Meetings Postponed this week due to inclement weather!

"We will meet next week, same time and place."

They said that it can't be done and that it shouldn't be done.....but two brothers believed otherwise.

I will be getting on an airplane headed for Peru in couple of days. I would appreciate your prayers while I am gone from this Wed through next week Thrs. (1/22). We had a tremendous retreat and there were many things that I gained from our time together. Among one of those things are that once again the core groups for the next two plants are going to be different from the past three. I didn't realize how eager some of you were to get started and so I am grateful for you patience. I look forward to coming back from Peru and moving full speed ahead.

I. One of the things that you can do some more is to pray. We can never pray too much. Pray for what I have listed in the first blog post and these additional ones:

1. Pray that God would send more workers that He has prepared in advance for time such as this. Pray that these people woud have the same heart, mind, and vision as we do.
2. Pray for unity and protection against misunderstandings that would destroy our relationships
3. Pray for those that we will invite to part of this plant whether to be part of the core, support or just to be part of it when we start sunday services.
4. Pray for funds and meeting spaces that we will need in the near future.

II. Don't forget: (if you know people would be interested in these mtgs but were not at the retreat please pass this information along)

1. The Canton/Fells Point church plant gathering will on 1/28 and NOT 1/29 at Matt's Place in Fells Point, 8pm. (1900 Thames St. Unit 229, Fells Point, MD)
3. The columbia plant meeting will still be 1/27, 8pm at Ed and Soo's place.

III. For your studies - Don't forget to study these passages for your QTs.

1. Ps 143, 23, 84
2. Eph 4-6
3. Phil 1-3
4. 1 King 18-19
5. Book of Exodus
6. Book of Acts

PR

Happy New Year!
Hi Everyone, I assume by now ya'll (from all those trips to MS) are back from the Holiday travels and recovering from all the eating frenzy. For those of you who have been away for the past few weeks make sure you look at all the posts on this blog. And for those who missed the past sunday service, we are postponing all the meetings related to the church plants that were scheduled this week and next week due to delays in forming the core groups for all the plants. We have several people who have applied at the last minute and some who have requested extensions. Also, I will be away in Peru for one week (1/14-1/22) on a mission trip. (Please pray for me and the team that is going from the Stepping Stone and Juanita from the Downtown church)

Thus, we are looking at these dates for our first set of meetings: (these mtgs are open to and are important for all who are looking to be part of the new church plants)

Columbia Church Plant Mtg (1/27)
Canton/Fells Point Mtg (1/29)

Lastly, this coming weekend is our retreat for the Grace Life Downtown and the Light. During the retreat we are planning to have two short meetings to go over more details concerning the church plants as well as what we are planning to do as a church Downtown in the year 2009. I hope that all of you have registered and are coming to the retreat. If not, please do it ASAP as we have already run out of rooms but will try to accommodate. I am really looking forward to this weekend as we start off a new year together. Thanks

PS. There will be service for those who cannot make it to the retreat at the Light again. (1015 Charles Street at 11am)

I hope that all of you had a Great and Merry Christmas!

Don't forget:

1. Sign up for the retreat if you have not already, you can do it online until midnight tonight for the discounted rate, We have over 40 people signed up so far.

2. If you are here for this coming sunday, the service will be at the Light, 1015 N. Charles Street, 11am. That's it for now.

PR

From Catalyst Mtg #2

Topics from our second meeting:

I. We discussed this illustration on the left to focus our attention on matters at hand rather than thinking too far in the future. We need to understand that there are steps and stages that we are working through to get there. We don't need to worry about things that are far in advance or things that might not even happen. Also, who is the man holding up the picture of the mountains that do not exist?

II. The following was on the handout that was passed out at the meeting to help us continue to move forward. The big part of the handout was about church planting stages to get a macroscopic view of what church planting is about....the second part listed important dates in Jan. when there will be meetings related to the two church plants. The time and place will be announced and these meetings will be open to all who are interested in hearing more about or being part of one of the two church plants. Third section listed immediate prayer topics. And the fourth section listed suggested passages and chapters to meditate on as we pray and seek God's will.

A. Church Planting Stages

“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” Psalm 127:1

“I will build my church.” Jesus, in Matthew 16:18

Every church plant is different. Contexts are different, people are different, style is different, personalities are different, growth rates are different, and ministry development is different. But one thing that all church plants have in common is the stages that they go through, much like the stages of building a brand new home. Some stages overlap, some stages are shorter, some are longer, and everything is chaotic like an episode of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”. All this said to remind us of where Delta is, to encourage us, and to give us some perspective on the massive work that God is doing.

Stage 1: Location Identification and Excavation
God calls a planter and lays a location on his heart. A planter will make plans and preparations to move to the location and then relocate. Much work is done to assess and learn the culture and context. Conversations with people center on the “house” that will be built to find people who are interested in building with the planter.

Stage 2: Foundation
The true foundation of a church plant is not in a particular program, event, meeting, structure, or even people. The true foundation of a church plant is theology – the view of who God is and how God works. Only from a solid theology built on the truth of scripture can things like vision, mission, values and ministry philosophy be determined.

Stage 3: Framing
Once the foundation is set, the framing begins to go up that determines the structure of the home. The framing in a church plant are people, and at the earliest time of a church plant these people are known as the Core Team (or Launch Team). Most people who frame a church plant are leaders (elders & deacons) or workers (members). It is from these people, with the particular gifts & passions that God has formed them with, that determine what ministries and programs develop.

Stage 4: Mechanicals
Mechanicals are things like plumbing, wiring, HVAC, etc…basically, things that make the home function and livable. For a church plant, this would include things like financial systems, assimilation, communication, etc.

Stage 5: Exterior and Interior Finishes
Things like siding, rooms, doors, and the like make up this stage. This would mirror things like the development of ministries, or “expressions” of the church (groups, children & family ministries, affinity groups, etc). It is this stage in which the church becomes uniquely recognizable.

Stage 6: Decoration
As more people “move in” to the house and bring their personalities, gifting, and passions to the home, the expressions of the church become much more refined and specialized. Departments are able to form within expressions – for example, the worship gathering expression is able to more fully develop departs of the band, A/V, hospitality, etc.

Stage 7: Additions
As the family within the home grows and matures, the need for additions becomes necessary. For a church, these will take the form of moving to a larger facility, going multi-site, and aggressively church planting.

Lastly, With every stage, there is a need for a particular type of person to be involved, particular leadership gifts necessary, and the addition of more leaders & workers. Also every stage of growth is dependent on the Master Builder making it happen, as we as Christ-followers remain humble, dependant, and obedient to Christ and His Word. The church belongs to Jesus; not the pastor or the members. It is only the church’s authentic dependence on Jesus that will allow the full power of the Gospel to be unleashed.

B. Important Dates: (dates in Jan. when two groups will meet, place and time TBA)
1. Jan 9 – 11
2. Jan 6 (Columbia Plant), Jan 8 (C/F)
3. Jan 13 Joint Mtg
4. Jan 20 (Columbia Plant), Jan 22 (C/F)

C. Prayers
1. Pray God will GATHER the right people, workers, for the work of starting a new church and building a new church. These workers more than anything else will have a heart for the those who do not know God.

2. Pray for Faith and Courage. (Josh 1:6-9)

3. Pray that God will protect you from the attacks of the enemy: your thoughts, emotions, resources, relationships, spiritual attacks that will keep you from remaining in God’s presence, etc. (Ep 6:10-18)

4. Pray that God will open the doors and guide this process and the people who will be involved. (Rev 3:8) “I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name”

5. Pray for our church that we will remain together as one church in heart, purpose and vision. (Phil 2:2) “then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.”

D. Devotional Material:
1. Ps 143, 23, 84
2. Eph 4-6
3. Phil 1-3
4. 1 King 18-19
5. Book of Exodus
6. Book of Acts