Saying yes to church planting

Last week I kicked off the year with a post about saying “yes” to God. If you haven’t read it  you can do so here. In it I encouraged you erase the excuses and make the decision to follow God right where you are. If you’re a new follower of my blog or haven’t quite figured it out yet, the entries I write are usually outpourings of things God is personally dealing with me on; last week’s post was no different. And with that, I have an announcement to make…

2014 is the year my husband, Edwin and I say YES to planting a church in Hampton, VA.

Now  to the list of wife, mom, daughter, friend I can add church planter. Talk about things you never saw coming!

So what is church planting? – Some people refer to it as starting a church, others call it church planting. Both terms refer to the establishment of a new ministry. I personally like the phrase church planting because it reminds me of seeds being planted in the ground. When a farmer plants an apple seed he cannot force it to sprout and produce life. All he can do is water and cultivate the land, giving it the best opportunity for life. The same is true with us. Edwin and I are simply planting the seed. It is God who will cause life to sprout and grow.

Why another church? – Over the years I have been guilty of asking this very question when told that someone was starting their “own” church. If your city is anything like mine you can’t drive too far without running into a church building. Here, there are often two or three on the same block! But even with all of these physical church structures there are still people who don’t know about Jesus. They haven’t heard of Him and some will never feel comfortable enough to walk into the doors of the churches they drive by weekly. We feel that God is calling us to plant a life giving church to reach those who fall into this category. To provide ministry that is easy to understand, inviting and removes the barriers of entry. You ask “why”, I say “why not”.

Follow our journey: Over the next few months I will use this blog to give insight on the life of a church planter’s wife. My hope is that doing so will not bring esteem to me but will encourage you, the reader. My prayer is that our experiences this year will reveal the steadfastness and faithfulness of God and will motivate you to say “yes” to Him too. I’ll also share more information about the vision of the church and information on how you or someone you know can get involved. I’m not sure what lies ahead but I am confident in the God who has called us. He will not leave us alone on this journey and He won’t leave you alone on yours either.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. – Deuteronomy 31:6