Simplicity Church Network

Simplicity Church Network

Faith Journeys: Stories of Life and Growth in Church Planting

The Foundations

The Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Within

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Editor’s Note:This post was written in the very earliest days of what would become the Simplicity Church Network. It reflects the process of letting go of old models, listening to Jesus, and learning to follow the Spirit into a new way of being the Church.  Days like today are the places where the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde within me get revealed. We began this day with enough gas in Carol’s van to get the kids to and from school today. I went into town to check the mail for a commission check I was expecting (which wasn’t there). When I got back from town, my motorcycle was nearly on empty. We have a $300 truck payment drafting through our bank account tomorrow and we currently have $6 in the bank. To top it off I awoke with a splitting headache. I started the morning, by telling the Lord my fears and asking for His strength instead of mine and His trust in Himself to replace my own trust. I found myself at peace once I had prayed these things through and I went about my work, writing articles to promote the business websites. About 2PM, Carol suggested we put an old twin bed on Craigslist that we had been holding back for Christopher. We learned this weekend, that he would not be needing it. We listed it for $35 ($30 for gas in Carol’s van and $5 for gas in my motorcycle) and within an hour or so we had several emails and a series of phone call from a man who was interested in picking up the bed for his son. At around 4PM the man showed up, took a quick look at the mattress and box springs and said: “I’m going to pass.” By this time my headache had returned full tilt and the hope of seeing gas money provided for went out the window. Once again I found myself in a downward spiral of doubt, anger, fear, etc… Angry that I had turned down work for obedience; wishing God would find someone else who was stronger than I am to take on this call; and more than anything just wanting some relief. Carol began to tell me that God would take care of us and everything would be ok. I didn’t want to hear anymore “sunshine and promises from Scripture,” and I told her so. I reminded her that our needs have not been met…how can I even teach others that God will supply all of their needs? We have more bills unpaid and delinquent than we do paid. She asked me what did I really need to see? I told her…people who will not just listen to the burdens of our life, but will actually partner with me month by month, so that I can do this work. I told her I wanted to see some growth in the businesses. I just want to see the bills paid and some sort of forward progress. With my head pounding and my stomach nauseous, I went and laid down. When I got back up for dinner, Carol said a woman had called asking about the bed. At 8:20 this evening she gave us $35 for the bed. Enough for 2/3 tank of gas in Carol’s van and $5 of gas for my motorcycle. Our need had been met. I choose to be transparent with you about my fears and my failures, because they are a real part of this church planting journey. Make no mistake, this journey has cost us everything….financially we are destitute, emotionally I am on fumes, and spiritually my greatest battles are the ones within. I press on though…sometimes inching forward with my fingernails, because there is a world out there that needs the hope of Jesus. Even though I give up on Him sometimes, He never gives up on me. Today He used a $35 mattress at 8:20PM to prove it to me. As embarassed as I am to share some of this with you I realize I am in good company. Listen to the Apostle Paul’s description: 2 Corinthians 1:8 (NASB)8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; and Elijah: 1 Kings 19:9-10 (NASB)9 Then he came there to a cave, and lodged there; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”10 And he said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Thy covenant, torn down Thine altars and killed Thy prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” The battle of the flesh will not end until the day Jesus calls me to His side.

The Foundations

Challenges, victories and other miscellaneous ramblings

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Editor’s Note:This post was written in the very earliest days of what would become the Simplicity Church Network. It reflects the process of letting go of old models, listening to Jesus, and learning to follow the Spirit into a new way of being the Church.  This weekend was a wonderful weekend in our ministry. Carol and Kim spent Thursday, Friday and Saturday at a women’s conference that was life changing for both of them in a number of ways. From my observation, both of them came back with less baggage and greater freedom. Saturday was our second week of passing out water at the bus transfer station. Within an hour we had distributed over 200 bottles of cold water. I had a conversation with Norberta, who wanted me to have some copies of her Watchtower and Awake magazines. She explained to me that she didn’t understand the Bible, so she used those magazines for her Biblical teaching. Several times she stated to me: “I work as hard as I can in hopes that God will give me His Spirit.” As much as she would allow me to, I spoke to her about God’s grace that is all sufficient. In the end she allowed me to pray for her. She then went and offered her magazines to another man, who simply said, “I would rather have a Bible.” One of the things I need to quickly locate is a very inexpensive way to load up on some pocket sized Bibles. My other notable encounter was with a woman, who said my son looked like Beelzebub. She went on to tell me about the possessed rat that lived under the refrigerator. She questioned Mike about the demonic spirit in the water we were offering, insisting that only Nestle was pure. I asked the Lord to set her free. During the weekend, Kim and Carol met Bernice and they both agreed that she and her husband may be the first of many people of peace we have been praying for. Mark and Bernice were called by the Lord to come to Corpus Christi from Syracuse, NY last year. Saturday night Mark called and asked where the church was and yesterday they spent the day with us. This couple is amazingly gifted and their own personal stories of deliverance were powerful. I am looking forward to watching how God uses them in this city. Saturday afternoon, Carol had an hour long talk with our neighbor. Next Sunday she, her family and a best friend are going to join us. We have been praying for the Lord to give us this opportunity. The highlight of my weekend was late yesterday afternoon. We had set up a canopy in front of the church and cooked hot dogs. As per usual we cooked more than enough for anyone who just happened to come by. Yesterday, no one was coming by until a young man walked up…a young man we had last seen nearly 6 months ago. His countenance had changed, there was humility in his words…God has used 6 months of wandering to soften his heart. We all rejoiced and loved on him. Tomorrow I will be taking him to Alice, TX to see his mother…she hasn’t seen him since he left home a few years ago. We are praying for great healing to take place. A new challenge (seems like an old challenge) has surfaced in our lives. The landlord dropped by Saturday to inform us that she was going to put the house on the market beginning August 1st. This has already happened to us 2 other times since arriving in Corpus Christi in January of 2007. So here we are with only Carol’s part time income, struggling to make ends meet, possibly needing to move; however, through it all we have a confidence that God’s answer will be beyond our wildest dreams. On the income front, I had two interviews last Thursday that may lead to more interviews in the coming weeks. I find myself tired…I either want to enter into my new professional role and get on with it or see the Lord provide in a way that keeps me on the course He set me on. This in between, not knowing, not able to pay the bills period is weighing on my spirit…I daily give it over to Him, but I get reminded very strongly of my circumstance quite regularly. I know that He is molding and shaping me into the vessel He’s had in mind for all of eternity…so I trust even when I don’t want to.

The Foundations

The View from the Street

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Editor’s Note:This post was written in the very earliest days of what would become the Simplicity Church Network. It reflects the process of letting go of old models, listening to Jesus, and learning to follow the Spirit into a new way of being the Church.  I haven’t been staying too up to date on the blog lately. My mind has been pre-occupied with the concerns and burdens of life. When I returned from Africa, I was greeted a few days later with the news that the small salary I was receiving would no longer be offered. Right now our only income is Carol’s and what few donations we get. I have begun sending resume’s to employers around the area and answering help wanted ads, but so far with no success. I have enough left from cashing out my retirement savings in April to pay our rent for the next 2-3 months, but there is no money for anything else. Carol and I are currently praying about which things we let go of. I find myself telling God that my trust is fickle. I trust Him with eternity, but for some reason I struggle to trust Him with our well being. Bare cupboards and empty gas tanks have a way of revealing what is really inside of you. The past 4 Junes have been very painful times for me. In June of 2006, I informed my church leaders that I felt the Lord was telling me it was time to move on. They received this news with an offer of their own….cutting my salary in half. In June of 2007, I was working to bring a Hispanic house church group into a partnership with the church I pastored. I spent most of June being called many unkind things and being accused of giving away “our church.” In June of 2008, the Lord called me to a week of silence, really a modern day equivalent of sack cloth and ashes. Daniel chapter 9 was the focal point of the week and by the time the week was over the Lord had me deliver the most devastating call to repentance I have ever spoken or heard. Now we come to this year…I gave up on making ends meet several months ago. I’m just asking the Lord to give me some guidance and to arrest the fear within me. On the streets near Simplicity things are beginning to happen. Normally the things I described above are directly proportional to God’s activity somewhere else in my life and this period of life is no exception. 4 weeks ago we began an open prayer time on Tuesday nights. We placed two bright posterboard signs on our front windows with the simple question: “How can we pray for you?” 3 weeks ago as we were preparing for Sunday morning worship, a man ran across the street from the auto repair shop. He pointed at the sign and said “I need to find an apartment today.” We prayed over this man, Eddie was his name, and just as quickly as he entered, he departed. 2 weeks ago we found an envelope in our mailbox, addressed to the Simplicity Prayer Group. In this prayer request a woman cried out for deliverance for her husband from physical, emotional and financial strain. This past Thursday as we were having our Organic Group, a disheveled man walked in off of the street. He smelled of alcohol and his request was the common request for the area…money. I spoke to him for a few minutes and offered to feed him, but I asked to pray for him first. The Lord led me to place a hand on his should and one on his chest. As I prayed over the pain in his life, the tears began to flow. The Lord began to release the pain in Kevin’s life. Kevin is still out on the streets, but he has been stirred by the touch of the Lord. On Sundays we set out 5 gallon cooler of ice water and some donuts or other snacks for people to freely take. This last Sunday I watched as a woman walked up and took the whole box of donuts and all of the snacks, leaving none for anyone else. She stuffed them into her trash bag and talking out loud as she went immediately walked across the street. A few moments later, I saw her headed the other direction, the trash bag was now gone, but she was carrying “her box of donuts.” We are seeing the effects of spiritual walls that permeate this neighborhood. It is our prayer that the walls come down, the eyes come open and Holy Spirit rains down.

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