Seriously...what is REALLY important?

Ever have a conversation that just makes you so angry afterward that you want to punch a wall so as to not hurt the person you just talked to because deep inside you really love them but just think for a moment that they are super stupid and miss the whole point?!! Ever read a run on sentence longer than that one? ;-)

I am going to say straight up that there are a lot of things that go through your mind and a lot of plans in preparation for a church plant. The more I check off my list and evaluate my heart and motives for what I am doing and thinking, the more "narrow minded" I am becoming. I am asking a truck load of why questions to myself (and to Tracey when she is willing to hear them). I do not want to waste time focusing on anything but what is entirely essential in starting a church.

Two incredible thoughts are spinning around me from the last two Unleashed Conferences in Anderson, SC from the mouth of Perry Noble.

Last year Perry said, "If God has called you to start a church, get your Bible and go preach with fire! Grab some dude to help you who can play a guitar and make it happen!" This was very encouraging to me because THAT'S WHAT I THINK! This is not an excuse to be lazy or to dismiss anything creative or costly. Planting a church WILL COST no doubt about it. Nor is this an excuse to think small...I plan on 100 Canadians to help me kick this baby off the ground. This statement is one of focus. God called - I go! Plain a simple. I fully intend on building a large church to God's glory. Rick Warren said, "There is no sin in being small but there is in thinking small." I just need to focus narrowly enough to know that the call to go has real, significant power accompanied with the promise of God to be with me as I follow Him.

This past year, Perry Noble said that we did not have to study and follow all the steps of starting a church. If God called you to start a church, he will give you direction. (I paraphrased but this is the essence of what he said.) This is not an excuse for lack of preparation or gathering information and ideas. I readily admit that I don't know everything about what I am getting ready to do but I have a pastor, David R. Stokes, who has offered his help. He is becoming more dear to me on this journey. He has provided vision, finances, mentoring, and education to move forward. I am going to the Exponential Church Planters Conference and I know that I will grow. I will find out more stuff and ways to reach people than I ever knew before but at the end of the day, it is God and I who need to "run the ball down the field." God knows where I'm headed and what am am capable of and He care about me more than anyone. I know I can trust Him and find what is right in reaching people of the GTA.

Since I have started this journey to Toronto, I have had a few "nay sayers." Yep...they are there and have discouraged me at times even before I get to TO! I had a few preachers and a counselor tell me of many churches that have tried to start in the area I am going. They said that there were some pretty talented preachers and gifted people come up there only to fail. I had another guy tell me of a church in that area that preys on churches that have stared and failed...THAT'S NICE, RIGHT? :-) They told me the whole strategy. The bigger church befriends the pastor of the new work. As it struggles, the pastor would dissolve the church and have the congregation join the bigger church. The bigger church will hire the church planter then fire him after 6 - 8 months. If this isn't building a large church to the glory of God, I don't know what is?!! (read: very heavy, heavy, extremely heavy sarcastic remark) When I hear this stuff, I can't help but think I am either being warned of my fate or I'd better be so committed and stubborn that nothing will move me. I choose to believe the latter! I am NOT going up there to fail. One thing I have that other church planters going to Canada do not is that I know church life up there and I grew up there. I know the hardships ahead of me...and I am still going!

So, seriously! What is really important? The call, preaching the word with power, fervent prayer life, and worship that reveals God is present. I'm just that narrow minded to believe that works!