Archive for July, 2008

Rottweilers in Your Plant?

July 31, 2008 at 8:00 am · Filed under Conflict

The following post comes from Joye Jackson of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware.

I recently read a quote that said, “Don’t try to stop a train with your bare hands.” I thought this was hysterical. Okay, so I do have an odd sense of humor, but I love the image and the message…to know what you are up against before you throw yourself up against it.

I love my garden. It isn’t the biggest or prettiest or best producing garden, but it is my place just to be me. God and I sort out my troubles and the world’s woes while planting or pulling weeds. Unfortunately, my Rottweiler neighbor also likes my little garden. It makes a soft landing place as he launches himself over the chain link fence to get reacquainted with our little Westie or deposit gifts in the backyard. I’ve tried several approaches to my dilemma—talking to the neighbor, setting up extra barriers; nothing has worked and my tomato bushes have paid a heavy price.

One morning I saw the large hairy beast parading across my yard once again. Something within me welled up and I found myself chasing after him. I wanted him out—NOW! When I caught up to him, I found him bounding around in the garden, but now the barriers that were supposed to keep him out were keeping him in. I (unwisely) decided to grab for his collar in order to drag him home. It wasn’t until I felt my hands close in around the muscular roll of his neck that I realized he wasn’t wearing a collar. Yikes! Now I had a Rottweiler by the neck and I was a little afraid to let go. He looked every bit as stunned as I was. I yelled one final, “OUT!” Then I let go and stepped back to look as large as possible, pointing authoritatively across the fence. He propelled himself over both barrier and fence and has completely avoided looking at me since.

Every church plant has its own weeds and an occasional big, hairy, slobbery Rottweiler. Do not attempt to stop a train, or a Rottweiler for that matter, with your bare hands. First, someone (a person with proper authority) needs to assess the situation. Next, use the correct tools (a breaking system, a leash and collar, scriptural church discipline) to get a handle on the situation before action is taken. Then, if the proper people take appropriate action, disaster can be averted.

Plants need a little time and attention to recover and bear fruit. The extra effort required makes them more precious to all.

 2 John 1: 8-9 (NIV) “Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.”

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Birthing Pains

July 28, 2008 at 8:00 am · Filed under Quotes

“In childbirth there is usually much pain, but when you look into the eyes of that precious child that God has entrusted to you, all the pain fades. The love you experience at that moment is the most intense you will ever experience. The birth of a church can also bring great pain, but just as the child grows and matures, this church (with God’s hand upon it) will too, and when you look back years from now there will be little memory of pain-only joy and a sense of fulfillment as you celebrate the work of our Heaven Father.”

Quote from John M. Bailey from the book My Husband wants to be a Church Planter… So What Will That Make Me?

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The Discipline of Rest

July 24, 2008 at 8:00 am · Filed under Quotes, Rest/Vacation

“For many of us, one of the hardest spiritual exercises we face is the discipline of rest. As your family plants the church you will find your days filled with endless activities and ever increasing demands. Slowing down, relaxing, and finding time to refresh our body and spirit can seem self indulgent or lazy. The truth is, without the discipline of rest, our effectiveness in ministry will be hindered.”

Quote from Bob Lepine from the book My Husband wants to be a Church Planter… So What Will That Make Me?

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Waiting for Signs of Movement

July 21, 2008 at 8:00 am · Filed under Quotes, Rest/Vacation

The following post was written by church planter wife Debbie Toole. Debbie and her husband live in Old Hickory, Tennessee.

On the way home from vacation last week, we were on Interstate 24 when we came upon a horrible accident involving an 18-wheeler. Two miles past the scene, traffic was backed up and at a standstill; passengers milling about in the median, talking amongst themselves, I’m sure speculating what the hold-up could be. They were too far away to see the bevy of service vehicles, much less all the debris, dotted along the interstate. As we continued to pass the unmoving vehicles, I began to think how the past eighteen months of our lives have felt like being stuck in that backed-up traffic.

Planting churches is my husband’s passion; he has done it time and again with enthusiasm and ease. So we expected this experience to be the same. Without a doubt we know God called us to this again in this place twenty months ago. There were too many “signs and wonders.” God supernaturally cleared the path for us to come here. So what’s going on? Why aren’t things moving along? At every turn, doors have closed, and there don’t seem to be any out there right now with the possibility of opening. I finally found a job, but after 18 months of searching, my husband is still unemployed. It is a struggle to make ends meet. We feel stuck on the highway, not knowing what the problem is, wandering around in the median making no progress, and quickly running out of gas (both figuratively and literally!). Some days, the only thing keeping us going is the knowledge that we ARE on the right road; even if sometimes it doesn’t feel like it.

Honestly, there are days I want to pull the covers over my head and refuse to go on. This is NOT the place I envisioned myself at this stage in my life. There are also days I want to pout and complain to God, insisting that He must not be fully aware of our situation because if He were, He’d surely be doing something about it! But even on my worst days, God still speaks…..I just have to stop complaining and be quiet long enough to hear Him.

He keeps whispering, “I know what’s going on and you’re going to be okay. I’m clearing the way, again, for you to continue on the road I’ve directed. Just remember that I’m still in control and I’m taking care of everything. When it’s time to proceed, the road will be clear. Oh, and just a reminder, I love you!”

So for now, as I’m milling about the median waiting for signs of movement, I’m taking lots of deep breaths, repeating to myself Who’s in charge (and it’s not me!), and reminding myself to rest in God’s faithfulness.

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A Sunday in the Life of a Church Planting Wife

July 17, 2008 at 8:00 am · Filed under The Journey

The following post is used by permission from Amy Colon. The original post appears on Amy’s blog.

 
Sunday. It is traditionally the holiest of days. . .at least that is what I was taught as a kid. My thoughts on the matter? Sunday. . .it is the CRAZIEST of days. But maybe that’s what ends up making it so holy. . .

I woke up to what I had braced myself for—a fast, furious exercise of leading and directing and mothering and running back and forth and driving and smiling and. . . I knew it was a day that I was going to wear 42 hats instead of the usual 20, but I never could have prepared myself for the whirlwind that it quickly became. And I could have never imagined the crazy sense of fulfillment that it gave me at the end of it all when I finally snuggled into my pj’s and fell quickly asleep to the voice of Paula Dean as I ended it all with Paula’s Party on the FoodNetwork.

5:45am – alarm goes off – I only hit snooze 2 times!

6:15am – shower, dress, gather all the last supplies for church, out the door

7:15am – Safeway hadn’t even finished making their fresh bread for the morning. . .communion bread and grape juice would have to be bought later. BUT Starbucks is already open. . .Tall Americano with cream, please!

7:30 – Unload my van at the doors of the school – trays and bowls for Communion, 4 boxes of children’s supplies, oj, half and half, coffee to be made, bags of nursery items, my purse, my Starbucks. . . all unloaded. AND the door is locked! I know Kevin is in there. . .bang, bang, bang on the door.

7:40 – (Kevin) “You really are early!!”

7:45 – All the contents of the van are now in the school – Starbucks in hand. . .run. . .

8:00 – I have now run down the hallway to the gym of the school a total of 12 times delivering various kids supplies and getting things set up. The setup crew is here now. They (okay, I mean, Kevin 🙂 ) stole my cart so I am carrying everything down the LONG hallway by hand. . . this is where the smiling part came in handy. . .

8:20 – “Can you please make the coffee – make 30 cups, that’s 3 cups of coffee – thanks, Matt.”
“Where is that box full of name tags we use for the kids check-in? Has anyone seen it? They must be lost. Martha, can you run to Wal-Mart and grab some? Oh, and the communion bread, too, while you are at it?”
“Kimberley, we had to set up the nursery in a different hallway today because they are cleaning out the classrooms and our usual spot is full of desks and books and globes from the library – can you manage?”
“Kevin, you look stressed. . .how can I help?
(Kevin) My cell phone isn’t working and I’m leaving for South Carolina at 3:30.
(Amy) Don’t worry. Give it to me and I’ll somehow take care of it.”
“There are chalk drawings all over the walkway coming into the school. Can somebody find a bucket of water and clean that up?” “Where are my keys?” “Who is working the greeting table today?”
“Jenna, did you find someone else to work in the nursery today since it’s the 5th Sunday? Yep, they’ll need a new name tag.” “Can I give these snacks to our kids? I checked and they are peanut free, gluten free, wheat free. . .taste free. . .yep, they’ll work.”
“Karen, I’m so glad to see you! I’ve gotta go home and pick up the girls and Kevin’s mom. I’ll get back as quickly as I can.”

8:40 – Out the door of the school and driving back home

8:50 – Oops! That was a cop! (I hold my breath and keep going.) Whew!

8:56 – “Where’s the dog?” He needs breakfast, the fish need to be fed, luckily all the girls have had their showers and are dressed. “SHOES! Would you girls please find your shoes? And please make sure they match! No boots, Olivia! It’s 90 degrees outside!” “Get your hair brushed, brush your teeth, “No, you can’t bring that rock to church or that Barbie or that magazine. Let’s go, get in the car.” “Please, please stop whining!”

9:15 – In the car headed back to the school.

9:20 – Greeted in the parking lot with more questions about children’s activities for the day. . . Smile, more conversations, the band sounds great, “Is that coffee ready yet? My Starbucks got cold.” Where are the keys to the cabinet? Are my teachers here yet? Emma, where’s Emma? She is up in the tree outside with Dylan. “Emma, please don’t fall. There is no time to go to the emergency room this morning.” “Olivia, stay inside and watch Presley.” Claire needs orange juice. Looks like I’m working at the children’s greeting table today. All ready to go. . .”I wonder what time the AT&T Store opens?”

10:15 – Everyone is in place. The kids are ready to start their classes. Emma and Dylan find their way out of the tree just in time to go to the gym. The band starts. Alena (2 years old) needs a sticker so she can stay in her class without mom. We go to the cabinet to find just the right one. Finally in the service. Worship ends. Communion. . .video. . .

10:55 – The service is still going on. Kevin starts to speak. Out the door to figure out how to take care of this broken cell phone.

11:00 – Cell phone is dead. $300 for a new one.

11:20 – Back at the school just in time to catch the final song. Smile, smile, talk, talk, Say “hello” to some visitors. Gotta find Kevin’s mom. Where did she go? Clean up the gym. Pack the cabinet. Load the trailer. Dump the coffee. Where are the girls?. . .running in the parking lot and hiding in the McCormick’s van. Reload my van. Turn off all the lights. Whew!

12:30 – Drive out of the parking lot. Spend $75 on gas. Grab some Sonic for the road. Kevin has to go home to sync his new phone (which by the way, brightened his day). Let the dog out. Jump in the car again and fly to the airport. 45 minutes later, hugs and kisses to Kevin and hurry up to get out of the departure lane before the security guard motions me along. Drive home 45 minutes.

3:00 – Crash. . . .

And there is still at least 7 hours left in the day. . .

To say that my day was crazy yesterday is an understatement. It was insane! But the oddest thing is that it was the greatest insanity. Why? Because in the middle of it all I knew that I was doing exactly what I was created and equipped to do on that day. . . and I wouldn’t want it any other way. Days like this are such a rush for me. I am so amazed when I see it all come together – all the craziness and frantic rushing – when it all does come together – when all is accomplished and well done – when it’s finally dark and I’m in my pj’s watching Paula’s Party. . .it’s almost like a holy moment. . .because there is no way I could have ever pulled it off on my own.

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Who Takes a Vacation?

July 14, 2008 at 8:00 am · Filed under Rest/Vacation

According to a survey of church planter wives, less than 50% regularly take family vacations. The summer will be over before you know it. If you havent’ taken a family vacation, do it now! For those of you who are thinking, “We don’t have the money for a vacation,” it is possible to do a cheap vacation. Let’s hear some ideas. How do you take a cheap family vacation?

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Peace

July 10, 2008 at 8:00 am · Filed under Quotes

“Peace comes in realizing that God doesn’t ask you to live beyond your capabilities. Frequently He stretches His children, but in those times He alwaysy provides the means and the desire to accomplish His will. God knows each woman’s personality andn gifts and directs her into filling her place in the kingdom of God.”

Quote from Joyce Jackson from the book My Husband wants to be a Church Planter… So What Will That Make Me?

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Eight-Legged Perseverance

July 7, 2008 at 8:00 am · Filed under Perseverance, The Journey

This post was written by Kim Edmondson. Kim and her husband planted a church in Clarksville, Tennessee in September, 2007.

 A friendly neighborhood spider has moved into the doorway that leads to my back deck. I’m not sure why but, I have decided that the spider is a “she” (blame it on Charlotte’s Web). As far as spiders go, I guess you’d call her a beauty.

However, I have encountered a problem with our newest resident. The web. The webs she creates are beautiful. When the morning dew hangs on to the silken threads and the sunlight hits them, the web shimmers like a string of diamonds. The trouble begins when I get ready to go out the back door; I always forget that the web is there. I end up with a sticky mess all over my face and in my hair (oh no, not the hair!). I stand in the doorway, trying to keep my cool in front of my children, rubbing my hands over my face and through my hair, and all the while I am thinking, “Please don’t let the spider be crawling on me!”

A few days ago after just such a web collision had taken place, I thought “Since I have destroyed the web so many times now, maybe the ‘ole girl (okay, the spider) will just move on. Seems to me that it would be kind of frustrating to her to have to keep rebuilding her home every time my head tears it apart. However, the next morning when I came downstairs, there it was—the web—gleaming in the morning light. I stood there in amazement. I started to think about what a persistent lady spider it is that now makes her home in my doorway. No matter how many times I have walked through her home, she keeps coming back. She always rebuilds. Obviously she is very taken with the location and wants to stay there. She is a hard worker. She is determined. She has perseverance.

In the Bible, we see Paul who had lived his life for Christ, and it had not been an easy journey. He suffered greatly for choosing to believe in Jesus and living his life to tell others about Him. Through it all, Paul persevered. He kept on building his faith no matter how many times he was knocked down.

In his letter to Timothy, Paul said:

“…run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:11, NLT).

Pursue means to strive for, carry out, to persevere. So, Paul is telling Timothy, strive for a Godly life. Carry out your faith and your calling. Persevere in love for others and even persevere in your perseverance. Now that is dedication.

What about me? In my marriage, with my children, in my ministry as a church planter’s wife, do I persevere and trust God to accomplish His purpose in what He has called me to? What about my relationship with the Lord? Do I persevere in knowing and loving Him even when I am knocked down by the circumstances of life?

Like Paul, I need to keep on pursuing the life that Christ has called me to. Like the spider, I must persevere in building and rebuilding what life and sometimes ministry, seeks to destroy. It’s not easy, but it certainly is worth it.

I’ve determined that the next time I head out the back door of my house, I’m not going to forget my spider friend. However, I know that if I do forget, and once again destroy her home, when I come back around she’ll be there, rebuilding what I have destroyed and serving as a reminder to me that I should persevere, just like her. 

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Happy Fourth!

July 3, 2008 at 8:00 am · Filed under Uncategorized

Happy Fourth of July! We hope you are able to take some time to spend with your family.

Reminder: We’re always looking for stories from wives of church planters who would be willing to share about an area you have struggled as a church planter wife and how you have worked through that. We have a lot of ladies reading who are getting ready to begin the church planting journey, so this is your chance to help another lady to perhaps navigate the waters of church planting a little easier. Send your stories to planterwives@namb.net.

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