Resolution

The last step in our process of determining if God is calling us to plant a church is complete.  On Tuesday, Kristy and I were assessed by five pastors, including two from our church network and three from our denomination’s network in Milwaukee. 

We were asked to describe each other with five adjectives, share how God initially got a hold of our hearts, and take a timed Bible knowledge test.  In addition, I preached a sermon, presented my philosophy of ministry (church planting strategy) and went through a role playing exercise where I asked a major donor to partner with us financially. 

We received feedback with each component of the assessment.  The assessors freely asked us many questions.  Nothing was off limits.  They asked us questions about our finances, strategies, and more.  These men did a great job of caring for us by asking hard questions and giving us honest feedback.  I’m grateful for our experience! 

After we had presented everything we were asked to, the assessors spent a good amount of time in discussion as to my fit as a lead church planter.  Our denomination has an incredibly healthy process for giving recommendations to church planters.  There are basically four outcomes a potential planter can receive from this assessment. 

One is “not recommended.”  This is the result people receive when they are either not gifted as a lead planter or in a position in life where, for a variety of different reasons, they simply aren’t equipped to be a lead planter.   With this, the light is red. 

The second is a “recommendation with strong conditions.”  In this outcome, a potential planter receives a “yellow light.”  A lot can be unearthed during the assessment process.  For people who receive this outcome, they are approved to plant, but there are some things they need to work through before getting started. 

The third outcome is a “recommendation with minor conditions.”  This means that the light is yellow, but it’s leaning toward being green.  People who receive this outcome are approved to plant but have some things that they need to work through as they engage in the initial stages of planting. 

The fourth outcome is a “recommendation without conditions.”  This is a green light to plant.  While no person is perfect or complete, these people are determined to have the necessary skill set, experience level, and general health to be the leader of a church plant. 

By God’s grace, we received a “recommendation without conditions.”  The assessors gave us some suggestions; including a book to read and people to talk to.  But in the end, the assessors confirmed what our elders had sensed – God is calling us to plant a new church in the city of Milwaukee!  The church network in Milwaukee has been very encouraging and has openly and consistently expressed their excitement for us to join them in advancing the Kingdom in “The Good Land.” 

So, what happens from here?  We are not leaving tomorrow, thank God!  There is a lot to do!  I will do everything I can to finish well here at Faith Community Church.  I also need to wrap up my degree through the Antioch school.  Further, I’ll need to raise a salary as well as the operational expenses for the church.  And we still have a house to sell. 

We don’t know exactly how the process of relocating is going to go. It is my prayer that we will be in Milwaukee in the fall of 2013.  During my first six—eight months on site I will network, serve the city, and train the team that God provides. I will work tirelessly to develop the necessary infrastructure and biblical leadership systems to care for the church and the city.  If God wills, we will launch publically on March 30^th, 2014.  This will allow us time to test our leaders and systems before the Midwest goes on “summer vacation.”  During the summer we will make the necessary adjustments in order to be fully operational by the grand opening on September 14th, 2014.        

 

Thank you for your prayer and support.  It is with great excitement and deep pain that I write this.  In so many ways, we have grown up at this great church.  There is nothing in us that wants to leave this place.  But we are very excited to go.  We do not know what the future holds, but we know Who holds the future!  It is with confidence in His promise that we move forward in Faith! 

And the verdict is?

Last night we engaged in the most significant step in seeking God’s call on our lives to leave the home we love to start a new church in a new city far away from our home and family.  Together with the elders we processed how God was leading us and Faith Community Church and came to a conclusion.  More on that in a second.  I certainly don’t mean to minimize any of the steps that have been taken or the final step in the process.  What has happened so far has been challenging, meaningful, and encouraging.

In the late summer/early fall of last year, I began to sense God calling me to plant a church in an urban center.  It is challenging to discern if God is calling you to take a step like that.  Martin Lloyd Jones said that “a man should only enter the Christian ministry if he cannot stay out of it.”  While this isn’t the only indication in the discernment process, it is a key one.  And for me, for the past year, I have had a hard time envisioning myself doing anything else other than planting a church in an urban center. 

The next step I took was researching cities with a population of more than 500,000 people.  My main criterion for evaluation was to see which cities had the least number of gospel-centered churches per capita.  That led me to take a closer look at San Diego, Portland, Phoenix, and Milwaukee.  We also gave some consideration to a few cities overseas, but decided that wouldn’t be a wise move given our current family situation, i.e. three intense little Polish kids!   

In the end, it seems as though Milwaukee has as much need, if not more, for a movement of gospel-centered churches that are for the city as anywhere else in the country.  Further, Milwaukee seems to be the most natural fit.  If we moved to any of the other cities, I will have a steep cultural learning curve.  But if we move to Milwaukee, it will take no work for me to cheer for the Brewers and enjoy Miller High Life! 

With my research pointing us in the direction of Milwaukee, the elders then directed us to take a sabbatical in Milwaukee to see first-hand if we’re cut out for urban ministry in general and Milwaukee specifically.  If you want to see how the sabbatical went, just keep scrolling downJ  After the sabbatical I submitted a report to the elders detailing our experience. 

As you might imagine, over the course of the past year, we took many more steps.  We’ve read several books, attended a seminar, watched other seminars online, have had many conversations, and spent much time in prayer.  All of this as well as other details I’m sure I’m forgetting brings us to our conversation last night with the elders. 

Having already read our reports, they were well prepared to dive more deeply into specific issues.  They asked what our draw was to the city, rightly expressed concern about my about my inability to slow down, and most importantly, asked if we are sensing God’s call to plant a church in Milwaukee specifically.  To this, we both answered yes. 

The elders then, each in turn, expressed their sense as to what God is doing with us in this situation.  They unanimously affirmed what we believe, that God is sending us to plant a gospel-centered church in Milwaukee. 

In painful but joyful unity with the leaders of our church, we are now going to take the last step in the process.  On Tuesday, September 11^th, Kristy and I will go through the church planter assessment procedure required by our denomination.  The elders have determined that if the assessors give us a green light, then on September 12^th, we will begin the process of preparing to leave the town and church family that we love, to plant a new church in a city that we are falling in love with. 

Thank you for supporting us in this process.  Your words and actions of encouragement have carried us.  Your prayers have protected and directed us.  Your love has inspired us.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!