Second Visit

I have shared previously that our family visited a ministry in May. We have continued to be in conversation with this ministry and have been invited to visit again on July 25.

As I shared at the beginning we have discerned that God has been leading our family into either church planting or a unique established church ministry. I have spent the last two and a half years studying, praying, reading and seeking spiritual guidance from ministry friends to discern my family’s direction into the future.

In this case, the ministry that we are in conversation with is a church in a Southwest suburb of Chicago that is seeking a lead pastor. Their previous lead pastor recently left to plant a church in a neighboring community. The church has experienced considerable growth in recent years and is in an area that is expanding rapidly. But they sense a two-fold need: to deliberately seek to proclaim the whole counsel of scripture with the gospel clearly preached in the midst of an expanding membership and to focus upon the discipleship of those that have come into the church in recent years.

So what is unique about this existing church ministry? The fact that most of my preparation and study in the past two years has been in the area of what I have come to call “gospel-community”. This phrase captures my two fold passion for preaching and discipleship.

• Unlike a church plant ministry, an existing church ministry would provide the opportunity begin to lead the congregation in preaching from day one. This would present the opportunity to set forth the gospel clearly week after week as we would work our way through the scripture.
• In addition, there is already a large web of relationships built in this church and in the community. Gospel-community seeks to weave discipleship into these relationships through the reading of the Word together, prayer, and the sharing of our lives in Christ.

How to Pray ::

• I ask you to please pray for my family and this church as we discern the purposes of God for the future.
• Pray for me as I prepare and preach on July 25.
• Pray that there will be unity of thought about whether or not to pursue a pastoral relationship.
• Pray that God will continue to give my family diligence as we seek to be faithful in ministry in Sheboygan Falls, both out of our home and in the church.