Moving Week

The real journey is about to begin. Sarah and I started packing up our house this past week. The POD is being delivered today and we are set to arrive in Arkansas next week. It is so easy for us to take our eyes off of Christ and go into panic mode if we start to think about all the loose ends in our life right now. The only thing we keep reminding ourselves is that we truly feel Christ calling us to plant Northwest Community Church. As a result, it is Christ who is responsible for working out the details. Our job is to be obedient and work hard....we are trying to do both.

Would you please pray for the following events/people this week:

• Mountain Park First Baptist Church...specifically the Forum and Project 648
• Kevin and Kayla Crow as we move in with them
• The sale of our house in Stone Mountain
• Financial contributors who need to step up and give to the church launch
• Strength and patience for Will and Sarah

By the way, these prayer requests are not meant to sound like downers. We are not nervous or fearful about these things. Rather, we are excited and enthused at the opportunity to be a part of something significant. What could be more exciting than planting a church that is going to reconnect people to their Heavenly Father?

Relearning It's Not About You

Here's a play-by-play of the last two weeks:

• Went to Arkansas for Andrew and Laine's totally fun wedding
• Sarah had a job interview/friendly chat with David Lee...This was a huge answer to prayer and Sarah is excited to start working at Beale, Lee, and Associates in the Bella Vista Town Center in September.
  
• Went to church at Grace Point Church in Bentonville
• Had some important church planting meetings
  
• Drove around Bella Vista...looked at housing, schools, neighborhoods
• Returned to Atlanta, showed our house a few times, preparing to pack up

In addition, I want to share with you something I was reminded of while worshiping at Grace Point Church last Sunday. This was our first time to attend Grace Point and we loved it. GP seems to be a very missional, friendly, vibrant church. But, here is what God reminded me of in my first 10 minutes after walking in the door at GP: It's Not About You. Let me explain.

Last Sunday morning, as Sarah and I walked through the door at GP, I began wondering who is going to be friendly to me? Who is going to tell me they are glad I am here? Who is going to lead me to worship? Who is going to teach me the Scripture? And then, it dawned on me...This is not about me. I am a believer and I should walk into every church with an attitude of service. As I thought about it, I almost couldn't believe I had come to church with any other mindset. Here I am a church planter and yet I was walking into a church thinking it was all about me.

So, let's get this straight right from the beginning. Northwest Community Church is not going to be about you and it's not about me. For those of us who are members of the launch team we might have to constantly remind ourselves of this lesson over and over again...We are planting a church that is all about Christ and is all about serving others. The amazing thing about this kind of attitude is that when unchurched people encounter Northwest Community Church they should get the feeling that it's all about them because we will have such a radical atmosphere of serving. Let's change each other to relearn the lesson that "It is not about you."

Cast and Trust

The church plant fund is finally starting to make some traction. This week we crossed the 30K mark which was a huge encouragement to the entire launch team. As most of you know, Grand Avenue Baptist Church is serving as a partner with us by temporarily receiving all of the donations for NCC and helping us file as a non-profit corporation. When I spoke to Don Lehman (Business Administrator at Grand) this week he gave me an update on the fund total which included a private/anonymous gift from someone for $7,500. I am truly grateful for the generosity of people as they give to the launch of a new church which has the potential to impact hundreds for Christ.

Obviously we still have more money to raise, but I do not intend to change my approach one bit...and that is to keep casting the vision for Northwest Community Church and trust God to prompt the right individuals to give. Likewise, this week I had the opportunity to meet with my good friend and mentor, Eddie Mayfield, who gave me some advice on how to approach influential businessmen with request for money. Eddie's advice:

1. Be direct. Get to the point.
2. Show them you've got a clear plan/strategy, but realize that they don't want to know every single detail of the plan.
3. Explain the need and ask them if they can help meet that need.

At this point, I plan to pursue my leads with some businessmen in the Atlanta and Chattanooga areas, but please don't hesitate to send me the name/contact info of other businessmen who could potentially be used by God to help launch NCC.