A brief blog about the past 2 years...
Let me just say that I am blown away at the power that God has the ability to display through willing vessels for His Kingdoms Work! Its been awhile since Ive got in detail about the specifics that God is doing in my life and in the life of the church Hes called me to plant. In this blog I will share the more personal things that I see and go through as I strive to follow God in His establishing this church.
Right now God is still in the process of answering a prayer I submitted to Him about a year ago. My prayer was perhaps strange to some and it went like this, "God I thank you for the harvest You've given me but I need help!" The dynamic of Grace Baptist Fellowship in our first year in operation consisted of unchurched, lost, outta churchers, and people of other denominations. The first year in my ministry consisted of reaching people for Jesus (the gospel). The problem is there was just one of me and so many that God was sending me. I realized that in and amongst myself it would take me years to disciple the people that God had given me (no disrespect to anyone, discipleship is a process for all.) It took Jesus about 3 and a half years to teach His disciples His Will for their lives and Im NO JESUS!) About this time I found out that a good sound bible teaching church in the area was having some internal problems (by the way THERE IS NO PERFECT CHURCH and Grace isnt perfect!) As a result we had started to have some visitors that were very strong in their foundation in Gods Word and had a very close personal relationship with Jesus in their everyday lives. At first I must admit I got scared! We had at least 8 new families coming out to Grace and they were churched and were looking for a place to serve God. This seemed to good to be true but why? Gods Word is clear on how God works! Was it so strange that God had heard my request and even answered it? YES YES YES! In the past 8 months I have had the privilege of sitting down with over 15 churched familes looking for a place that is relevantly teaching and preaching the Word of God (YES EVEN UP HERE IN THE NORTH!!!) This has been a very intense but rewarding experience for me. With each family Chrissy and I have to sit down and go over what it is we believe and are doing in the church that God has called us to plant. Now I have said alot about the new and everyone of our newer familes at Grace are God Sends!!!
Now to focus on our veterans! From the very beginning of our church planting experience Gods Word and His Spirit affected the lives of some very important people in our stage of the game. (I know the work of the Lord is no game excuse my analogy) I even began to see future leaders in our church! I saw people who before didnt even think about going to church or opening up about the realities and pains of life. I saw people establishing relationship with Jesus Christ and trying to really figure out what life was all about as one of Gods children (by the way this was such an exciting time in my ministry, its where the rubber meets the road!)
One thing I found out quick here is that in a new church plant you cant preach or even talk the same way as you would in a church that I was used to pastoring. No one understands church lingo in AR up in NJ
What I had to focus on was the milk and the foundations of Gods Word (this too was a very exciting time in my ministry and still is today!) What I saw and continue to see is this, "Gods Word is POWERFUL and His Spirit is alive and well!" Through willing vessels of His, God is slowly but surly building His church! I am excited about this new season here at Grace! God is developing new ministries and using more people for His honor and glory! Im praying that the Word of God will lead the people of God to do what God has called us to do! Im praying that God will establish a self supporting church right here in NJ but it takes time...
Numbers...
Numbers are beginning to become a very discouraging thing. What I mean is this, "Im a numbers guy." I believe numbers are important because every body represents a soul. One thing I can say here at Grace is that numbers have been good from the very beginning. We started with 6 people and lost 3 of them early. We have seen slow and steady growth month by month since the very start. Whats the secret? Getting around people! Churchplanter, pastor, staff member you cant affect people if your shut inside the four walls of the office forever! In my first year I went out everyday and pretty much (eves dropped) on other peoples conversations looking for chances to politely slip on into the conversation (I know Im weird!) I believe that if we as Gods children are faithful in looking for opportunities to share of faith then God will bless our efforts even if its not with seeds that weve planted in specific people. I have shared God with people who have walked away and I still havent seen or heard from them even to this day but I have also seen people just come out to church and theres no rhyme or reason (its just GOD). If you make an attempt God will bless your efforts! Over the past six months our numbers have been extremely HIGH 80s 90s and 100s (Praise God because its Him doing it). One thing I want to say about church planting in New Jersey is this. Its going to take more then 2 and a half years to have a Self Supporting church here (or maybe its me of little faith). While pastoring in AR I noticed that I was right in the middle of the Bible Belt. There was a church of every kind for anybody. It was like WOW! Look at all these churches and people who are in the church! In our work we have LOTS of churches (not to many MEGA churches but there are ALOT of our churches in AR) I have seen churches of 25 people able to support a full time pastor. In fact its highly unlikely to see one of our sister churches in AR not self supporting if their running 100 people consistently. Let me say this, You cannot base our numbers (up here) with an established church in AR. Most of the people in churches of our Association are well educated in the Word and Praise God for bible preaching pastors! Most of our churches have been established for years even decades and have focused on discipling the people of God! When you see a person won to the Lord its not very often that the first thing they think of giving up is their MONEY. Their still trying to embrace the decision they have made to follow Jesus and to learn the very basics of His Word. In the past 3 months we have lost 2 churches because of numbers. Does this scare me? YES! Does God have everything in His control YES! Right now we are in a season of DISCIPLESHIP @ Grace. Please pray that God will continue to develop and equip us as a church.
Wow that was alot of typing I think Im done for today : )
