After the ups and downs of spiritual and emotional battle with our house guest last night, I thought we had perhaps reached a turning point, but sadly I was wrong. When Carol went to see what she wanted for lunch, she found that our guest had packed up and left.
Yesterday Mike and I met up at the church with my friend William, who leads a local intercessory prayer ministry here in Corpus Christi. William and his wife had been at our house warming last week and heard some of the spiritual warfare things Mike and I were encountering. He had asked us to meet with him, so that he could encourage us and provide some basic principles for us to utilize in this area of our faith walk.
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. Yesterday several of us returned to South Bluff Park. The need to return for more ministry in this park was laid heavily on the heart of one of our ladies. She ended up being ill and unable to make it, but she lovingly prepared sandwiches for the hungry wanderers who frequent the area. Others who participated provided chips, drinks and a desire to let Christ be seen in their lives. Our time in the park was a time of contrast. We met and prayed with folks like Adam, Will, Smiley and Jenny. Each one with a unique story. As we were praying and serving one group of people, 100 yards away another group actively utilized the men’s restroom for illicit activities that involved a steady stream of customers. As we took note of the contrast, we asked the Lord to pierce the darkness with the light of His love. Yesterday was also a day of provisions for my family. A check was received that will allow us to pay one or two bills. Money was also received that covered the cost of a month’s supply of my medications. When we returned home an envelope was found in our mailbox with the following words: “You have been on my mind lately and I felt that you might need this.” Inside the envelope was a gift card to a local grocery store. Last night we welcomed friends into our home to celebrate with us our ability to call a place home after 2 1/2 years. The provisions for the meal came from friends and the fish caught on our wedding anniversary. At the end of the night we were blessed with our latest need…toothpaste and an additional package of toilet paper. Today during our Sunday worship gathering, we were treated to the gift of music as the Holy Spirit led us through songs about God’s faithfulness and the firm foundation of His presence. He allowed us to sing a new song that a couple of teenagers had written after a church camp nearly 6 years ago. The Lord’s presence was strongly felt throughout the morning. This afternoon, I received a call from a man in Rockport. He had seen our ad on Craigslist for the house church we are working to launch on Padre Island. This man has worshiped in a house setting since 1971 and recently moved to Rockport. He and I agreed to work together with Holy Spirit’s guidance to form a group in his home. Through all of these things the Lord has continued to affirm the decisions made on Wednesday. My efforts of laying a financial foundation had caused me to neglect the very call that they were meant to support. The Lord is helping me to define a proper balance in my life. The work of the Kingdom is much to0 important and the time is much too short. This week I will be seeking to further clarify God’s balance for vocation and ministry. The journey of faith is a crescendo as the house payment is due in two days and there are still bills in arrears and needing to be paid. The lesson of this past week has been the power of God to maintain joy and peace even when circumstances are not in your favor. I find that this critical place is refining me in ways that can only be described as tremendous. My late friend Daniel Trickey made a sign for me nearly a decade ago that has hung in my office ever since. The sign simply says “Tumultuous to Tremendous.”
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. These are certainly exciting times for me. Tomorrow we will have our first baptism service since launching Simplicity. I will have the privilege of baptizing 3 who have put their faith in Christ. We will be conducting the baptisms at Emerald Beach along the Corpus Christi bayfront. This week, I finally got my dealership materials to begin the primary businesses of Simplicity Solutions. Simplicity Solutions is the for profit enterprise that will be used to support my family, fund the work of Simplicity Church Network, help church planters develop businesses to support their families and create businesses for those trying to get on their feet. After much searching I narrowed down my MLM ventures to four companies that offer a wide range of product: Amsoil – Synthetic oils and lubricants for automotive and industrial applications Aggrand – Organic fertilizers and supplements for agriculture (part of the Amsoil family) Amway Global – They’ve moved beyond soap and granola bars and now partner with mainline stores such as Office Depot, Barnes & Noble, etc… Commission River – Primarily focused on telecom and internet technologies, can be operated e-commerce or traditionally marketed. Fuller Brush Company – Based in Great Bend, KS (where I began my investment firm in 2001). Fuller Brush manufactures commercial/household care and cleaning supplies. In addition, we are running a number of e-commerce sites through both Commission River and Amazon. These include: The Fone Store – Cell phones, upgrades and service through all of the major carriers International SIM Cards – Allows you to use your cell phone overseas(144 countries) with high competitive per minute rates Cardparison – Compare current rates, features and offers from multiple credit card issuers Anglerz Supply – Fishing tackle and supplies Luv My Hog – All things Harley Davidson HealthMartXpress – An online health and wellness shop, along the lines of the corner drug store The latter three e-commerce sites are affiliate stores of Amazon.com. Sales made through these stores generate a commission for the sale. Additionally, any product offered on Amazon.com can be purchased through these sites and also generates commission. Those who are interested in supporting our ministry in an ongoing manner can simply become customers of the products and services we sell. Carol and I began this business enterprise by seeking the Lord’s guidance for the portion that was immediately His. We be giving the first 30% of revenue from Simplicity Solutions to the Lord for the furtherance of His work. Please feel free to contact me if you would like more information on the business model, product catalogs or to place orders.
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. One of my stated core values is “people matter.” Today we put feet to that value by spending the morning at Mission 911. Mission 911 is a community of hope, help and unconditional love that is located around the corner from our church storefront. Mission 911 did their formal Thanksgiving dinner last week, so we came up this morning to just “hang out” and get to know people. One of the things that I consider important in my ministry is relationships. I do not want to be a church that shows up throws some money and materials at a problem, takes a few pictures and leaves. So the priority today was to build relationships and look for opportunities for further ministry. Throughout the morning we got to know some of the local children who enjoyed some intense games of Uno and Monopoly. We got to know a man who has bicycled throughout the Southern US and Mexico. We met a man who was hoping to find housing with the mission. Another man, who a year ago was a resident, returned today in tears as his family had fallen apart in the past few months. I watched as tears flowed from his eyes and ultimately God reminded Him that He was not alone. The mission has no spiritual activities on Saturdays and there are no activities for the local children. Mike and I will spend time seeking God’s direction as to our role in the lives of these precious people that God loves deeply.