8.27.2009

1st Meeting!!

Well what can I say, God is amazing. You know how you have something all built up in your head? You have this picture of what things will be like, and then God totally blows your idea up. For the back story, Shaina and I have been praying for a long time that God would build this church and that He would do it for His glory. Specifically we have prayed that God would raise up a core team and that He would lay the idea of a new church on people's hearts. That is exactly what He has been doing and we got to see first hand evidence of this fact tonight.

We had 21 people at our house tonight sharing and praying together. I had the privilege of sharing vision for Journey the Way. We dismissed at around 9:00 and most people stayed for another hour talking and getting to know one another. At one point in the night we broke up into groups and got to know each other a little better and to pray for each other. It was cool to hear stories of how God had brought each one to this meeting at this time in this place, with a desire to see this church planted.

I want to thank each and every one of you who prayed for us tonight, and ask that you continue to pray for us on Thursday nights. I know that this is a big commitment, and I know that this is how some of you will be a huge part of what God is doing here in Wichita.

For the Praise of His glory,
Chad

8.25.2009

Core Team Meetings

Well it is finally here. Thursday at 6:30 we (Journey The Way) will have our first core team meeting. I am totally stoked and a little nervous. I think we will have at least 15 there and could have as many as 25, only God knows for sure. I am writing this post to ask for prayer for this night. I am looking for at least 10 people to commit to pray for our meeting on thursday.

Pray that God will:
1. Lead us where He wants us to go.
2. Be the focus of all we do.
3. Spur hearts to fall more in love with Him.
4. Speak through me and also keep me from saying anything stupid.
5. Continue to bring more team members.
6. Clearly identify some leaders.

If you are willing to pray for us while we meet please either email me or post a reply.

For the praise of His glory,
Chad

8.14.2009

Update on Planting

God is amazing! I could stop there and let that sum up my thoughts on the update, but I will go into more detail. We have been praying for three major things since we started, people, resources, and Wichita. I want to give you an update on all fronts.

People: God has been bringing several people to join our core team. We will officially start meeting on the 27th of this month. Pray for God to bring who He wants to this meeting. We could have anywhere from 12-35 people at that meeting.

Resources: God has been faithful in our fundraising efforts. We have had two new churches who have come on board to partner with. We are in talks with another church here in Wichita and our hope is that they will partner with us. This would be a good fit. Please pray that this partnership happens.

Wichita: God is in the process of doing a lot in this city. It is clear that there is an entire generation that is longing for a Gospel expression in their language. There are all kinds of College students who have no church to call their own. There are real problems in this city, but God is clearly at work. The more people we talk to the more we learn about how God is preparing to use Journey the Way. Pray that God continues to teach us about this city, and that He teaches us how to contextualize the Gospel for this city.

Chad

Turn The World Up Side Down

I wanted to take a post to share the notes from a talk I did last week at DCF. DCF is a bible study that meets at Mead's Corner in Wichita KS, every tuesday night at 8:00pm. I need to do a real post soon. I will be in Seattle all this next week. Anyways here are the notes:

Turn the World Up Side Down

Text: Matthew 28:16-20 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Our Motivation: The Glory of God

- Illustration:

- Text: V. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted.

- Translation: We must first and foremost notice what the disciples did when they gathered to receive their final command. The worship Jesus the risen savior.

- We can’t overlook this, because it is the basis or the motivation for the disciples going forward.

- Often times our motivation for making disciples or sharing our faith is in order to earn favor from God.

- Or we share b/c people are perishing, and while that is a great motivation it isn’t the greatest motivation.

- Our foundational motivation for making disciples needs to be for the Glory of God. SO that Christ is exalted.

- Application: Our motivation for making disciples must be the Glory of God.

- If we are motivated by anything else we miss the point.

Our Warrant: All Authority

- Illustration: I love Law and Order…they are always trying to get a search warrant…We have our warrant…

- Text: V. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

- Translation: Because Jesus is risen, He has ALL AUTHORITY. God has given Jesus all the authority.

- This means that there is nowhere we tread that is not His.

- Application: This is in essence our warrant, which enables us to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

- For us this means that though our message may seem offensive to some, and people label us intolerant we have been given the authority.

- Now this isn’t a license to be belligerent or unloving.

Our Mission: Make Disciples Everywhere

- Illustration:

- Text: V. 19-20a Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

- Translation: Our mission is literally to as we go make disciples everywhere.

- Two aspect to this call:

o 1. We do this as we go: the implication here is that we are all on mission, and that our field is wherever we are going. Discipleship is a lifestyle more than a class.

o 2. We are to make disciples: this means that we share the gospel and teach people to live like Jesus. Making Disciples is more like an apprenticeship than a degree.

- Application: Who are the people you come into contact with as you go in life? How can you diciple them?

- Do you view discipleship more as class? How can you use the relationships and the time you have to help people journey toward God?

Our Partner: God The Holy Spirit

- Illustration: Have someone attempt to jump over a dollar while holding onto their toes…Part of the problem with making disciples is that we see it as an a task we can handle…we reason that we will simply share the things that we “do” in order to walk with God…As if we had anything to do with it…Or we see it as an impossible task…Either way we need a partner.

- Text: V. 20b And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

- Translation: We don’t go alone. Jesus is with us in the form of His Holy Spirit.

- Notice too that He is with us always, which means forever and at all times.

- This mission is ours but not ours alone.

- We represent Him and He goes with us.

- He is with us to the end of the age and then we get to go be with Him.

- Application: We need not fear for He is with us, and we must remember that He is the one with ALL Authority, and that He is with us!

- We shouldn’t fear messing up, or saying the wrong things.

- The Disciples were fear filled men, and as soon as the received the Spirit Peter, who was once fearful, boldly proclaimed the Gospel. This is made possible b/c He is with us.


Chad

8.08.2009

Core Team Meetings

To all of you who follow the blog and live in the Wichita area I want to invite you to be a part of our core team. We will officially begin meeting on Thursday night Aug. 27th at 6:30. We will have a meal then spend some time in the word, while getting to know each other. I would love to know if you plan to attend, so please find a way to let me know if you are coming. We will meet at our house in Andover, for now that is.

Chad