I just finished filling out a loan application. It is for the same lender who financed the original purchase of our property at 144th and Zuni in 2004.
The nature of applications is to acquire lots of data by asking lots of questions. The lender is trying to establish how much risk they would be exposed to if they loan you money for your endeavor. They evaluate that risk from many different angles.
Answering these questions made me think back on the history of this project. It is extremely humbling to think of the selfless contributions of so many people who have made this endeavor possible. Tim Dally (the founding pastor of Discovery), the orignial members of the land search team, Mike Emmert (the real estate consultant with CDF who contributed his invaluable knowledge and experience to move us along on this journey), the volunteers who organized and ran our initial capital funds drive, and many more.
It is relatively easy to ask questions about revenue and attendance and leadership structures to evaluate the "risk" involved in loaning money to a church to build a facility. It is safe and scientific to "run the numbers" and arrive at loan-to-value scenarios that work for the lender and borrower. Any prudent lender does this well, and a wise borrower understands the importance of knowing the fiscal dangers of borrowed money.
The difficult thing to evaluate in a loan application are the intangibles that are inherent in a faith-based organization. What question can you ask to obtain a loyalty factor, or a determination quotiant? Where is the formula to figure out motivation and drive? And most importantly, how do you calculate the amount of faith it takes to bridge the gap between what people can do together, and what only God can do?
Jesus once said that a mustard seed-sized quatity of faith could cause a mountain to be moved. I hope that when we run the numbers we are one mustard seed short. Seeing a mountain move would be an awesome experience.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Pastor, do I have a deal for you...
This entry is actually from a guest writer, the lead pastor of Discovery Church and my persistant partner in this noble endeavor, Steve Cuss. He expresses some mutual feelings in this posting...
Late last week, my trusty 12 year old Passat started to give me hints that a new clutch would be in order soon. The clutch bearing is getting loose, which transmits right through the pedal to a non commital spongy sensation in my foot. The dilmena is simple: do I drop $1000 new clutch into a car worth $1800 and risk something else going wrong tomorrow, or do I spend $7000 or so into a used car now? Well, I'm not sure which way I'll go yet, but I've stopped by three car dealers of dubious variety to test drive what $7000 buys now days, which isn't a lot. Used car dealers have an earned reputation and two out of these three dealers did not dissapoint. They were aggressive, pushy, obnoxious and determined to get me into a new set of wheels before I left the lot. One of them even chased after me into the parking lot. "Mr Cuss, what do we need to do to earn your business today," he shouted as I drove away...
But its what you expect. It goes with the territory. I have an agenda of test driving cars to see if I want to buy one. They have the agenda of making as much money from me as they can. That's business, pure and simple.
Having worked in various ways on our land and building project for two years now, I have come to conclude that Christian business is seriously flawed. In "Christian" business, everyone claims that their agenda is always, always in my best interest. Everyone claims that they have some secret knowledge/connection/discount/money that people in the rest of the world don't have access to. In Christian business, people are comfortable being pushy, obnoxious and aggressive because they claim that they are serving me/our church/God's Kingdom.
As a pastor, I'd like to come clean. I'm sick of it. I'm tired of dealing in "Christian" business. To be concise, I've dealt with many Christians who are also business people, and with some exceptions, I have no beef with them. Its the folks who push their business as a "Kingdom" business designed for my benefit. With those folks, I have run out of patience. The cynical part of me wonders how many of them have discovered that there is a ton of money to be made from churches, and just enough wide eyed innocent pastors to go around.
I am no longer one of them.
You see, word is out that our church is looking to build. I'm getting cold calls from technicians, architects, finance companies, owner's reps, contractors. All of these folks have other folks they want to put me in touch with....right away....as if my soul somehow depends on it. In the early days, I took many of those meetings and I would patiently listen to the same buzz words over and over again: creative financing, out of the box development, scalable design, and the best buzz word of all: value engineering.
Give me a break. Give me a business man or woman who's intent is to provide a quality product or service at a reasonable cost. Let them compete against others for our dollars. Let's keep it at that, can we? If that person happens to be a Christian, great! But please, no more of the Christian Business approach. No more talk of serving the Kingdom when I know you're making a profit - the very profit you are entitled to simply because you are in business. No more talk of my interests or helping our church with some unique approach that isn't unique at all. We're trying to build a church here and you're too much of a distraction.
Late last week, my trusty 12 year old Passat started to give me hints that a new clutch would be in order soon. The clutch bearing is getting loose, which transmits right through the pedal to a non commital spongy sensation in my foot. The dilmena is simple: do I drop $1000 new clutch into a car worth $1800 and risk something else going wrong tomorrow, or do I spend $7000 or so into a used car now? Well, I'm not sure which way I'll go yet, but I've stopped by three car dealers of dubious variety to test drive what $7000 buys now days, which isn't a lot. Used car dealers have an earned reputation and two out of these three dealers did not dissapoint. They were aggressive, pushy, obnoxious and determined to get me into a new set of wheels before I left the lot. One of them even chased after me into the parking lot. "Mr Cuss, what do we need to do to earn your business today," he shouted as I drove away...
But its what you expect. It goes with the territory. I have an agenda of test driving cars to see if I want to buy one. They have the agenda of making as much money from me as they can. That's business, pure and simple.
Having worked in various ways on our land and building project for two years now, I have come to conclude that Christian business is seriously flawed. In "Christian" business, everyone claims that their agenda is always, always in my best interest. Everyone claims that they have some secret knowledge/connection/discount/money that people in the rest of the world don't have access to. In Christian business, people are comfortable being pushy, obnoxious and aggressive because they claim that they are serving me/our church/God's Kingdom.
As a pastor, I'd like to come clean. I'm sick of it. I'm tired of dealing in "Christian" business. To be concise, I've dealt with many Christians who are also business people, and with some exceptions, I have no beef with them. Its the folks who push their business as a "Kingdom" business designed for my benefit. With those folks, I have run out of patience. The cynical part of me wonders how many of them have discovered that there is a ton of money to be made from churches, and just enough wide eyed innocent pastors to go around.
I am no longer one of them.
You see, word is out that our church is looking to build. I'm getting cold calls from technicians, architects, finance companies, owner's reps, contractors. All of these folks have other folks they want to put me in touch with....right away....as if my soul somehow depends on it. In the early days, I took many of those meetings and I would patiently listen to the same buzz words over and over again: creative financing, out of the box development, scalable design, and the best buzz word of all: value engineering.
Give me a break. Give me a business man or woman who's intent is to provide a quality product or service at a reasonable cost. Let them compete against others for our dollars. Let's keep it at that, can we? If that person happens to be a Christian, great! But please, no more of the Christian Business approach. No more talk of serving the Kingdom when I know you're making a profit - the very profit you are entitled to simply because you are in business. No more talk of my interests or helping our church with some unique approach that isn't unique at all. We're trying to build a church here and you're too much of a distraction.
Monday, September 3, 2007
Lunch with Glen…
I had the opportunity to take a WWII veteran to lunch today. Glen is 80-something years old and has a job as a security person in the office building where I work. He brought a photo album of his battleship, the U.S.S. North Carolina. His ship provided naval firepower during the Battle of Iwo Jima. An aircraft carrier in his group was struck by a kamikaze plane. Their ship was at sea for 138 days without seeing land. Glen actually shook hands with FDR. It was fascinating to hear his stories and know that this was someone who served our country in the defining conflict of the last century.
Glen was in Japan for the signing of the surrender that ended the war aboard the North Carolina. However, in spite of her wartime accomplishments the North Carolina was not chosen as the stage for the signing of the final surrender of the War in the Pacific. The newly commissioned U.S.S. Missouri was chosen for that honor. This ship had arrived in the Pacific Theater in December of 1944 – only 9 months before the fighting ended. Glen said that the crew of the North Carolina was more than a little bit jealous.
It is easy to feel jealous of those who have accomplished something that you have desired yourself. It's hard to see others reach the finish line before you. I have personally turned a little green when other church projects receive approval, complete construction, and open their doors while we wait for our turn. To correct my misguided emotions it is important to be reminded that the success of other churches is a win for the Kingdom. The ultimate final surrender is still being negotiated, and the stage will be irrelevant. All will know, all will see and all will bow to Jesus Christ our Lord.
Glen was in Japan for the signing of the surrender that ended the war aboard the North Carolina. However, in spite of her wartime accomplishments the North Carolina was not chosen as the stage for the signing of the final surrender of the War in the Pacific. The newly commissioned U.S.S. Missouri was chosen for that honor. This ship had arrived in the Pacific Theater in December of 1944 – only 9 months before the fighting ended. Glen said that the crew of the North Carolina was more than a little bit jealous.
It is easy to feel jealous of those who have accomplished something that you have desired yourself. It's hard to see others reach the finish line before you. I have personally turned a little green when other church projects receive approval, complete construction, and open their doors while we wait for our turn. To correct my misguided emotions it is important to be reminded that the success of other churches is a win for the Kingdom. The ultimate final surrender is still being negotiated, and the stage will be irrelevant. All will know, all will see and all will bow to Jesus Christ our Lord.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
There Goes the Neighborhood…
On our journey from portable to permanent we have met a number of people along the way. Some of those people live in the immediate vicinity of where we plan to construct a church facility. Some of those people are concerned about the impacts a project like this will have on their neighborhood and their way of life. Can you blame them?
As in many growing communities, churches have no place that is set aside specifically for them. They are not welcome in areas set aside for commercial or industrial uses. They are typically competing for land that is at the edges of residential development and along major traffic corridors. This land-use scenario often brings churches into conflict with residential neighbors who have concerns about traffic, noise and light, and other impacts of the operation of church in their neighborhood. These are the very same neighbors the church is hoping to serve in their new location.
Since the conflict is inevitable, the best hope for peaceful church/neighborhood relationships is found through open dialogue. This dialogue can bring a perspective to the project that may be lacking from the church’s vantage point. It is an opportunity to rub elbows and learn from each other.
Of course, there can be unreasonable expectations. There are always the proverbial N.I.M.B.Ys (Not In My Back Yard). However, it should not be assumed that anyone who voices a concern over scope, scale, sight and sound is an enemy. They may be a constructive critic who deserves to be heard.
By the way – a “for sale” sign just went up on the property adjacent to my back yard. You can bet I’ll be keeping an eye out for developments – and raising my voice if necessary to protect my sight lines and noise levels.
As in many growing communities, churches have no place that is set aside specifically for them. They are not welcome in areas set aside for commercial or industrial uses. They are typically competing for land that is at the edges of residential development and along major traffic corridors. This land-use scenario often brings churches into conflict with residential neighbors who have concerns about traffic, noise and light, and other impacts of the operation of church in their neighborhood. These are the very same neighbors the church is hoping to serve in their new location.
Since the conflict is inevitable, the best hope for peaceful church/neighborhood relationships is found through open dialogue. This dialogue can bring a perspective to the project that may be lacking from the church’s vantage point. It is an opportunity to rub elbows and learn from each other.
Of course, there can be unreasonable expectations. There are always the proverbial N.I.M.B.Ys (Not In My Back Yard). However, it should not be assumed that anyone who voices a concern over scope, scale, sight and sound is an enemy. They may be a constructive critic who deserves to be heard.
By the way – a “for sale” sign just went up on the property adjacent to my back yard. You can bet I’ll be keeping an eye out for developments – and raising my voice if necessary to protect my sight lines and noise levels.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Anti-Church Bias…
Are communities really against having churches build, grow and prosper in their midst? If so, is it because they are “anti-church”? Over the past 13 years I have been involved in a number of conversations about this topic. In many of these conversations local governments and community groups have been portrayed as being an obstacle, if not an enemy, to the “work of the Kingdom” as represented in a church’s desire to buy land, build, or expand a facility to accommodate growth in attendance. Is this an actual reality in our culture, or is it the overactive imagination of hassled church leaders?
In two different instances, in two different states I have had very positive interactions with the local AHJ (Authorities Having Jurisdiction). Based on these experiences, I offer up a couple of thoughts. The first is that church leaders need to better understand the role of local governments in making decisions about land use, zoning, community development and growth. Churches contemplating land purchases or building projects can avoid a lot of issues by starting discussions with local government officials. Planning departments, zoning officers, and development directors have a major stake in any land-use project proposed in their community. Every community has a process for gaining approval for these types of projects. Learning what the process looks like and making efforts to work within the process can help create good will, and help with the success of the project.
It is no secret that most churches do not have vast financial resources at their disposal when they are looking to buy or build. Resource allocation is a challenge as everyone looks to get the maximum return for their dollar. Making sure that an appropriate amount of resources (time and money) are set aside to participate fully in the community planning and approval process can pay big dividends.
Are there reasons why local governments seem to be less than enthusiastic about church projects? Tax revenue is certainly a factor. Churches are a tax revenue drain on a community. They pay no property taxes and generate no sales tax revenue, while requiring government services and infrastructure. However, most local officials understand that churches provide a “service” to the community that is positive and appreciated by many citizens. More often than not, local government officials have had negative experiences with church projects that are poorly planned and combative in nature.
At the beginning of this project we received some very helpful advice from a seasoned real estate professional. We have met with city officials and planning staff on many occasions and are committed to taking a prepared, professional approach to the approval process. We look forward to a day when Discovery’s project will be approved in a vote by the city council. I’m not sure they will all be “pro-church” but we can do our part to help make their job as painless as possible.
Next Post – There goes the Neighborhood!
In two different instances, in two different states I have had very positive interactions with the local AHJ (Authorities Having Jurisdiction). Based on these experiences, I offer up a couple of thoughts. The first is that church leaders need to better understand the role of local governments in making decisions about land use, zoning, community development and growth. Churches contemplating land purchases or building projects can avoid a lot of issues by starting discussions with local government officials. Planning departments, zoning officers, and development directors have a major stake in any land-use project proposed in their community. Every community has a process for gaining approval for these types of projects. Learning what the process looks like and making efforts to work within the process can help create good will, and help with the success of the project.
It is no secret that most churches do not have vast financial resources at their disposal when they are looking to buy or build. Resource allocation is a challenge as everyone looks to get the maximum return for their dollar. Making sure that an appropriate amount of resources (time and money) are set aside to participate fully in the community planning and approval process can pay big dividends.
Are there reasons why local governments seem to be less than enthusiastic about church projects? Tax revenue is certainly a factor. Churches are a tax revenue drain on a community. They pay no property taxes and generate no sales tax revenue, while requiring government services and infrastructure. However, most local officials understand that churches provide a “service” to the community that is positive and appreciated by many citizens. More often than not, local government officials have had negative experiences with church projects that are poorly planned and combative in nature.
At the beginning of this project we received some very helpful advice from a seasoned real estate professional. We have met with city officials and planning staff on many occasions and are committed to taking a prepared, professional approach to the approval process. We look forward to a day when Discovery’s project will be approved in a vote by the city council. I’m not sure they will all be “pro-church” but we can do our part to help make their job as painless as possible.
Next Post – There goes the Neighborhood!
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Planning…
Planning is a huge part of my job. I just left a planning meeting with key stakeholders I am working on for the company who employs me. I said that, “I would rather spend the time now to get it right than to spend more time trying to fix it later.” The other people in the meeting laughed and said they felt the same way.
Chances are there will still be something we will need to fix later. There always is. Not even the wisest among us can see all ends, and the most patient among us still longs to move forward. Planning is important, but it does not get the project done.
We have spent years planning a facility for our church. We began planning before we ever purchased the property. We continued planning after we closed the real estate deal. We deal with a department of the city government called the “planning” department. We even have our own planner assigned to this project. Sometimes it seems like all we do is plan. We do want to spend the time now to get it right. We don’t want to have to fix it later. However; even the most patient among us wants to move it forward.
That time is coming. So is Jesus. Some days I wonder which one will get here first. Most days I believe the we will. Although I’m pretty sure it would be OK if I were wrong.
Chances are there will still be something we will need to fix later. There always is. Not even the wisest among us can see all ends, and the most patient among us still longs to move forward. Planning is important, but it does not get the project done.
We have spent years planning a facility for our church. We began planning before we ever purchased the property. We continued planning after we closed the real estate deal. We deal with a department of the city government called the “planning” department. We even have our own planner assigned to this project. Sometimes it seems like all we do is plan. We do want to spend the time now to get it right. We don’t want to have to fix it later. However; even the most patient among us wants to move it forward.
That time is coming. So is Jesus. Some days I wonder which one will get here first. Most days I believe the we will. Although I’m pretty sure it would be OK if I were wrong.
More planning…
Any successful endeavor involves some degree of planning. I had no idea how much would go into trying to build a church.
Several years ago, my family was involved in starting a church in Lancaster PA. After a couple of years of portable existence our move to permanence took the form of a remodeling project. A former light industrial/warehouse building was transformed into a small church facility. We gutted the building down to the floor, walls and roof and started over. It all seems kind of spontaneous now looking back. We had one appearance in front of the municipal council to get permission. We submitting building plans to get a permit and we were good to go. We tackled a lot of issues on the fly, including raising money to cover expenses. Five months later we were holding services in the building (and rapidly outgrowing it).
The scope of this project is exponentially larger. We have site planning that needs to be done. We have neighborhood and city planning meetings to attend. We will stand before city council at least two more times before we will be able to submit drawings to get building permits. We have already planned and executed one capital campaign, and are preparing for a second.
Christians often speak of the activity of God in terms of planning. We reference a “plan of salvation” and casually comment on God’s “plan for his Kingdom.” On a more personal level we evaluate God’s “plan for our lives”. If the planning we do is directly related to how much we care about a project’s outcome, how much does this planning by God say about his concern for this planet, His Kingdom and our lives?
The exciting part of all of this is getting to plan for our growth as a church. Careful planning can help Discovery maximize the opportunities that will come as a result of a permanent location. Thoughtful planning will help the church retain its identity, vision and values when it changes locations. Prayerful planning now will help us be in alignment with God’s plan.
That is a reassuring thought.
Several years ago, my family was involved in starting a church in Lancaster PA. After a couple of years of portable existence our move to permanence took the form of a remodeling project. A former light industrial/warehouse building was transformed into a small church facility. We gutted the building down to the floor, walls and roof and started over. It all seems kind of spontaneous now looking back. We had one appearance in front of the municipal council to get permission. We submitting building plans to get a permit and we were good to go. We tackled a lot of issues on the fly, including raising money to cover expenses. Five months later we were holding services in the building (and rapidly outgrowing it).
The scope of this project is exponentially larger. We have site planning that needs to be done. We have neighborhood and city planning meetings to attend. We will stand before city council at least two more times before we will be able to submit drawings to get building permits. We have already planned and executed one capital campaign, and are preparing for a second.
Christians often speak of the activity of God in terms of planning. We reference a “plan of salvation” and casually comment on God’s “plan for his Kingdom.” On a more personal level we evaluate God’s “plan for our lives”. If the planning we do is directly related to how much we care about a project’s outcome, how much does this planning by God say about his concern for this planet, His Kingdom and our lives?
The exciting part of all of this is getting to plan for our growth as a church. Careful planning can help Discovery maximize the opportunities that will come as a result of a permanent location. Thoughtful planning will help the church retain its identity, vision and values when it changes locations. Prayerful planning now will help us be in alignment with God’s plan.
That is a reassuring thought.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
More background…
We started over five years ago. After no one could find the 50 acres with the lake, someone decided it would be a good idea to get a real estate professional working with us on this project. By that time, it had become my responsibility to lead the team who was looking into our permanence. Lots of people have contributed to this effort over the years. All of them have been talented, passionate and have left their mark on this process. I have been fortunate enough to remain engaged for a long time. Others have as well.
One of these others was our real estate professional. We’ll call her Liz. The first time I met with Liz I was a little apprehensive. I wasn’t sure that we were ready for this step. It meant that we were really serious about finding a piece of property – not just dreaming stuff up in meetings. Liz immediately reassured me with her friendliness and her interest in our situation. Not just the real estate stuff, but our whole situation. We spent a lot of time just talking about church and family. We still do. Liz also reassured me that her services would not cost me anything. This was particularly welcome news since I did not even know if I had a budget at that point. This was uncharted territory for me and the church.
This turned out to be one of the best decisions we have made in our quest for permanence. Liz has proved to be capable, flexible, determined and encouraging. Together, with the help of many other people, we did broker a real estate deal that closed in 2005, and has been a source of amazement to me ever since. We have continued to work together to find the right people to work with us in developing this property. We continue to talk about important things like spirituality and family.
I hope we always will.
One of these others was our real estate professional. We’ll call her Liz. The first time I met with Liz I was a little apprehensive. I wasn’t sure that we were ready for this step. It meant that we were really serious about finding a piece of property – not just dreaming stuff up in meetings. Liz immediately reassured me with her friendliness and her interest in our situation. Not just the real estate stuff, but our whole situation. We spent a lot of time just talking about church and family. We still do. Liz also reassured me that her services would not cost me anything. This was particularly welcome news since I did not even know if I had a budget at that point. This was uncharted territory for me and the church.
This turned out to be one of the best decisions we have made in our quest for permanence. Liz has proved to be capable, flexible, determined and encouraging. Together, with the help of many other people, we did broker a real estate deal that closed in 2005, and has been a source of amazement to me ever since. We have continued to work together to find the right people to work with us in developing this property. We continue to talk about important things like spirituality and family.
I hope we always will.
False starts…
I still can’t believe the opportunity that we have as a church to utilize this exceptional piece of property. It is ideally suited for us in many ways. Finding it was no accident. It is the result of Divine guidance, good advice, hard work and a little bit of luck. We weren’t always so fortunate.
Discovery began meeting in the spring of 1999. We were meeting at Centarus High School in Lafayette. In the summer of 2000, a group was formed to begin exploring real-estate possibilities for a permanent location for the church. The search criteria were somewhat vague and the geographic parameters were loose. At some point this group began to define their own profile of an acceptable property. It was 50 acres with a lake on it.
I’m sure it was beautiful – but no one ever found it.
Discovery began meeting in the spring of 1999. We were meeting at Centarus High School in Lafayette. In the summer of 2000, a group was formed to begin exploring real-estate possibilities for a permanent location for the church. The search criteria were somewhat vague and the geographic parameters were loose. At some point this group began to define their own profile of an acceptable property. It was 50 acres with a lake on it.
I’m sure it was beautiful – but no one ever found it.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Why bother?
The reasons for permanant vs. portable are many. There is the sociological perspective that until a church is located in a physical address of their own it is "unstable" or worse, "unsuccessful". There is a stigma attached to portability, fair or otherwise that churches experience. The nomadic life was great for our spiritual ancestors like Abraham, Issac and Jacob - but God's promise to them was one of occupation, ownership and permanance. The desire for permanance is part of our spiritual heritage.
There is a financial rationale to consider. It could be argued that a church could save itself the time, energy and financial resources that are consumed by facility mortgages and maintenance costs. However, like the family that rents a home rather than buying one - the costs of living are still there. Rent is money that provides a fixed benefit for a church. You pay the landlord and get a place to meet - most commonly a few hours on a Sunday morning. You are also constrained by the limitations of the facility being rented. It was probably not designed for the things a church is trying to accomplish (even if you rent another church). Even the church fortunate enough to find a facility that can be rented for full-time use, will often find themselves constrained by zoning regulations, covenants, or architectural design from being truly at home in a rental environment.
Do not misunderstand me here - I have nothing but the greatest respect for the unsung heros of faith who set it up and tear it down every week for the sake of the Kingdom!!! These nomads have blazed trails for countless souls who have found the local school, movie theater, strip mall or warehouse as their point of entry into God's grace and peace. We need more trailblazers - not less.
All that being said, I think the most compelling reason for me to pursue the permanant has little to do with sociology or the church's balance sheet. For many churches the move to a place of their own is a journey of faith that opens us up to the possibility of the supernatural occuring in the suburbs. This is often the place where the numbers don't add up, and the forces of society seem to be insurmountable - but we look for God to show up in the loan application and the neighborhood meetings and the zoning process - and He does!
The realtor who has worked with us on our project for 5 years now has used a phrase to sign off her emails. “Stop telling God how big the storm is. Instead, tell the storm how big God is.”
I think that phrase captures it pretty well...
There is a financial rationale to consider. It could be argued that a church could save itself the time, energy and financial resources that are consumed by facility mortgages and maintenance costs. However, like the family that rents a home rather than buying one - the costs of living are still there. Rent is money that provides a fixed benefit for a church. You pay the landlord and get a place to meet - most commonly a few hours on a Sunday morning. You are also constrained by the limitations of the facility being rented. It was probably not designed for the things a church is trying to accomplish (even if you rent another church). Even the church fortunate enough to find a facility that can be rented for full-time use, will often find themselves constrained by zoning regulations, covenants, or architectural design from being truly at home in a rental environment.
Do not misunderstand me here - I have nothing but the greatest respect for the unsung heros of faith who set it up and tear it down every week for the sake of the Kingdom!!! These nomads have blazed trails for countless souls who have found the local school, movie theater, strip mall or warehouse as their point of entry into God's grace and peace. We need more trailblazers - not less.
All that being said, I think the most compelling reason for me to pursue the permanant has little to do with sociology or the church's balance sheet. For many churches the move to a place of their own is a journey of faith that opens us up to the possibility of the supernatural occuring in the suburbs. This is often the place where the numbers don't add up, and the forces of society seem to be insurmountable - but we look for God to show up in the loan application and the neighborhood meetings and the zoning process - and He does!
The realtor who has worked with us on our project for 5 years now has used a phrase to sign off her emails. “Stop telling God how big the storm is. Instead, tell the storm how big God is.”
I think that phrase captures it pretty well...
Friday, June 15, 2007
Getting started
Creating a blog about this project has been a lot like the project itself... a really cool idea, but easy to get bogged down in the details.
Now that we are up and running with the blog there is so much to tell about trying to build a church. I'll try to keep the tone light and the details relevant. It really is a journey of faith, bolstered by the help of exceptional people, fueled by a passion to be a part of something significant, timeless and different at the same time.
It all started over 5 years ago...
Now that we are up and running with the blog there is so much to tell about trying to build a church. I'll try to keep the tone light and the details relevant. It really is a journey of faith, bolstered by the help of exceptional people, fueled by a passion to be a part of something significant, timeless and different at the same time.
It all started over 5 years ago...
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