gracechurch | church-plant

Well, this is it.  We’re officially taxiing to the launch pad now.  Our first pre-plant monthly meeting is taking place this Sunday evening.  It’s for all Grace Church members and attenders who have interest in possibly participating in the church-plant.  There will be child-care provided, so bring the whole family!

Here’s the pertinent info:

WHERE: Covenant Presbyterian Church in the North Park area:  2930 Howard Avenue San Diego  (click here for a map and directions) Note:  we see this as a temporary location; we’re working on having next month’s pre-plant meeting closer to where we hope to end up long-term.

WHEN:  At 5 p.m. we’ll start, and end officially by 7 p.m. – but at the “official” conclusion of the meeting we’ll have some light refreshments and the gym will be open for those who want to hang out for another hour (we need to clear out completely by 8 p.m.)

WHY:  We see three main purposes for these pre-plant meetings:

• organizing – there’s lots of good stuff administratively to get rolling on, and these gatherings will give us a context to start doing that.
• envisioning – we want to see from God’s word the what, why, and how of this church-plant, since clear vision from God and his word is crucial for us!
• team-building – it’s a unique, short season in which to build relationship and make memories together as a church-plant “team”.  And that includes praying together as a team, for there is nothing more important for us to do than to gather and cry out to God to glorify his name through us!

So, I hope you can join us this Sunday evening.  I’m looking forward to being with you!

This weekend is Mother’s Day.  So, “Happy Mother’s Day” to all the moms out there!  I hope you have a great one.  (and guys, get busy if you haven’t thought about how to bless your wife, if she is a mom!)

What moms most need, however, is the gospel – the good news of what Jesus has done.  Moms face daily what John Piper has called “the viper” of parental guilt.  We fail as parents.  We fall short.  We don’t want to, but we do.  That means the “viper” is always lurking, ready to bite – and often paralyze with the venom of condemnation.

What’s the anti-venom?  Not resolving to do it better next time (though, of course we’re committed to grow).  Nor is it staying paralyzed in our failure.  The anti-venom every parent, and every Christian, needs every day is to revel and rejoice in this good news.  It’s the greatest news in the Universe for everyone who believes – and that includes you too, moms!

Let the post below encourage you along these lines.  It’s from The Resurgence (the Acts 29 mission arm – www.theresurgence.com).

Happy Mother’s Day… enjoy!

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Forgiveness for Moms Who Fail (Robert Jones)

Most mothers labor under the weight of guilt—of frustrated ideals, imperfect performance, and deficient production. The laundry remains undone, story books unread, and tempers flared . . .

Distorted Guilt

If this is you, the guilt you feel may be distorted guilt. We may wrongly place ourselves under a law we erect: “Good mothers should do X, Y, or Z,” even though X, Y, or Z may go beyond what God’s Word  commands. I think of my friend—a good mom by any fair standard—who believed that all good moms should take their kids to the library three times a week. Sometimes those false standards come from outside of us—the ideals of your church or small group, your mother’s model, your mother-in-law’s advice, or the latest book or blog post from your favorite Christian author.

Instead of endless drips of guilt, God bathes believers in Christ with forgiveness.

Sometimes they come from our own perfectionist hearts as we seek to establish and live out our own legalism and self-righteousness (Phil. 3:3–9).

True Guilt

On the other hand, your guilt may be true guilt. You and I certainly fall short of God’s standards every day. We fail to love the Lord our God with everything we’ve got and we fail to love our spouses and children the way we selfishly love ourselves. Whether you are mother of a pair of preschoolers or a dad (like me) with two grown children, the Apostle John reminds us, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. . . . If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (1 John 1:8, 10).

God’s Answer for Our Guilt: Christ

What is God’s answer for your guilt? Jesus Christ and his death, burial, and resurrection for all who repent, believe, and follow him. Sandwiched between John’s two convicting verses above is 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” For those who honestly own their sins, God grants free pardon and thorough cleansing.

Daughter, while you may find it hard as mom of a toddler to even get time for a shower, let God’s personal promises of forgiveness spray over you today as you turn toward him in repentance and faith:

• “Your sins are forgiven.” (Mark 2:5)
• “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:11–12)
• “Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? . . . He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7:18–19)
• “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.” (Isaiah 1:18)
• “In love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back.” (Isaiah 38:17)
• “I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you.” (Isaiah 44:22)

Instead of endless drips of guilt, God bathes believers in Christ with forgiveness. His promises of daily grace cascade upon you like an invigorating waterfall—especially on those days when you don’t feel good enough.

Whether you’re a mom of preschoolers, an empty-nester dad, a single parent, a single adult, or an older teen, how can you turn to Christ to be bathed in his forgiveness?

In our recent “Info & Update” meeting we talked about how we want to (and need to) get the incorporation process rolling.  Being incorporated let’s do things like rent facilities – which we’ll want to do. But to incorporate we need a name.  It’s not the most important issue by any stretch, but it is becoming a pressing issue.  

A church name can do some good things for a church, like give a sense of it’s values and central message.  Ideally, a church name would also be somewhat graspable to the person who doesn’t yet know Jesus.

With that in mind, we really want to hear from you on this.  You can leave a comment mentioning the name you’d like to nominate, or you can send me an email if you prefer (tabtrainor AT gmail.com – with no spaces around the AT sign).

We had asked to receive those church name nominations by tomorrow, but by this Friday, May 11 is fine.

Thanks so much!

Thanks to all who were able to stay after the service on Sunday for our “Info & Update meeting”!  For those who weren’t able to make it, here’s what we talked about.  Please let me know if there are any questions about any of these items; Dan or I would be glad to talk about any of these with you.

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1.  Pre-plant Meetings:

• Why? To begin to envision us and organize us as a future church. We also want to cry out to God to work powerfully in us and through us.  We’re asking God for a God-sized vision of what he can do by the power of His Spirit!
• When and where?
  • Sunday, May 20  (5 to 7 p.m. – Covenant Pres. Church: 2930 Howard Ave.)
  • Future dates:  June 24, July 29, Aug 26  (5 to 7 p.m. – location to be determined)

2.  Structure/Name:

• We need to incorporate, so we need by-laws and a name.  But, we want to draft by-laws that we can use long-term and also benefit from work that Grace Church-NC will do on their by-laws.
• By-laws (an interim step) – we’d like to put in place a basic set of by-laws to get incorporated.
  • The interim by-laws would create a leadership structure of a board (“leadership team”)
  • Proposing a leadership team of two elders (Tab and Dan) plus three other board members
  • We’d like your help by nominating men for the three remaining leadership team roles – more details to come about this process in our May 20 Pre-plant meeting
  • We will still implement congregational affirmation of leaders and budget – as well as have more elders in the future.
  • After taking this interim step we will create a process for revising our by-laws
• Church Name – we need one and we’d like your help!  Please send church name nominations by May 8 (by email to Tab).

3.  Ministry Planning:

• Sunday Teams:  a top priority is getting our most important ministry context up and running:  the Sunday service. Here are some ways to help:  worship (Scott Moon – team leader), sound/tech, set up, usher/greeter, children’s ministry, guest follow up, refreshments/hospitality – see Dan Arthur to communicate your interest/ideas
• Other Initial Ministry: youth, counseling, web admin – please see Tab if you have interest/ideas
  • Parents of Youth meeting – Sat., June 2, 8:00 a.m. (location TBD)
  • Young adults meeting…. coming soon!
• Outreach & Evangelism Ministry… the place to begin: we all are the evangelism “program”!   We are all “sent” by King Jesus as his missionaries – his representatives called to declare the message of his grace – into our neighborhoods, work places, schools, etc.

4.  Facility Search:

• What? We’ve thought of four criteria for our Sunday service location/facility…
  • location:  how central and accessible is it?
  • cost:  how affordable is it?
  • suitability:  how well does it suit our ministry goals and needs, church size, etc.?
  • aesthetics:  how easily can you invite a guest?

• Where? Given that we think something central and accessible would make the most sense, we’re targeting sites close to I-8 in the general vicinity of SDSU/La Mesa.  Please pray for this item; we really want God to lead us and direct us to the facility/location he would have for us!
• How? We’re beginning to look into schools and existing church buildings.  Steve Farrington is leading this team… if you have facility-related ideas or want to help out, please let him know.

5.  Prayer:

• See prayer list for ideas, then pray with great faith… for Jesus said:  “Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” (John 16.24)
• “When we depend upon organizations, we get what organizations can do. When we depend upon education, we get what education can do.  When we depend upon man, we get what man can do. When we depend upon prayer, we get what God can do.” (A.C. Dixon)

Recently, I introduced Dan as someone who would help us look at the issue of expectations for the church-plant through the lens of the book of Acts.  Here’s part 1 of that look:

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Expect to be filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak the Word boldly (Acts 1:4-5, 8; 4:24-31)

“And while staying with them, he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, ‘you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’ “ Acts 1:4-5

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8

The power of the Holy Spirit is the key to the book of Acts. If it were not for the sending of the Holy Spirit, the disciples would have remained in Jerusalem, powerless and afraid.  Even the risen Christ could not be present at all times and at all places to empower all of His followers for the mission He was sending them on.  The power that Jesus promised, power from the Father who raised Jesus from the dead, would only come when the Spirit filled the believers.

After the apostles had been threatened and beaten in Jerusalem, they asked God for help to continue to speak boldly; He answered by shaking the room they were in and pouring out the Spirit even more on them, and enabling them to speak boldly.

This is the first thing that we can expect for the church plant: that we will be empowered by the Holy Spirit for the work the Lord Jesus has called us to. Just as the Holy Spirit filled every believer in the New Testament, and gave them power to take the Gospel to their world.

We’ll close this post out with a quote from John Piper:  “Do you know why we can entrust ourselves to the Holy Spirit? Because he exists to exalt the glory of Jesus Christ. Therefore, if the heartbeat of your life is the glory of Jesus Christ, the Spirit will empower and help you with all his might. Let’s live and speak so that men and women in Minneapolis and Morocco and Mongolia might know that Jesus Christ is a great Savior, the Son of the Most High, and the never-ending King of kings. That’s the passion of the Holy Spirit. To be full of that is to be full of him.”1

Lets pray that our heartbeat will be the glory of Jesus Christ in San Diego and throughout the world.  (- Dan Arthur)

1 By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org

http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/christ-conceived-by-the-holy-spirit

Dan Arthur is a guy I’ve really enjoyed getting to know recently.  Back in March we discussed as leaders the issue of expectations, and how to have high God-ward expectations without being naive in our expectations – and, as a result, find ourselves disappointed and discouraged.

After that conversation Dan had an idea:  a blog series looking at the issue of expectations through the lens of the book of Acts.   Great idea… huh!  So, Dan’s going to provide that look for us.  Here’s how he introduces the series (below)… enjoy.

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What are my expectations for the church plant?  Too low?  Too high?  Unrealistic?  How do I know?

I think that Luke’s account of Jesus’ ongoing work in Acts through the apostles and the early church can help shape my expectations.  Without being shaped by the Word, I might be disappointed, discouraged, or even disillusioned if my expectations aren’t met.

If I base my expectations on what God has already done, then I will be ready to see what He is continuing to do as He builds His church and advances His kingdom here in San Diego.

…. more to come.

- Dan Arthur

If you’re in the “south cluster” of Grace Church, please don’t forget that we have our “Info & Update Meeting” this Sunday.

This meeting will be no more than 45 min. in length – approximately 15 minutes after the Sunday meeting concludes – in the Grace Church auditorium.

The goal is to orient everyone to what’s going on and what we see as the pathway ahead.  We’ll talk about things like future meetings, future structures, future ministry – and we’ll take time to pray together.

If you have interest in possibly participating in the church-plant, please join us for this time together…. thanks!!

A number of folks related to me how they could identify with, and were helped by, the thoughts that I related on Sunday from Laura Stenhouse.  So, I thought I might put her thoughts up here as well.

Here’s the faith-filled perspective for our common mission that Laura shared with me:

“As I have been praying about the church plant a ‘strange’ thing has been happening.  My emotions, sentiment and intellect have kept telling me: ‘how sad… I will miss my brothers and sisters…I don’t want to be a part from them…it is a joy and privilege serving alongside of them.’  But to the best of my ability to discern, instead, the Holy Spirit keeps bringing joy, gladness, rejoicing to my heart, telling me ‘No, this is not a sad thing but a happy time, a reason to rejoice and be glad…my Word, my truth, my love, the Gospel will be expanding…and I have more plants in mind…this is just the beginning.’”

Thanks so much for sharing those thoughts Laura!  I say, “May it be so, Lord!”  Let’s pray that God uses us greatly, as two churches striving side by side for the good news about Jesus, to his glory!

Here’s a reminder and an update about some meetings we’re scheduling for the months ahead….

1.  Info & Update Meeting:

This meeting will be on Sunday, April 29 – for no more than 45 min. in length – soon after the Sunday meeting in the Grace Church auditorium.  The goal will be to orient everyone to what’s going on and what we see as the pathway ahead.  If you have interest in possibly participating in the church-plant, please join us for this time together.

2.  Pre-plant Meetings:

These meetings will be to envision and organize ourselves further as a future church.  Here are the dates we’re blocking out for that…

• Sunday, May 20 – (5 to 7 p.m., location being nailed down)
• Sunday, June 24 - same as above
• Sunday, July 29
• Sunday, Aug. 26

We hope these regular venues help us to build momentum for our planned September launch.  And if you miss anything, don’t forget that you can come here to our church-plant blog for updates and recaps.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to let me know.  You can shoot me an email or give me a call at any time.

Looking forward to being with you!

A while back, Eric Lehmkuhl sent an article from Ligonier Ministries that provided a great reminder of how – as a people who rally exclusively around the gospel – we want to gladly reach out to and include people from every background, season of life, and situation.  It’s a reminder that since God has received and accepted us solely because of Jesus, we want to “welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” (Romans 15:7)

Here’s how the article starts; see if it doesn’t provide a glimpse of our call to welcome others in this way:

It’s 10:30 a.m. on Sunday morning and a monumental battle is being waged. Margi wants to go to church, but is it really worth the trouble? Her disabled son is more difficult to deal with in the mornings. She doesn’t go to the earlier adult Sunday school class, for there is nowhere for her child to go. It could be that she reads too much into the glance from the lady with the perfect hair and family. Some people seem to communicate pity, some seem to be annoyed, and some are kind. She feels shame and wonders if anyone would notice if she never attended. Her husband left years ago. (The divorce rate for special-needs families is over eighty percent.) She usually sits in the back row so that she can leave quickly if the need arises.

Margi’s family represents countless families in our communities. There are thousands of stories filled with tired faces. They are children of God who are in difficult transitions, traumas, and tragedies. They do not feel wanted or that they belong in the church. Their kids are too troubled, their families too messed up. They think they have too many failures and too many scars to be welcomed in the church. Everyone seems to be so well put together — how can a displaced, dysfunctional, and different type of family find a place where they can worship and belong?  – James Coffield

Mr. Coffield concludes the article saying, “Margi and her son need the body of Christ, and in order to become more reflective of the truth of the gospel, the church needs Margi even more.”

That’s well said, isn’t it!

P.S. – you can read the whole article at:http://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/a-community-for-broken-homes