In John 17 Jesus prayed this prayer, “that they all (the church) may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.”
Unity among God’s people is the key to reaching the world for Jesus.
In June 2008, over 1800 churches from 28 different countries came together to pray together, fast together, and see God’s Kingdom expanded by planting churches together. As a result, nearly 700 churches were planted in Sudan, Cambodia, China, and India in the last year!
We are joining One Prayer this year for the month of June and are believing that God is going to do even greater things. Before we even planted River City Church, I felt that God wanted us to plant a church within the first year of our existence. I knew this was a word from God, because it didn’t make any sense in my mind. I knew it would be difficult to find the resources to plant a church before we were even fully off the ground ourselves. I even felt foolish telling people we were going to plant a church, because it seemed ridiculous. However, I decided to trust in God and I spoke this to the church in January at our Vision 2009 service. I said that we would plant a church, God willing, before the year was over.
Well, on June 28th we will be taking up an offering to contribute to the One Prayer movement. Our offering is going to help plant not one church, but more than 500 churches around the world. Here’s the best part: River City Church held it’s first ever service in Missoula on June 28th last year. We will be taking up an offering to help plant 500 churches exactly one year to the day!
Isaiah 55:10-11 says “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
God always does what he says he’s going to do. If he said he’s going to use RCC to plant a church within 1 year, then that is what he’s going to do. Period.
I have to admit this is not the way I thought it was going to happen when God told us to plant a church within our first year. However, as usual, God has even greater plans. Why wouldn’t we want to leverage our resources with other churches to bring God’s Kingdom here on earth? We can do so much more by partnering with other churches than we could ever do on our own!
We at RCC have set a goal of raising $1000 above and beyond our regular giving during the month of June to contribute to the One Prayer church planting initiative. Please pray about giving to this important initiative. Don’t ask God whether you should give, ask him how much you should give. Andrea and I are committing $200 above and beyond our usual giving. The only reason I’m telling you this is because I want to challenge you to give sacrificially to this cause. It’s worth it. It’s one of the reasons you’ve been placed on this earth, one of the reasons you’ve been blessed, so that you can bless others.
I don’t know how many people warned us that the original team that we planted our church with wouldn’t be there after a year. It was difficult for us to believe that, because our team was made up of our best friends. We couldn’t imagine being without them. However, for a variety of different reasons, we found ourselves 8 months into this thing with our original team gone. I’m actually very grateful that I was warned, because I prepared my heart. I told myself that if it did happen, that I would release and bless our team members as they moved on. I can see how it would be easy to get hurt and resentful when people leave you. But you’ve got to release them. It’s hard because when you pick up and move to plant a church, you feel very vulnerable. There are times you feel very alone, even when you’re surrounded by people. There is a temptation to put your trust in the people around you, particularly the ones you love. But you MUST resist. You have no control of the people around you. One guarantee, is that they will come and go. But God, God is forever. The grass withers, and flower fades away, but the word of God endures forever. One of the things I am learning as people come and go, is that God is. He never changes. He’s always there.
Interestingly enough, we’re going through our second round of transitions. The team of people that God brought us once we moved to Missoula is now slowly starting to leave us. Again, it’s for a variety of reasons. None have left because of conflict of any sort. There’s nothing that we could have done differently. So, I’m left with only one thing…trusting God. It’s hard when you have a small church with LOTS of needs. When you find someone who is gifted, you want to kidnap them and put them to work! But the only real option I have is to trust in God. Trust that He knows better than I. That his thoughts are higher than mine, and also his ways. Believe that because I’m willing to release and bless people as they leave, that He is going to bless us and multiply the people that we are sowing.
It’s all about perspective. You can sit around and have a pity party, trying to figure out if you’re doing something wrong, or why they’re leaving you. But if you choose to see it as sending out, then you are sowing seed that the bible says God will multiply.
So, I’m believing for bigger and better things to come. I’m believing for even greater people, if that’s possible. I believe that is the God that we serve. One who’s for us, not against us. One who has promised to build his church. One who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all we could ask or think. That’s my God, and the One who sees this not so much as a transition, but a positioning for blessing.
I just finished a book called “I’ll Have What She’s Having: The Ultimate Compliment To Any Woman Daring To Look Life In The Face” by Bobbie Houston of Hillsong Church. I know, you’re wondering why I read this book. I’m obviously not a woman. Well, it sort of happened by accident. I was sitting in the living room with my kids and this book was sitting in the magazine rack next to the sofa. I picked it up out of boredom and started to read it, and before I knew it, I had finished it. It was actually an excellent book.
Here’s the point: I can learn something from every person on this planet. Bobbie Houston actually had a lot to say about leadership. Her and her husband have been leading Hillsong Church in Australia for over 25 yrs. She should have something to say! When I think I can’t learn from someone, I have become unteachable. Heck, I can probably learn something from Charles Manson. It may be what not to do in life, but I can learn something.
Pastor Steven Furtick from Elevation Church asks all potential staff members during the interview process what they think of such and such leader, usually a well-known preacher who may be somewhat controversial. If all the potential staff member can do is criticize, then they are unlikely to get the job. I love it. You see, he’s searching out the attitude of the potential new hire: are they a learner, or are they too critical or too full of themselves to learn from others? It’s a great question that we all need to ask ourselves from time to time.
I’d sit under Brian and Bobbie Houston’s leadership any day!
I’ve always felt a call to do whatever it takes to help unify local churches (the church). I think Missoula is unique in that it has an active pastor’s group that meets weekly to pray together, which is really cool. However, I’ve noticed that there have been about 10 new church plants in the last couple of years, and most of these have not been well connected with the established churches.
So, I decided to invite all the new pastors over for a BBQ on Saturday night just to hang out and connect. It was awesome! We had 5 churches represented from a variety of traditions. It was a great time of connecting and sharing our hearts for the church and for Missoula.
I never understood this until we stepped out to start RCC Missoula, but there is a huge cost (emotionally, physically, spiritually, and relationally) that a senior pastor and his wife go through that no one else can understand except another senior pastor. I don’t know of any pastor that doesn’t or hasn’t paid the price. I think it’s crucial that we stay connected with one another so that we can be there for one another when times get tough.
Also, I think of Missoula church planters back in 1976-77 such as Steve Valentine, Mike McGovern, and Jim Ramsey whose churches are still around here today, and I hope that this new generation of churches and church planters will still be around and impacting Missoula for the Kingdom of God in 30 years.
Next BBQ, Friday June 12th!