Blowing It Big Time

I am generally a reputible, credible, and sharp guy. Generally....

A couple weeks ago I set up a meeting with my Sectional Presbyter (overseer). Don Cox is a great presbyter, and I'm looking forward to working with him to plant the church. He is potentially a huge partner for SRC, because he has contacts that I don't have and the ability to raise money.

Anyway, I made the mistake of scheduling the lunch meeting with him on a Thursday which is lately my day off. Bad Idea!

I woke up yesterday and hit the ground running. My agenda put itself together including a 4 hour stint at the Tire shop. I forgot my cell phone, and didn't come back to the house until 9:00 p.m. Of course, then I checked my voice messages, and got several from Don wondering where I was, and why I had stood him up for our meeting. I Blew It!

I didn't even think about it. It never crossed my mind. It was in my calendar, but I had just disengaged and didn't even consult my calendar.

I guess that on a good note, I'd rather have blown it without even a thought, than to have realized it late. I can say in good conscience that I totally messed up.

Oh well, my friend Phil told me to kick myself about it but not kill myself over it.

I just talked with Pastor Cox, and he was very gracious to me, we'll reschedule for after the new year. To twist the knife, he told me that the lunch he had without me was horrible, and he had purchased a gift for me. Ouch.

Enough lamenting, just know this. The pastor of Severn River Church is not perfect, and can be at times absent-minded.

What does today hold?????

Just a Squeeze on the shoulder

Yesterday was a different morning for PAG. (The church I currently serve) I had the day off kinda. For Christmas the chior organized and led the service. (1) Because of not having direct responsibilities I opened the service with a greeting and went and sat down with Corie.

She was sitting on the inside aisle 2 rows from the back, so I sat with her. I didn't pay attention to who I was sitting in front of. I had only sat down for 2 minutes when I felt a hand reach up and squeeze my shoulder. It was the kind of double sqeeze that you give to someone you're good friends with. Just to let them know you acknowlege they're there and you're glad they are.

I turned around and there was a man named Tom. Tom is a guy who drove by the church one day and decided he needed to come to church. He has attended regularly ever since. (2) He comes to the altar about every week, and is still in need of some delieverance from some things in his life. But he regularly comes, and I routinely pray with him at the altar.

That squeeze on the shoulder let me know that the ministry connection that I have with Tom is important to him. I don't think you say what appreciation is...you just know it when it squeezes your heart.

Anyway, that's a look inside my mind.

1. The service was geared to "scratch itches" of the older insiders. At SRC we must maintain a focus on outsiders. That is where the mission lies.

2. Tom was a result of Prayer. The corporate prayer of PAG allowed the Holy Spirit to direct him to us. I believe for SRC the "prayer group" focus of our vision path is vital for the outreach described in our mission.

Sure footing and Dragging feet

This morning I was thinking about the steps of an organization.

I have a friend who is almost 62 years old. She is slower than I am and less agile. (I've got more moves than Kung-Fu) I'm also less than half her age.

She left work early yesterday, because she was afraid of the snow and ice. I went about my business in my 4x4 and paid little attention. She shuffles slowly and I want to get where I'm getting.

One more set of feet that I want to mention. Sydney (My 8 mo. old) is not even crawling, but now everytime you try to sit her on the floor she wants to stand and try to walk. She, of course, is really pathetic at walking because she so young.

Point: I think that there is an evolution in the steps of an organization. The new church, for instance, is much more prone to mis-steps. While a church of significance is going to be sure footed and moving. Older organizations must fight the temptation to start shuffling, or dragging their feet.

Leadership must be going somewhere. There are journeys and destinations. When orgainzations focus more on staying on their feet rather than pursuing where they're going I think their sugnificance is gone.

This doesn't mean that I'm proposing haphazard steps, but surefooted strides that are leading further into significance.

I've been sick so I haven't been dancing much lately, next week I'll dance again.

Ben

Home front

Hi everyone.

I wanted to show you a picture of my daughter and Wife.

I love them so much. I observed the other day that when Corie feeds Sydney in the morning she'll lay her down in the bed, and that is something that I love. I hear her breathe next to me. She sleeps so peacfully and I get uncomfortable, because though she's so small, she takes up space where I ussually sprawl. But I love it.

Corie is getting out early today because of an ice storm headed for Baltimore. So I look forward to getting my girls home.

Maybe today we can decorate the tree.

--Ben

Coaching

One of the things that I'm aware of...It's often on my mind. Is my inexperience. As a 27 year old associate, who is setting out to start a church, I routinely think about my age as a factor of weakness.
I really believe that coaching will be an important thing to help, and while at Bootcamp I was told that Keith Edwards (our district church development director) was the best. So I asked him to coach me and found out yesterday that he has agreed. I'll be coached in a group of Church planters who are all at about the same place in our progress. Out of group meetings will come personal attention.
Keith invited me to come to a coach training that he's beginning on January 5-6. He's offered to use me as a guinea pig for the coaches he's training.
I'm excited for the opportunity.

sick...sorry

Dear everyone.
Sorry that I haven't written in a week. The last couple days I've been sick. Hope I'll be at 80% tomorrow.

G'night.
Ben

Tonight I met with the Deacon board of Pasadena A/G. I'm thankful that God heard my prayer. The men there discerned the call of God on my life. They are praying about the timeline for the new church, and meeting again next month. I thank God because I believe he answered my prayer, specifically, that he increased the faith of the men.

I'm very excited. I feel that this endorsement is my greatest hurdle If these men stand with me I count that critical.

With their blessing, I believe that momentum can begin for preparations of the Launch.

In other news...Shouldn't Saddam Hussein have to publicly thank the US that he has the right to a trial?

Answered prayer

Tonight I met with the Deacon board of Pasadena A/G. I'm thankful that God heard my prayer. The men there discerned the call of God on my life. They are praying about the timeline for the new church, and meeting again next month. I thank God because I believe he answered my prayer, specifically, that he increased the faith of the men.

I'm very excited. I feel that this endorsement is my greatest hurdle If these men stand with me I count that critical.

With their blessing, I believe that momentum can begin for preparations of the Launch.

In other news...Shouldn't Saddam Hussein have to publicly thank the US that he has the right to a trial?

Answered prayer

Tonight I met with the Deacon board of Pasadena A/G. I'm thankful that God heard my prayer. The men there discerned the call of God on my life. They are praying about the timeline for the new church, and meeting again next month. I thank God because I believe he answered my prayer, specifically, that he increased the faith of the men.

I'm very excited. I feel that this endorsement is my greatest hurdle If these men stand with me I count that critical.

With their blessing, I believe that momentum can begin for preparations of the Launch.

In other news...Shouldn't Saddam Hussein have to publicly thank the US that he has the right to a trial?

Meeting the Deacon Board

Hey, just a quick post today.

Tonight I'm meeting with the Deacon Board of Pasadena A/G. We'll be discussing the church plant and more particularly, I'll be sharing my vision and calling with them. I pray for God to give supernatural vision to these men, and Faith to increase for them as we embrace this mission together.

I pray for wisdom and guidance. I depend on the Holy Spirit.

I wrote in my book. I danced my dance.
Ben

Mobilization

Over the weekend I've been pondering the issue of Mobilization.

Saturday, I went with Fitz, Sarah, and Andy to help a widow at PAG move. I really enjoyed it. But the way it happened was, she came to me as pastor to line up help. Is there a better way to mobilize people in a church than t hrough the Pastor? I'm really tired of lining up workers for ministry. That needs to be given too some other system for mobilization.

The first thing that came to my mind is small groups. A person who is properly connected to the vision path should have a small group to turn to for help in ministry. It's interesting to me that Jim Elliot (a close friend) felt the same when I mentioned it at breakfast on Saturday. Jim is a retiree who has only recently become involved in small groups.

Beyond that there will be times where people need help and don't have a small group. I guess there should be someone disposed to helping in charge of gathering help, but that person shouldn't be me.

I wrote in my book.
Ben

Prayer Ponderings

I need to raise up prayer support. As much as Moses needed Aaron and Hur. Like Jesus, in Gethsemane. I'm longing for people to partner with me in Prayer.

In Bootcamp they spoke a lot about the need for paryer partnership. We heard an interesting quote, "The first 100 people will determine the next 300."

I'm sure the author meant the first 100 attenders, but I'm adapting it to my prayer team. I believe that 100 prayer partners are neccessary to reach the first 300.

I'll be writing 100 personal invitations to solicit prayer partners.

This Blog will serve as a posting of prayer needs for the new church. I'll suppliment it with e-mail.

--I wrote in my book. I've yet to dance.
Ben

Already There

The idea is that people are waiting for SRC. I don't know who they are yet, but there are people waiting for us to come.Recently when I was attending Church Planter's Bootcamp I met Greg Hollis. Greg is a church planter in Kennett Square, PA.

He shared something at Bootcamp that I'm believing for SRC. He said, "Since God has called you to plant a church, God already has people waiting for you. They're waiting and may not even kow it."

Therefore, it's our job at Severn River Church to let them know and give them the place to come.

I believe resources are waiting as well. Yesterday I met with a Pastor who was recently elected into a church that is about 40 min. away. He commited to partner personally to support us in the plant, and will be looking into what his church will do. Praise The Lord!

This is His church. He will provide for it.

I wrote in my book. I rested in hunger.Ben

I'm Back

Over the last weekend I took a group of teens on a retreat to WV. It was a great weekend. It wore me out, but I'm glad to be back.

Today while I was reading the Bible, I came to a passage in Leviticus on the Festival of Harvest. Later it was known as Pentecost. This is a side of Pentecost that most Christians don't spend time thinking about. With the event of the Holy Spirit's entrance into the church on the day of Pentecost we have become focused on the Church since Pentecost. These thoughts came to me today...

"One of the requirements was that some grain be left on the edge of the field for the poor and foreigners. I think that this is a connection for the Pentecostal Church and the Seeker Sensitive movement.
It is a tension in the Pentecostal Church more than in Mainline churches, because we deend on spiritual direction in our services. In addition we have sign gifts that operate which can be "not" seeker sensitive.
In the act of the Pentecost feast was an act of outreach to the poor and foriegners (read unbelievers). Ministry must be for the feeding of the church, but must also serve to reach out to others.
Someone asked if we would have restrictions on the spiritual gifts in our weekend services. No we'll not eliminate the use of gifts but we will explain them. Things will be led decently and in order as God leads me."

I wrote in my book. I danced my dance.
--Ben

My Sister Ariel

Something that you should know about me is that I have a sister who is a resident in France. Her name is Ariel. She works as a missionary. We talked tonight about this blog. I was beginning to formulate what this was going to be. So far there are a couple purposes:
1. To express my life. I feel there is great benefit to authenicity. I share my life and hope that it will inspiring or at least humorous to others. (I am inspired by others and I laugh at other people too)
2. There are some professional changes coming for me. I want this blog to update the progress of a brand new church that I'm going to be starting. This blog provides a place for people to find ways they can pray and see the updates on the steps we're taking to start Severn River Church.

Anyway, just some thoughts to update. Good night, dream of large turkeys!

Thanksgiving

Well, it's Thanksgiving and I'm posting my first blog. It is a chilly day (as it should be I suppose) and in just a little while I'll have 2 great dinners. My wife and I have families that live close, so we will hit one meal, and then head to the other. This brings new meaning to traditional Thanksgiving stuffing.