Reaching Out

Eric and I have frequent conversations about the church that we are investing in...the church plant that is. Like everyone else invested in this ministry, we have ideas about how it's going to look or how it's going to go, but we know from experience that what the Word says is true,

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

For the Kingdom and for our friends we want to be the best that we can be. Sometimes when we talk we realize how frail and timid we are. We have lived in our Fort Wayne home for 1 1/2 years and we barely have met our neighbors. I am inspired by our friends who seem to be mission focused all the time. It is a desire that we have to be transformed in this way. After all the Word also says that we "have not been given a spirit of timidity and fear" and yet most often we live as though we have.

We have prayed many prayers for this church and for God to use us in it, but I think it's time to include a prayer and concerted effort to be transformed...again...to be the kind of "neighbor" that God calls us to be.

A story:
For Anna's 4th birthday we went to O'Charley's for dinner (they serve kids free everyday). After we were there for a few minutes, our neighbors came in and were seated in the booth next to us. These neighbors we have only met a couple times...once when our youngest wandered across two yards into theirs and we found her sitting on his John Deere riding mower and then I think the only other time was at Halloween for the sake of getting candy. Nice people always. They wave when we enter the culd-a-sac and I must say they are quite devoted to the upkeep of their yard and driveway. Randy and Cheryl appear to be in their 50's and my observation would indicate that they watch their granddaughter daily, probably while her parents are at work. Their granddaughter appears to be 2 or so.
After Anna's birthday dinner, I took the opportunity to stop at their nearby table and ask forgiveness for not knowing their names. They reintroduced themselves along with their daughter and son-in-law and granddaughter who joined them. We were cordial and brief (I hated interupting their meal). But then thought immediately about the divine nature of that meeting;
In considering outreach, I have often dimissed our immediate neighbors because they fall outside of the targeted age range and family stage. But this meeting allowed me to think outside the box. Of course...these neighbors have children who fall directly into the target group. I was happy to have made this connection.

If you are interested in reading about the bold vision and inspiration for the church plant, I encourage you to check out the blog that Patrick updates regularly:
www.thedevelopmentfw.blogspot.com