join us as Launch Team members and help with worship, children, and small group ministries.
  
• That God would prepare hearts of people that we will come in contact with. Pray that hearts would be focused on Jesus and His mission.
  

Matthew 6:19-34 takes on new meaning...
I've been challenged recently that much of our focus, planning, and communication has involved issues related to selling and finding housing and moving stuff. While this is a real part of life, God warns us to be wary of placing too much importance on things that hold only earthly significance. As we transition to Columbus and work on all that involves, we've felt God reminding us that what truly matters is storing up "treasures in heaven". To us, this means investing in work of eternal significance. The work that must be of utmost importance is the effort that leads to focusing people on Jesus and His mission for their lives. When our focus is there...and not primarily on where we live and store our junk...we're excited to embrace God's promise in Matthew 6:33. Check it out and be encouraged!

God Answers Again!
Last month, we asked you to pray that God would lead us to the RIGHT home in our target area 1) that would afford us ministry opportunities AND 2) that we can afford. God answered in a big way! After almost giving up and then sensing God leading us to look further, we found this home. It is in a growing shopping area with New Albany schools, Gahanna zip code, and right across the street from the Westerville school line. God put us right in the center of our target zone! Thanks, Lord! And, THANK YOU for praying!