Back to the city

Well after really wrestling with where God was calling us to plant in and/or around Charlotte, NC, we really are feeling called into the city. This was something we prayed through a little over a year ago, but didn't feel released then to it. Over the last few weeks, some opportunities and many great conversations have happened leading my thoughts and prayers back to Uptown Charlotte and the surrounding neighborhoods. I brought those thoughts to Casey and we began to pray again, this time we believe God is leading us there. My heart is breaking for the people down there. Young professionals are moving into the area in droves, remodeling and new housing is exploding, completely revitalizing the area and creating a need for new churches on several levels. One, this is a new generation of people from all around the country and new style of church will be needed to reach them, second these are the people who impact the culture and flow of the entire Charlotte metro area. Imagine a move for Christ in these people and the impact that ultimately makes throughout the region, a region of over 2 million! I realized a year ago, my desire was to plant a cool, trendy, hip Uptown church, this time it's about the people, honestly and truly. Once again God had things to work in me to prepare for HIS plans to happen. Casey and I spent the last 2 days in and around Uptown. What a cool place. So many people, so many neat areas, what a place that needs Jesus.

This is going to be scary. I could fake my way through planting a church in the suburbs, but no such illusions here. It's God or nothing, cause I can't do this thing on my own. How obvious, isn't that what God wants? But how often do we do "God's work" solely on our own abilities. I could go on and on. I'm so excited about this, excited in a way I haven't felt before. I don't know how it's all going to happen, so many different things need to happen. We were at a church planter's training tonight and Dean, a church planter from Ft. Mill, sitting next to us, said he saw a picture of us working a puzzle and there were pieces coming together and the image was clear in those parts, but there were parts of the puzzle with pieces missing and we didn't know how it would fit together. But God was standing at the table holding the missing pieces in His hand, because He is working with us and knows how the pieces will fit. That so truly spoke to me, because there are many elements of this whole deal that I don't know how they will fit together, but I've felt God does. And it wasn't a throwaway thought like, "Oh well, God knows how it will all work out." I felt honestly that God knows, and Dean's word tonight was confirming that.

CRAZY STUFF!!! What an adventure ahead...