After over a year of holding evening services in a graciously shared and beautiful church, Wellspring's build-out is finally almost complete, and we're moving and preparing and grateful and praying big, bold prayers. Not one Sunday has the church family who stepped away after the UMC vote been homeless, not one Sunday have they...and several months in...WE, been without a more than GOOD place to gather. Holy Trinity Anglican has been SO gracious and kind and prayerful and I'm so thankful.
I have seen and been the church in so many places and countries...but never from this angle. So many pastors have we known and prayed for and come alongside...have we trained and loved and discipled and been discipled by...but never have I been one with the pastor, never have I been called to love and serve the church so directly, so intimately, so fully, so 100%.
We've always been in kingdom work...but never dedicated to His church, and that has been so incredibly all the things. Just as being a missionary in Haiti was SO incredibly sweet and hard and rich and stretching and full and lonely and faith-building and blessed, so has pastoring been. I have prayed and fasted this past year far more than I ever have in my life, and as we move into this new season of being a church with a place you don't have to put back afterwards...I am in awe of all He has done...and genuinely interested in what in the world He is going to do!
I knew Matt could do it, he had all the experience and giftings and God's help needed...but I've never gotten to hear him teach and preach 3-4 times a week. Man can preach! He can challenge, gracefully and with love and truth. He can shepherd in the Holy Spirit's conviction! He can bring and share deep honesty and true encouragement. He's always led the pastors, but never gotten to baptize the brothers, sit next to the deathbeds, join families in their darkest valleys...what a gift.
"Pastor Matt ain't scared of anything, is he?" I often hear brothers and sisters mutter as they leave Sunday nights shaking their heads, and I suppose God much used Haiti for that. We've got one life and one work and one kingdom and one boss...and Matt's boldness inspires my own.
I'm also so inspired by the help the Lord has brought, in all corners, in His way, not ours. Standing in the new church for our first Wednesday night this past week in the torrential rain, I peeked into the youth room and was blessed deeply by the leaders who love and know and pour into our girls so well. It is needed, and I never could have made that happen myself. Never could have rounded up the crew He sent us. Never could have hoped for the love and transparency and wisdom and grace they share.
We are praying for a lot of things, but the Lord always reminds me to keep calm on the bulletins, on the details, on the gaps, on the weaknesses, on the songs, on the programs, and to seek FIRST His Kingdom. We are fasting and praying for men and women far from Him to come to see Him and know Him and LOVE Him.
THAT makes church so exciting. Not a perfect body. Not a perfect building. Not a perfect calling.
Just a perfect Savior.
I always said in Haiti we weren't saving anybody...just sharing with others what God was sharing with us, just beggars showing beggars where the Bread is!
What a gift to be there again, with Matt...just sharing with others what God graciously continues to share with us. Himself is all I've got worth giving.
He is deep and wide enough for all this and more, amen.
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