It's funny how many people want to know how I am doing on the eve of the launch of the church. Many think I am going to be a basket case, which is weird because I am never like that. Others think I'm going to be wicked nervous. Which I guess there is some of that but I have been in the pastoring gig for 14 years. You learn to control that stuff. But the reality is, like I said before, it's like riding a roller coaster. It's wicked fun and wicked scary.
I tend to be an obsessive person when it comes to preparing for something or criticism from other people. I will think and think and think about the situations. How I could have said this or did that. What I could have done differently. When it comes to preparing for something, it's more along the lines of what if. What if this happens? Or what if that happens? How will I deal with it?
Honestly I am sleeping fine at night. Yes I go to bed thinking about what may be or will be. Wondering how it will all turn out. I'm not too worried about the launch. I think we got it covered. However I am worried about next Sunday. Who will come back? Anyone. Or are we stuck with just a couple of people.
I feel in my bones this is where God has called me. This is the time and the place. I believe Riverstone Church is going to fill a big void that is missing for churches in this area. Claremont is 68% unchurched yet I haven't seen any major or minor outreach toward them. I haven't seen any churches in town consistently looking to serve the community.
What I have seen are churches who are consistently looking to serve their own church people. Nothing wrong with that except they tend to neglect the community. They offer programs and ministries that church people love. The unchurched are not the least bit interested in whether the women's ministry has tea and crumpets once a week. That doesn't help them pay their bills, put food on the table or even get closer to God.
One of the main ideas behind Riverstone Church is that we would be a church for the unchurched. What that looks like is the ministries that are started in our church will work towards serving those who are far from God. As of right now we have done 6-7 community projects this year alone. We went from washing windshields to passing out over 500 pieces of school supplies to kids. We want to be a church that serves people.
It is our goal to be a clue for the clueless. So many people are clueless about God because they have been turned off to Him by insensitive churches and pastors. People who are more interested in building their own kingdoms than God's. God's kingdom is not found in bigger buildings. It is found throughout the community and ultimitely in peoples hearts.
I'm not against building big buildings or having all kinds of ministries for Christians. There is a place for those. But we should not do these things and neglect those who really need them. It has always been our goal to launch with 200 people in attendance. I hope we do. I know we will be criticised for what we are doing and more so as more people start to call our church their home. I'm fine with that, but I want to head off the critics when they start to say that all we want to do is build our own kingdom because of all these people who attend. No all we want to do is reach as many people for Christ as we can because Jesus said, "Work while it is still day, for the night will come when no man can work."
It is not our goal to be the biggest church in town or in the state. It is our goal to reach as many people as we can. End of story.
I tend to be an obsessive person when it comes to preparing for something or criticism from other people. I will think and think and think about the situations. How I could have said this or did that. What I could have done differently. When it comes to preparing for something, it's more along the lines of what if. What if this happens? Or what if that happens? How will I deal with it?
Honestly I am sleeping fine at night. Yes I go to bed thinking about what may be or will be. Wondering how it will all turn out. I'm not too worried about the launch. I think we got it covered. However I am worried about next Sunday. Who will come back? Anyone. Or are we stuck with just a couple of people.
I feel in my bones this is where God has called me. This is the time and the place. I believe Riverstone Church is going to fill a big void that is missing for churches in this area. Claremont is 68% unchurched yet I haven't seen any major or minor outreach toward them. I haven't seen any churches in town consistently looking to serve the community.
What I have seen are churches who are consistently looking to serve their own church people. Nothing wrong with that except they tend to neglect the community. They offer programs and ministries that church people love. The unchurched are not the least bit interested in whether the women's ministry has tea and crumpets once a week. That doesn't help them pay their bills, put food on the table or even get closer to God.
One of the main ideas behind Riverstone Church is that we would be a church for the unchurched. What that looks like is the ministries that are started in our church will work towards serving those who are far from God. As of right now we have done 6-7 community projects this year alone. We went from washing windshields to passing out over 500 pieces of school supplies to kids. We want to be a church that serves people.
It is our goal to be a clue for the clueless. So many people are clueless about God because they have been turned off to Him by insensitive churches and pastors. People who are more interested in building their own kingdoms than God's. God's kingdom is not found in bigger buildings. It is found throughout the community and ultimitely in peoples hearts.
I'm not against building big buildings or having all kinds of ministries for Christians. There is a place for those. But we should not do these things and neglect those who really need them. It has always been our goal to launch with 200 people in attendance. I hope we do. I know we will be criticised for what we are doing and more so as more people start to call our church their home. I'm fine with that, but I want to head off the critics when they start to say that all we want to do is build our own kingdom because of all these people who attend. No all we want to do is reach as many people for Christ as we can because Jesus said, "Work while it is still day, for the night will come when no man can work."
It is not our goal to be the biggest church in town or in the state. It is our goal to reach as many people as we can. End of story.
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