Think Outside the Boombox

Faith or Works?

Ask Pastor Roy

To help you remember our February series of talks for BEING IN THE MOOD, I thought I'd share these videos we used as part of a series back at our home church in Fairfax, VA.

You're welcome.

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

New Determination

I noticed that I haven't written a blog for a while. The last one was on March 11th so... There are several reasons I can give you but they would be pretty lame. :-) The guys on staff still laugh at one of my comments around the lunch table, "I read a blog once." Writing and reading blogs are not a top priority for me but it needs to be.

Tracey and I were at a conference last week and received some greater, new determination from the Lord. The interesting thing is that the person who made the most impact at a time when we really needed it, lives right in our area. Mark Batterson shared some of the struggles he and his wife went through in starting a church. This was good for us because a person (me) can feel alone/unique in their circumstances. In my head, I know others have had many different trials that are similar and I needed to hear that...again. I was beginning to think "doors are shutting" but they weren't. I am caught in some things that only God can work out for us and it can be uncomfortable. It challenges my ability to trust and depend on Him. But when you think about it, why wouldn't I just trust and depend on Him? I am one of His children, right? On that fact alone, I am set, right? Though some things are not going as we had planned, we still have a church family who is behind us in all these efforts God has orchestrated. Pastor Stokes is still very encouraging to us in our efforts and we really have nothing to fear or dread.

It is interesting that while I am going through this, my Bible reading plan is taking me through the book of Joshua. Isn't that incredible! This is a guy taking on a big challenge of taking the promised land and needs the encouragement to "be strong and courageous." I need to hear that and have been hearing it during this entire trial. I just need to do it now. Which JUST DO IT, by the way, was the series our pastor just preached during the time we were going through this trial! Now I'm thinking...am I just stupid or what?!! (Don't answer that question out loud to me, please. Spare me a dignity...) So God has been speaking to me in many ways and I now see myself in a state of blessing and care throughout my trail.

So...what are my current trials I am determined to get through? Well, we went up to Burlington the first full week of April and found "the perfect house and church building." Seriously, they are beautiful! We talked to the realtor 3 times on the other side of the house deal and let him know our contract was coming. He told us the house has been vacant since February so no problem get it in next week. Then, we talked to a community center in Burlington that would rent to us but another church was looking to rent. I told the person to talk to that church to see if they wanted the space before we took it. She called them and they were only looking so I said, "Great, we want it and we want to be exclusive renters for Sunday mornings." She said I will send you the paper work and we are good to go. We got back into town and talked to our pastor and his wife on Tuesday morning about "all the great things God has done!" Then we submitted our paper work for everything. The VERY next day we lost the house (rented out on the weekend we returned) and the church (that other church came back and wanted to rent here too). What?!! We were so discouraged because we had everything set up so we just had to gather stuff and move up on June 5th. Now we have to figure this all out again and find time to get back up there in May. On top of that, the buyer on our home in VA bailed on Friday afternoon! This buyer was patiently waiting for the bank who had negotiated 3 times with them and coming back with more changes. This was very frustrating but we understand why the buyer walked. They had an offer on our home since October 2009 and enough is enough.

So...these are the circumstances we went with to the conference. Pastor and Karen were as loving and gracious as can be. They showed compassion and knew what we were going through because they have been through many trials too.

I went to the conference wondering what to expect. When Mark Batterson was the first up to share how they lost 2 homes and a place for their church to meet then God gave them National Church in Union Station, I was ready to listen and experience the conference...selfishly. I was looking for things for me and my wife to help us recommit. I got a chance to talk personally to Ed Stetzer and ask him the "what would you do?" question about our circumstances. (Different set of circumstances regarding starting a church without a team but my family.) Then, the conference ended with hearing Francis Chan talk about leaving one church he started to start another in the heart of LA. In the message, he shared a 4 min. testimony his wife gave at their goodbye service. This was very good for us and gave me a greater appreciation for what Tracey was feeling. The bottom line is Francis Chan came to the conclusion that God wanted him to plant this church though he is 40 and pretty set where he is. He came to realize that though he wanted to stay at Cornerstone, he could never again speak of obedience before his people because he was not obedient. At that point, we fell in complete surrender and submission once again to be obedient to our call.

Tracey and I have new determination! We are frustrated with our circumstances and ask God daily to reveal Himself so we can move forward. We know it will change and we need to trust. God is good and we wait for His answers.

Interestingly, as we continue through our trials, my Bible reading plan has me going through another book, the book of Job. Is this incredible or what?!! God gave me a verse last week that I had read over and over but now took root in my heart. "But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold." (Job 23:10) Reaching for the gold now! :-)

We're not dead yet!

I just looked at the last time I blogged and noticed that I haven't done a thing since October 5th! People must be thinking we died but "we're not dead yet." :-) There has been a lot of ground covered since then and we are pressing forward with plans for Toronto.

Since my blog on the 5th, we had Thanksgiving. Canadian Thanksgiving was the second Monday in October and we had a crew over to celebrate. There are 3 couples who joined us for dinner who are interested in helping us in Toronto. They are all on different levels of commitment. One couple is coming for as long as they are able, another is coming for the summer and the last couple is coming for the missions trip and short term trips beyond that. This is very exciting for us because we are planning a full week of ministry for the 100 or more coming from Fairfax, VA. This is all happening August 16 - 22, 2010.

Pray for us and our next visit to TO this November. We are lining up a few details for our move and I am praying God will give us a free place for one of these couples to stay for the summer. I am also praying that God will give us some free or relatively cheap office space and use of equipment. A few things are lining up and we just need to see what God has in store for us.

Also, pray that we are able to secure the name of our church, Burlington Community Church. We have already bought the websites and Phil Bassham (Media Pastor at Fair Oaks Church) should have something for us soon.

Pastor Stokes also has an opportunity to develop a live radio show in Oakville, Ontario. Oakville is the next town over from Burlington. If God is in that, there will be a good opportunity to promote the ministry and give a daily voice to the ministry there as we take Loud On Purpose to Toronto.

We have a date!

I hope you get excited reading this because I am am excited writing it! We still have a lot more to learn and a lot of strategy and planning but we are definitely excited about this church in Toronto.

Why am I writing about this today? Because I needed the encouragement and this has been therapeutic for me. I walked into my daughters' room last night to kiss them and say good night and we began a conversation about Toronto. They told me they wanted to know a little bit more about our plans and to start talking about the plans more consistently as a family. I must admit that I have been busy and have not taken the time to talk with my family much. So, I sat on the bed with them and opened up our conversation. Just for fun, I asked them what they thought the church would be like. I don't know if I'll ask that question again! :-) They began to describe a church of about 20 people with me on the keyboard, the girls singing with me, and Tracey on the tambourine! Is this funny or what!

As the conversation went on and I explained to them what we intended to do, they became excited. I must admit, I worry sometimes that their concept would not be far from the truth except that THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! We have a much bigger God than that and my ambition and prayers are aggressive and pointed with God. So much so that those who interact with me daily on the church staff and notice, know my fasting habits. I am serious about what we are getting ready to do and I am bathing it in prayers daily! Though my daughters had a funny concept of our beginning, I do kinda want to see what Tracey could do with a tambourine! That would be fun, right?

So...what were some of the details I shared you may be asking? I told them that our very first community service would take place on August 22, 2010! Plan on joining us the week during August 16 - 22nd as we canvas the communities of Burlington, Oakville and Halton to invite many to the service on the 22nd of August. This is perfect timing for Virgina and Ontario. In Virginia, we will still be out of school and in the thick of vacation travel. In Ontario, students will be returning to school that Monday the 23rd of August so vacations will have ended and the weekend used in getting things in order for the new school year.

The purpose of the community service is to show the community what we intend to establish in that area. Mass publicity will be key but nothing as effective and our efforts in finding one of two families we can bring to that service with us. Fair Oaks Church and Pastor Stokes will be there in full support and work force. It is our intention to reproduce Fair Oaks Church for a day. This means we will have a full band, children ministry, greeters and cafe, youth emphasis and all the other wonderful full ministry options our home church offers. What does that mean for you? If you are a part of any of these ministries, you will translate that for that service in Toronto. Regardless of your niche in ministry, you will be used in this service in Toronto.

What is the theme for that week? I am using a concept and message series Pastor Stokes preached back in 2006 called Church, Why Bother? This series has been on my heart before the PIVOT Meeting (vision casting meeting) we had at Fair Oaks Church in January this year. We are all about reaching the unchurched/unsaved community and this is the question they are asking. Where America has a rich protestant heritage, Canada has an established church background which means they are stooped in ritual, formal church history that has left them empty and asking the question, "Church,Why Bother?" Makes sense, right?

After the week is complete, we will have even more to do! What I am talking about is the follow up. If you are unable to come during the week of the 16th - 21st, why not come for the Sunday service on the 22nd to attend and help, then stay for the week following August 23 - 28th to reach out to the people who attended that service and help us get them plugged into growth groups and meetings that will follow the campaign as we organize the church and set our Launch Day for later in November or December. On this Launch Day, we will communicate effectively with Fair Oaks Church and figure out who would like to take a shorter weekend trip to work with us that weekend and complete the history of a church plant in Toronto.

Here is what I need everyone to join with me in prayer about:

• That our publicity and canvasing will yield huge results
• That 100 or more people from Fair Oaks Church will set aside time to take this trip
  
• That we find unique and creative ways to share the gospel to the Toronto culture
  
• That we find the right spot to hold our community service
• That we have a spirit-filled service free of complications or demonic attack
• That we are left with a core group of 100 people ready to begin the church

Speaking of this church, what will it be called? We have been exploring different things but like Fair Oaks Church, we want to mirror the community in our name and appearance. For fun, I tossed our the name Burlington Family Fellowship, where we are your BFF. This did not pass my families approval of course, but it is funny and I always like funny. What we are seriously thinking about is Burlington Community Church. We are exploring that name to make sure it is not used or claimed organizationally by any other church. Until we have this entirely figured out, we are simply, Vision Toronto.

The Dowdy family is getting ready to go and I encourage them, sweet daughters and wife, as I encourage you to surrender to the call. Jesus addressed this issue when he said, "whoever will lose his life for my sake will find it." I know the context applies to salvation but I absolutely believe it can apply to our commitment to Christ. I am tired of being a saver; I want to be a loser. Maybe that doesn't sound just right but be a loser with me, won't ya?!! Come on this adventure to Toronto, Vision Toronto!