September Update...

Loving God...

i can’t even begin to tell you all that we are learning during our time here in st. charles at matthias’ lot. this past month has been a whirlwind. our weeks have been

filled with both plugging in and serving the matthias’ lot congregation while at the same time spending hours and days down in the city asking God for vision and clarity over a location to plant.

for the past three sundays we have been leading matthias’ version of a small group called a “lot family” in our home. there is nothing like celebrating the sabbath like it looks in the books of acts. we each lunch together, spend time in fellowship and then spend time in God’s word and prayer. it is a beautiful thing as we have seen God transform our sundays into a day of rest, remembering Him as creator and that we are slaves no more because of His redemption.

two weeks ago we began to host “the truth project” for a group of 17 college students that range from strong believers going into ministry to wanderers with questions. it has been amazing to watch the Holy Spirit convict, challenge, and open doors for conversation.

i have been playing a role in every worship gathering since we got here. one week i may open with a challenge and call to worship, the next i may give announcements and lead in a responsive reading. marc has been training me more thoroughly in video editing and i feel like i am growing in that each and every week. the greatest part of my week here is being involved in teaching. though i won’t teach on a wednesday night until december, i am involved in the teaching every week. every thursday and monday the staff gathers to study the scripture that will be presented that week. though i am not the one presenting, it is great to be a part of the preparation process, see how what God is showing me is brought into the message.

God is so good. heather and i have been wrestling through some very huge personal prayer issues and God is holding us through it all. it is amazing to see God’s provision not only financially but also emotionally, socially, and spiritually. we are sure that He is and will hold us through it all.

my studies are going very well. i was a little worried with having so many things going on that my grades would begin to slip. but, glory to God, things are going well. my class on the gospel of john is “rocking my face off” as i learn more and more about Jesus, his plan, and his call on my life. each and every day God is growing a deeper passion for truth in my heart.

Loving People...

lot families is just one way that we are able to connect with people. on the second saturday of each month, we as a church go out into the community to serve the poor, the marginalized or the widowed. this month we worked for a woman named phyllis, a mother of many and a grandmother of even more who lives in a house that has been in her family for generations yet is very run down and dilapidated. as a group we spent the morning cleaning, hauling out old furniture and appliances and loving on the family.

this month i have had the opportunity to get back into the leading worship. i spent a weekend playing bass for a youth retreat and will begin to help during our wednesday night gatherings.

everyone here is so amazed at how quickly and how well heather has plugged in…in everything. she’s involved in a woman’s bible study, wednesday nights, hosts our lot family (which is a bigger task than actually teaching at it) and is mentoring a handful of college-age women.

in all of our activities we are rubbing shoulders and elbows with people but are we really loving them? we’ve learned to love people better over these past two months. i’ve learned to listen to people’s hearts, not just what they are saying or doing. i’ve learned while truth, community, accountability and discipleship are necessary components to being the church, love is primary. without love we have no permission to speak truth, engage in community, require accountability or disciple anyone.

we’ve learned all this not from a class or reading a book, but by doing it; by choosing to reach out to people, to engage people, to ask questions and be ready to love, no matter the cost. it’s a beautiful thing.

Restoring The City...

i want to thank each and every one of you who prayed for us after our last newsletter. in that newsletter, we stated that our biggest prayer need was location. well God is faithful! after a few months of wrestling in prayer and exploring the city, we feel like God is opening doors for the location that we are to plant.

we have been fortunate to be able to network with some amazing guys in the st. louis region. two of these guys are darren casper from the metro baptist association and tim cowen, the pastor of rock hill baptist church. as we sought God for direction on where to plant, these men stepped in and have played a huge part in encouragement and wisdom.

just south of downtown st. louis are several neighborhoods. marked by their culture and diversity, both racially and economically, beautiful parks, and the restoration projects that are happening, soulard, benton park, layfayette square, the gate district, and downtown south are some of the most unchurched areas in st. louis. a historically catholic area, the architecture still stands, but the Church is no where to be found.

five years ago God burned Isaiah 58 on my heart. and today, we are watching as that vision is coming into existence. it is the belief of our team that God is calling us to reach what we are calling “the interchange” (where highways 55 and 44 meet and the 1.5 mile radius surrounding it). we believe that God has a heart for the city of st. louis and has placed that love in our hearts. we desire to see the name of Jesus lifted high, coming worshipfully form the lips of those who have be bought back from a life of hopelessness, despair, chaos, and blindness.

right now we see a couple of opportunities on the horizon that we need prayer over. currently rock hill baptist has ownership of the famous “jesus church” building in soulard. their may be a possibility of us partnering with them to share the building and ministry in the city as they send a team down to lead a service on sunday nights. also, there is an african american church just across the highway in the lafayette square baptist church building that is struggling to reach the increasingly growing white community. we are asking God for favor with these leaders and for His direction as we pursue relationships and share vision.

please keep praying for us. ask God how you could play a part in this work. whether it be through prayer, financial giving or even God calling you to move to st. louis to join us in this effort, please plead to the Lord on our behalf. also, pray for our team as they raise funds and situate life to prepare themselves for this work. we love you all!