Why I'm Looking for a Full-Time Job (or Career)

I posted this morning that I'm looking for a full-time job or career. One of my good friends responded something like "aren't you a church planter?" to which I reply, "Yes. Yes I am."

So what am I doing looking for a career.

Well, let me try to explain. For 18 months now (or so) I've been focused on getting Access Church started, up to speed, doing everything I can (and some things I can't) to make it sustainable. For the majority of this time, I've been working 4 part-time jobs just to get by, all the while thinking that someday it wouldn't be like this. Someday I'd have my funding in place. Someday I'll have a congregation that will tithe and that will enable me to minister to them full-time.

Well, someday hasn't happened. And it doesn't look like it will happen for a long time, probably a few years. In the meantime, I need to feed my family, provide some security to our life, and de-stress like crazy. To the point, I need a career.

Two questions that might be rolling around the reader's mind (because they've rolled around my mind a lot) are 1. What does this mean for Access Church, and 2. How can I be a church planter if I'm busy being a... something else? I'll do my best to answer those questions here.

First of all, about Access Church. Yes, it's still a passion and direction of mine. I still hope and pray to establish a congregation here in Aldergrove. There are many varied forms of church planting, and while the best-known form is gathering and discipling a core, starting services, and growing that core into a crowd... that's not the only method. The method that resonates most with me goes more like this: make intentional inroads into the community, and the peoples lives where I live, invite them for dinner, introduce them to one another, make no excuses for who I am or what I'm about (including church planting), see what God's doing in their lives and join in (and help them identify God), teach the Gospel including "everything Jesus has commanded", establish discipleship models (along with other missional people) for those who are receptive, build up communities of new disciples, join together for worship, scatter for mission. The question is, can this be accomplished while I work a full time job? If God wills, then yes. The best part is that Taralyn is fully on board with this strategy/method.

Secondly, what about my identity as a church planter? This is something that I struggle with, not gonna lie to you. A man's self-worth and self-identity is wrapped up (psychologically) with why he DOES. If you ask a man, 'who are you' he'll likely respond 'a plumber' or 'a teacher' or 'a politician'. If I am not DOING church planting first and foremost, am I still a church planter? My identity needs to come from God through Christ. I am a follower of a missional God, and His Son, the Head of the Church. If Jesus would plant a church through my ministry (as I go into my world with the Gospel) then yes, I am a church planter. I pray that's what He'll do. I guess what I'm saying is that Jesus is and always has been the only true Church Planter - we sometimes get to play. I'm begging Him for my chance to play.

My number one call to ministry is to my wife and my three boys. I need to lovingly lead them, care for them, and provide for them as I am able to by the grace of God. I need to show my boys how a man looks after his family and his flock. I don't disparage those who bring their full income in from church planting (as I hope to be able to do someday), but after countless one-on-one meetings, church presentation opportunities, fundraising letters sent, and a fundraising dinner, I am not able (by God's grace) to support my family on church planting alone (or even in part). This is the direction that God has given me, and I gladly walk in it.

Now, if only He would direct an employer to hire me and pay me what I need now! I continue on in this journey of faith.