This morning Sandy and I woke up both excited and nervous. We are excited because today we shared with the congregation of believers at First Reformed Church how God has been leading us in a process of discernment over the course of the past two years.
We are nervous because we have been in Sheboygan Falls for almost seven years! We love the people. We love the land. We love the mission of the church.
It is because the Lord has answered our prayers and because we know that you love the mission that we felt led to share with you today.
A little over two years ago Sandy asked me a seemingly harmless question, “Have you ever considered planting a church?” I could honestly say, no, I had never considered that. But at the time I was reading a book called “Organic Church” that set forth a vision of church leadership that seeks out fertile soil for the planting of the gospel. This book set me off on a journey through the Word, through books, through sermons, through prayer, through blogs, through conferences, through assessments, and much more that has led my family to the clear sense and direction that we are being called to join in a new front on the same mission.
Thus far we have sought the answer to the question, “Has God called and equipped my family to the ministry of planting His church?” In recent months we have also been stretched to ask, “Is it possible to bring the vision for discipleship that God has given me and my family to an existing church?”
In response to these questions we have had affirmed in us that we have been called to a specific type of ministry and God has equipped us with a clear vision for making disciples. But what we do not know is the time nor the place.
Shortly after we began asking these questions two years ago I was out running and God gave me this prayer to begin to ask of Him.
Lord, I pray for a partner, a people, a place, and provision, prepared by a movement of the Holy Spirit.
He also gave me a clarity of mission and vision:
God has placed within my family a vision to see Christ’s church transformed into a discipleship community of joyful worshippers. To see this come to pass we must preach, teach, and come-alongside of the people with the full counsel of the Word of God.
Behind both this prayer and this vision is an image in my mind of a people of God however small or large who have joined together in prayer, who have a desire for the making of disciples, and need a shepherd to lead them into God’s design for their community and their church.
So Where Are We?
February 15-18, 2010, Sandy and I were invited to attend a “Discovery LAB”. Discovery LAB is a ministry assessment that helps ministers of the gospel assess their gifts in preparation for moving into church planting or unique ministry.
This event was a deciding moment in our journey of discernment these past two years. Up to that moment we were honestly asking the question of whether or not God was really calling us to something new and different. For those in Sheboygan Falls we must say that it simply is not our desire to be anywhere but with you. Throughout the last seven years I have said many times that I have no plans, intentions, or desires to be anywhere but where God does call. And until He would call elsewhere I greatly desire to be in this very place.
But as of the Discovery LAB event it was confirmed to us that, yes, God is calling us to a unique vision and a new ministry. In my conversations with Pastor Brad, whom I have sought for counsel and prayer throughout this journey, we both agreed that we needed to share with the consistory and the congregation this new direction of call even though we do not yet know a time nor a place.
So Why Are We Sharing?
We do believe that the Discovery LAB was a turning point. It seems that, though we do not know when or where, we do believe that God is calling us to a new mission field soon.
If the new ministry is a church plant we think that there will be tremendous benefit to both the new ministry and to the ministry for First Reformed if we can join together early and often in prayer.
If the new ministry is in an existing church the challenges are no less. I have been at First Reformed Church for seven years! This is more than double the amount of time that I have ever attended a church in my entire life! You are my home church. You are my Christian family. If God calls me to bring about a new vision in a new place I need you to uphold me in prayer. I need you for counsel and blessing.
And in both cases I need you for sending!
Moving Toward Engagement
It is kind of like a couple who are moving toward engagement. The couple knows that God has called them to get married. They don’t quite have the date set, but they know it is coming soon. Now, they could find a nearby judge, skip the engagement, and just get married. The problem is this makes the marriage all about them. Marriages and weddings can be far more than that. A quick engagement and a justice of the peace, treating the marriage like a simple business transaction, misses out on the blessing of the family, the joy of the congregation, the prayer and counsel of trusted friends and a pastor.
This is why we decided to share with First Reformed before we have all the information. We want to seek the blessing of “the family” before we are “engaged” to a new ministry. We want you to share in our grieving and our joy as we are called to leave in join in something new. And more important than all the rest we need your prayer and your counsel as our trusted friends.
We could have waited until we know everything, but we felt that this treats this new sense of call as a simple business transaction. But this isn’t about us, it’s about Christ and His church.
Seeking Your Blessing
Before I came to First Reformed the congregation and the leadership was looking for a man that you could encourage, that you could train, and you could see God rise up in ministry and in call. I came to First Reformed to minister as a partner in the mission. As I look back both of these things have taken place. I have seen both ministry and growth in my life and in the life of the congregation.
Now I am asking the congregation to look back with me and see that the desire God has given us has taken place. And now God is calling us to tend to another part of the kingdom. He is calling you to send and me to go. And so, I ask your blessing. Literally hundreds of time I have uttered these words among the people of God in this congregation:
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up the light of His countenance upon you and give you peace.
Today I am seeking this blessing of you. And as we do so, we “trust in the Lord with all of our heart … and He will make our path straight.”
As I shared with the consistory a few weeks ago one sentence rose to the surface. I am not the only pastor to have served at First Reformed and I am not the only person who cares about the ministry of God in this place. And so, it is my desire to be nothing more than a missionary, but I want to be your missionary.
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