One of the biggest surprises that made me realize that this would be no ordinary Sunday as the fact that some of my dear friends showed up at 9:55! I told them I didn’t know what to do with myself as I knew there grand entrance at 10:15 would not be happening. They took it like I knew they would and we laughed knowing the fact that they came and are so faithful means more than anything else.
It has become one of the most covetous times of my entire week at 9:30 on Sunday mornings. During that small window the army of servants that are apart of Team Well join together in prayer. At that moment we look into each other’s eyes knowing it isn’t about what we do at that moment but who we are. As I looked around there was two facts that were undeniable: these people loved each other and they were authentically happy to be there. We each matter to one another and are serving for an audience of one. It reminds of the “why” behind all the set up, all the preparation, we get to be apart of life change and pour out Christ’s love. Someone’s perception of church might just be changed today. Last week we held a “gifts link” and every single person that said they wanted to volunteer showed up today – it blew me away! On top of that our top 3 opportunities got filled: another trailer team volunteer, computer guru, and I’m proud to say we now have a Nursery Director!
Last week someone wrote on a communication card needing help with the air condition. Within a day calls and emails were being made, one of our groups was chopping at the bit to help this couple. Another couple is needing help with property clean-up and guys are volunteering with trailers, chainsaw’s, and lawn mowers. Our church is getting it faster than I ever thought they would. It isn’t difficult. People are tired of hearing about God’s love with mouths, they want to see it with hands and feet. It’s time – to serve our community one person at a time! You know I enjoy doing church, but it feels so much better to actually be it!
We are coming to the tail end of our All In Series and I decided to be led of the Holy Spirit and jump the gun a little early. Knowing some will be gone for the 4th after hitting our 4th G “Givings” we challenged our infant church with expectations and commitment. I have wrestled with this idea for a long time and even rejected the thought of it a year ago. However, I’ve reached a place where I believe if anything is communicated with the right heart and people believe in you and your vision they will place trust in the direction God is leading. We handed out our covenants to be apart of The Well family.
I’m humbled by the response of those that signed to be All In with our G’s. As a reminder and a token everyone that wanted to take a poker chip could take them unifying us together in one heart and one mind. There’s no more questions on what we are all about as a church and where God is leading us. My prayer and dream is that if we can be ALL IN the potential for our church to be ALL OUT is beyond our imagination as we serve our community one person at a time!
Being a church of poor college students, unchurched who have no concept of tithing, dechurched who have lost trust in the credibility of the concept, many still wandering if this is the church for them, and the economic status makes for a challenging recipe for finances. As Amy shared our past mistakes it became evident this wasn’t about what we could get from the church but what we wanted for them. My prayer is that people wouldn’t live in the bondage but freedom there is and experience the joy of giving rather than spending. We laid out a 60 day tithe challenge and I’m anxious to see those that take us up on this. I knew things mentioned might make or break us but we ended up receiving one of the largest offerings in the history of our young church. We used an object lesson I heard my own father use when I was 12 years old with candy. One young boy got an answer correct and won 10 packages of M&M’s. At the end of our gathering one of our ushers approached me with an envelope. It was this little boy’s tithe and in it – was 1 package of M&M’s. If our whole church can be ALL IN and be child-like and unselfish watch out Roger’s County you will be saturated with the generosity and gushing love of a church!
One of my favorite things as a Pastor is getting to hear the true stories of transformation. Here’s a few on the day that make me want to get up every morning: A new volunteer that hasn’t been in church in 3 years told me the reason why is because she was involved in a youth group and was told she was too old to work with youth anymore and felt rejected. I asked her why The Well? She answered quickly, “Because I am accepted, everyone’s accepted here”. I was able to have several conversations with some couples that are currently wounded and beyond hurt from the past. They are precious people and I’m thankful God is using Amy and I’s past, along with many other’s, to create a hospital for the hurting. They are being healed one day at a time. One of our ushers yelled to me as soon as the gathering was over, “Ricky” grabbed my shoulders looked at me square in the eyes with his watering, “My friend prayed today”. I knew how monumental of a moment this was. There’s no pressure at The Well just love, patience, and acceptance. People are taking steps in their timing not ours. We are attempting to make them feel belonged long before they believe. That’s a little opposite than the way many of us were raised. Another man poured out his heart with repentence on his desire to save his relationship and get passed addiction. Did I mention I love being a Pastor!
The afternoon was spent getting welts with paintballs with a group of guys I’ve grown to adore and love, even if they are physically hurting me. The evening was spent with some of the greatest team leaders and group leaders I’ve ever known. We ate together, laughed, and spent almost the entire evening celebrating stories of life change and realizing that God has truly called us to something special and that we have it and there’s some crazy love that is about to be poured out very soon on each other and this community.
