Why To Start (or Attend, or Support) A New Church:

Here are some reasons off the top of my head that I think every Christian should consider whether they should help a new church get off the ground. The list is certainly not exhaustive, and may be repetitive at parts, but here is my own passion:
- The world/nation/province/city/town needs more churches to reach more people with the Gospel
- A new generation of unchurched masses needs a fresh expression and presentation of the ageless Gospel
- God is always up to something new, particularly in regards to the salvation of souls. It's a good idea to be on board with Him.
- You can be an encouragement to others who sense the need to start something new.
- Evangelism isn't meant to be a solo exercise, but a community event. A new church often excels at evangelism.
- There's a fresh excitement and willingness to work together, which results in deeper relationships and friendships with others.
- Missions isn't just overseas. It starts in your own backyard. A Christian is called to be a missionary where he/she is planted. Church planting is hard core missionary work.
- Particular churches attract particular people to the Gospel. There's a demographic in your town that isn't being serviced by any other church. Maybe there's a church for them in your future.
- While we are passionate about reaching 'the ends of the earth', we are also told to be witnesses of Jesus in our own Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria.
- Christianity isn't about attending a church, but being a part of the Kingdom of God on mission. Church attendance alone is boring and trivial, while involvement in a church plant is difficult, frustrating, intense, all-encompassing, and extremely rewarding. In short, it's the adventure we are meant to live (John 10:10).
- God wrapped Himself in skin and bones, took on flesh, cried, filled his diaper, was tempted (really), hurt badly both emotionally and physically, suffered, and died. It's called "incarnation". You and I are also called to incarnate the Gospel where we live, with the people around us.
- Attending church in another town makes it more difficult to bring your neighbours and friends along. Is there a church you can be involved with where you live? If not, why not help start one instead of commuting to your spiritual community?
- Churches are closing every week. Meanwhile, our population is exploding. There are fewer churches per capita than even 10 years ago. Canada needs more churches.
- Jesus called His followers "salt" and "light". In a world that has lost it's taste and is groping in the dark, it's time that we stop warehousing our light and blaming the world for being so dark. We must strategically construct beams of light around our neighbourhoods, towns, cities, and the world.
- Very few places are saturated with Gospel presence (in terms of Gospel preaching/displaying churches). Other towns have absolutely NO Gospel presence. What about your town, city, or neighbourhood? What about mine?

I'd love to hear more reasons to join a church plant, and maybe some pushback on mine. Please post below.

MDN: Week... Whatever

Hey, it's been 2 weeks since I posted last. It seems that I grew tired of making these posts at around the same time as I grew tired of being involved in MDN. After the Once In A Million Wine & Dine Event, I kind of lost interest... for a while. Yes, I was involved in the Transportation Challenge, to an extent, and in the Entrepreneur Challenge, to an extent. But a few things were also going on in my personal life.

For the Transportation Challenge reveal, I was absent. Well, actually I WAS there (at the Aldergrove Wreckers) at 10:00 am with my son Carter when we were supposed to start filming, but I had to leave at 11:30 and they hadn't yet begun. This was the style of MDN, and I wasn't really surprised, but a little disappointed. Except for the reason I had to leave was that my Mum was getting married that day in Langley, and I was co-officiating the ceremony! (more on that later...)

For that challenge, I tried to schedule car pooling. Stephanie was organizing car pools, but work (I work as a term at Canada Post) had me in Chilliwack, and nobody else was going that far into the Valley. Carpooling didn't work. Neither could I have biked to work, though that could have been fun! Around this time, though, many of us were wondering if filming would ever end. The days were getting shorter and colder, and instead of complaining about the heat at the MDN Bank, there were complaints about the cold at the MDN Bank. I also didn't participate in the car sale - I had no car to sell, and I was driving a school bus for a local church's bus ministry that day. I do wish I had been able to be there, but we all have priorities, and we need to say "no" to many good things in order to say "yes" to the ones we value more. For me, that day, it was hanging out with my two oldest boys and taking them on a bus trip and to Kids Klub.

The following week, I was on hand for the challenge. I actually made it on camera in a number of spots, which really surprised me because I was definitely more heavily involved in previous challenges (heading up entertainment at the Garage Sale, serving and helping with entertainment at the Wine & Dine, etc) and didn't show up on those episodes. It was a good challenge. Carissa with SLAP (www.slapcenter.com) was phenominal with showing how businesses can become viable. She answered some of the questions I had for her pertaining to starting a church, which is completely different (though very much the same) from starting a business. For a church, for instance, you're not concerned with making a profit (maybe a prophet... har har). But there are business principles for a church planter to follow if he wants to keep his head above sinking. Carissa talked about building a vision and mission in a way I hadn't heard before, and it was really inspiring! In addition, I let the cat out of the bag a little bit more in the context of the community which I had been growing increasingly socially comfortable with, that I am here to share the Gospel with Aldergrove. It's always a bit tenuous, sharing something like that, because immediately people go into self-protective mode like I'm the Amway guy. Like I all of the sudden have an agenda - as if nobody else does. But once I got to know the people and they knew I wasn't a crazy religious nut (much to the chagrin of the producers of the show, I'm sure), I was able to reveal my intention more and more. I got to drive Gary back home after that event and we had a great talk about his dream start-up business and mine, and agreed to help each other in any way that we can.

I was involved in the marketing group for that challenge, as I had started helping people with building a twitter following. I figured I could get the word out for the night market that way. But I obviously wasn't it in 100%. There were other things going on in my life, and again they took priority. I had already agreed to speak at a pre-teen youth event in Surrey (here) the night of the Night Market, so I couldn't attend that event either, which was also disappointing but I know I made the right choice. Of course, knowing that I wouldn't be at the actual event, it was hard to be motivated to give all I could FOR the event.

I can't remember if I've mentioned this or not, but it keeps on coming back to my mind and rumbling around my soul. At the very beginning of the Million Dollar Neighbourhood, we had a town hall meeting when Bruce Sellery gave some excellent financial tips. It started with determining what money means to you. Some of this was shown in the first episode. People came up and said "money means freedom, and I don't have any of it". Others said "Money is a prison". Some people said that money is what gives them the life they always wanted. One person, Darren Patrick, said that money is for other people - namely those on First Nations reserves without proper drinking water. I was surprised that only one person in that crowd talked about money in any way other than "it's for me, me, me...". I'm not slagging those who said that money's for their happiness or success - that's the way the world is. But I was refreshed to hear Darren say that he sees his money for other people.

Secondly, Bruce said something I'll refer to for many years to come. He told us that most people work, work, work, work, work, work, play, play, and die. He wants instead to work, play, work, play, work, play, work, play, play and die. I totally dig where he's going with this. Money to him is the opportunity to play, to travel, to enjoy life. I appreciate that. He said that he works really hard, drives a less-than-impressive automobile, and makes other sacrifices, so that he can "play" throughout his life. I totally get that, and I'm inspired by it.

But I'm afraid that Bruce only has half (at most) of the picture. If he works, plays, works, plays, plays, plays, plays, then dies... then what? If all he ever has to do is play, play, play, play, die, then what? Francis Chan made a really good point here. He says that life here on earth is such a small part of our eternal reality. He brings a long, long rope on stage, which stretches off the stage out the door and he says 'imagine this rope goes on forever, and that this rope is a timeline of your existence. This red part at the tip represents your time on earth. You have a few short years here on earth, and then all of eternity. What blows me away is that some of you, all you think about is this red part."

Now, maybe you don't buy it. Maybe you don't think that your life is eternal. In that case, what Bruce says is right. Work, play, work, play, play, play because that's all you really have to hope for. But in the end, it's frustrating isn't it? Because other things interfere with our playing plans. The weather turns, or terrorists screw up the flight schedules, or the thing that you thought would satisfy your craving just doesn't, and you need to work more to enjoy the next great thing. Solomon, one of the richest men whoever lived and certainly the wisest, had leisure at his leisure. He built anything he ever wanted, had all the sex he ever wanted, lived life exactly the way he wanted. And he said that it's all meaningless, leaving you feeling empty inside. They say that the most dissatisfied people in the world are those who have "made it", and found out that at the top of the ladder things aren't so rosy. They've spend their lives, their energy, their time, their money, their stuff, their family, on getting to the top, and it's not worth the investment.

What if there IS more? What if it's great to save and dream and plan for this life, but that there's something greater beyond this life that we don't even know anything about? What if the top of the ladder here is nothing compared to what we could ever consider in the future? What if there are things we could invest in here to make that future a brighter place? This is the hope I have to share with Aldergrove, and God willing I'll have more and more opportunity to do so.

I'm excited about seeing this week's episode, because my son Carter's picture has already shown up online at https://www.facebook.com/MillionDollarNeighbourhood. Here it is:

The episode follows the week that the kids took the lead. Again, admittedly, we weren't hugely involved. It's easier for the kids to handle finances and food and all that stuff when they're teenagers or even pre-teens... but what are we gonna do? We did get together with Stephanie and Ryan and their kids though for an evening. We had fun. We'll have to do it again soon!

But since I haven't seen the episode yet (I wait until they come online because I don't have cable) I don't have much to say about it. Stay tuned!

Access Online?

I'm contemplating something. Those who know me might see that as a problem. I have the habit of getting all excited about projects, and many of them don't see the light of day. Books I've wanted to write, bands I've wanted to start, a church I've wanted to plant... the list goes on. I'm a dreamer, and I dream of influencing people for Jesus. For the Gospel. To see lives changed for the glory of God through the Gospel of Jesus. That's my dream, my vision, my mission. And now that vision has a new possible outworking.

I've been critical of the 'online church' like LifeChurch.tv. I believe that church isn't simply something that people 'go to' or 'watch', but rather communities of redeemed people on mission together. And I couldn't see how that can happen in an online venue, but my mind is changing. A few months ago I met with a friend of mine, someone who used to be a part of a youth group where I was the pastor. He had been saved through the ministry at that church, but had since drifted away from the community and the Gospel. I was able to encourage him in the Gospel. A few weeks later I reconnected with another 'kid', from another previous youth ministry, who also needed a reminder of the Gospel. For the past year I've also engaged with a number of friends on Facebook and twitter, Christians, non-Christians, skeptics, atheists, and everyone in between. I realized that there are a number of people in my life who I do minister the Gospel to, but sporadically, infrequently, and because of that, probably ineffectively.

When we were dreaming of Access Church, we thought it might be effective to further the Gospel message by posting our sermons online through iTunes podcasts and vodcasts and YouTube. I have personally been built up in the Gospel through pastors* on iTunes and I wanted to give freely as I had freely received. When it became clear that Access Church wasn't going to be a go, I started thinking of developing my sermon series, 'Losing My Religion' specifically for YouTube to see if I could effectively minister the Gospel to people in that venue. That thought has been at the back of my mind for about three months.

Then this week I received an invitation from churchleader.com to download a free ebook on "The Art of Online Ministry". It was an easy read, particularly because it was articulation what I've wanted to do in so many ways. And now, I'd like to explore the idea of launching an online church.

Great! Another project.

Well if there's one thing I've learned in all my starts and stops, it's that I can't accomplish much on my own. The ebook also confirmed this fact. It says that it needs to be a team that does something like this. A team to own it and develop it. The investment, both financial and time, is much smaller than, say, church planting. But people have to own it together. Particularly, the team needs to include:

- A Captain
- A Network Catalyst
- At least 2 Prayer Room Volunteers
- Chat Room Hosts
- An Administrator
- Video Production
- Worship leaders/team
- Others

The beauty of online church (say, Access Online) is that it's manageable by a small group of committed people. The people don't have to physically meet together, or be in the same geographical region. It has low overhead. And it's effective. It can continue the mission of seeing lives changed for the glory of God through the Gospel of Jesus. It can spark conversions, communities (both virtual and actual) and maybe even physical churches. I can participate in it while providing for my family full-time, and while I'm also involved in my family's own church community.

As for the potential pitfalls of launching an online church, such as those I've already identified in this post along with others, I'll be addressing those in upcoming entries. But I've come to understand two things: 1. That virtual community IS a legitimate form of community (I'll be unpacking this further in later posts) and 2. That church ministry online doesn't have to stay online, but when appropriate can extend to physical meetups, mission, care, etc. Also, my mind has expanded from picturing online church as simply posted sermons to realizing the power of online chat, chat prayer rooms, polls, etc that contribute to building community online. Web2.0 (or 3.0?) might make online community a legitimate form of church.

My next step is to continue dreaming. I'll be developing two sermon series: 'Losing My Religion' (which I was planning to preach for the launch of Access Church in Aldergrove), and 'What Jesus'. Each series will be 4-5 weeks in length. I'll develop and record it in raw footage.

I want to know if anybody else is with me on this. I won't go unless there's a team. I want to hear from you. Have you experienced online church? Do you have skills I've listed above and are you willing to use them in this mission? Would you like to hear more about my vision, goals, plans, experiences, and life? Are you intrigued to know more about the Gospel, which compels me to keep trying, even though I may not succeed?

Drop a line in the comments below. Repost this on your twitter, Facebook, and blog. Let's see if we can get some momentum on this, by the grace of God!

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.

De-Programming

We had a great fundraising dinner two weeks ago. It was beautiful, the food was delicious, the guest speakers focused on their topics and stuck to their allotted time, and the room was full of encouragement, blessing and friendship, and generosity.
However, we didn't bring in enough pledges to move ahead as we had hoped and planned.
The plan was that starting January, I would be working half-time (30 hours a week) at my regular job, and be freed up half time (the other 30) to build momentum with Access Church. That would enable me time to plan, strategize, and meet people, but mostly to prepare for and execute three programs a week: discipling our 'core community', beginning an introduction to Christianity study for 'sojourners' (or 'seekers'), and starting to meet with a group of at-risk high school students. The plan seemed perfect. With the help of others in our core community, I would spend the next 4-5 months building into these groups and people, and on Easter Sunday 2011 we would bring them together for a celebration gathering, where they would meet one another, realizing that there's something bigger and grander going on here, and would be invited to continue meeting together in community groups weekly, and in worship gatherings monthly (for now).
But the pledges that came in won't support my 30 hour a week goal. In fact, all told I have enough pledges for working at Access for just over five hours a week. So following our Fundraising Dinner, we had some thinking, praying and considering to do. Our options were pretty simple: 1. Realize that God is 'closing the door', or that we mis-heard what we're supposed to be doing, and move on in life and ministry to other fields; or 2. Stick in there, show some tenacity, find ways to continue providing for my family while also trying to start this church.
It hasn't been easy. Each solution has a positive side to it, seemingly right and holy and good, and each solution has a negative, seemingly worldly and unchristian and unfaithful. Taralyn and I have been back and forth individually and together as we've wrestled this out. I've also sought counsel from good friends and advisors, who have also gone back and forth.
But the point where I think we all have ended up is, it's not time for us to leave Aldergrove.
I won't be able to run three groups a week like I was hoping. I'll barely be able to do one, but I am committed to one. However, that one will need to change into something more life-giving, more structured and less programmed.
If there's one thing I would say that God has pressed into me over the past 16 months or so, it's de-programming. My friend Danny hangs out with high school kids to share the Gospel with them. He doesn't 'do' anything. He just hangs out. One night a week he puts out the invitation for any of them to come out for dinner. Not 'dinner and discussion', or 'dinner and Bible', or 'share your life story dinner'. Just plain old 'dinner'. They make it a point to resist the temptation to make it something more. The only 'spiritual' thing they do at their dinner, is pray before the meal. It's pretty simple. Yet, he has found that the youth who attend regularly LOVE this part of dinner. They get bummed if they miss the before-meal-prayer. On occassion, he's been asked if they can pray AGAIN, after latecomers have arrived (I don't know if he obliged their request or not). I remember hearing Danny talking about that maybe 2 years ago and I was inspired to do something like that too (I'm a copycat).
And yet, what I've done is re-create a tried and largely failed evangelical Christian method of getting into other peoples' lives and worlds - bait and switch. Bring them out for dinner, and switch it up with some Bible and Jesus talk afterwards. Or, to avoid the bait-and-switch tactic, I've told them upfront "here's what we'll be discussing tonight" and I've wondered why people don't come.
Hugh Halter talks about the same thing. When I first read his book "The Tangible Kingdom" I got really frustrated at his distancing himself from 'church'. He says, essentially, "we're not a church, I'm not a pastor, this is not a church plant". I've responded, "if it looks like a dog, wags its tail and barks, chances are...". But Halter's got a point. People don't want a religious program - they want friends, they want to share life, they want safe relationships, they want dinner.
The issue, perhaps, is intention. Danny's intention will never be to plant a church with these kids (although I've often wanted to push him in that direction!). Hugh Halter never wanted to plant a church, to the point where I'm frustrated reading his book going "PLANT THAT CHURCH!" (he did). My intention is to plant a church. I've told people that. When I've introduced myself for the first time to people on my street I've said, "We moved here to start a church in Aldergrove". I want to be upfront. Kudos to me for being honest, but maybe I should have had a look at my intention.
Maybe Jesus is building His Church. Maybe He's commissioned me to go out and make disciples, not to plant a church. Maybe through me opening my home and life to people, with no 'ulterior motive' or secret motivation to get them to help me plant a church, maybe if I'm simply missional - then Jesus WILL plant His church.
Taralyn suggested to me last night that maybe we just have people over for dinner. I've met some pretty cool people here in Aldergrove, and I've even invited a few to our Access Dinner... but maybe, Taralyn suggested, we should put Access away for now, and invite people to the Eddys' for dinner. I see great wisdom in that, and really a return to what my heart has been excited about all along. I married well.

I came to our Access Fundraiser Dinner with a great plan: three communities, each well programmed to make disciples, eventually joining to form one church gathering. I'm thinking right now that by the grace of God it won't be happening that way.

We're Looking for D2 Christians

(with some of what I learned at churchplantingbc's Day With Hugh Halter)

Not that we think that Christians necessarily are at different levels, or statuses. But it can’t be ignored that not all who call themselves “Christian” are in fact disciples of Jesus, trusting in Him for their salvation and living their lives for Him. Beyond that, it’s apparent that some Christians are content with calling Jesus their Lord and Savior, attending church and maybe Bible study, raising their kids to fear God, and having a positive affect on people they come into contact with.  We call people who fit into this category “followers of Jesus”.

Then there are those who are a little bit more hardcore about their Christian lives. It could be said they’re somewhat more ‘radical’. This is your typical missionary, pastor, worship leader, etc. Those for whom Christianity is more than a label, but a way of life. Of course, I recognized a long time ago that not all radical Christians are in fulltime Christian service, and not all in fulltime Christian service are radical Christians. But some people receive the call to become a disciple with more intentionality. We call people in this category “apprentices of Jesus”.

Apprentices are those who take the directives of Jesus, particularly those of ‘loving your neighbour as yourself’ and ‘go and make disciples’, and ‘go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation’ seriously. They learn to ‘obey everything that’ He has ‘commanded’, particularly the Great Commission and the Great Commandment.  They are those who have not only made the decision to follow Jesus, but who have made the second decision to live out His mission.

First Decision Christians, or rather those who remain ‘followers’ and never become ‘apprentices’ of Jesus, tend to be consumeristic and protectionistic.  They want what’s best for them and theirs – the safest neighbourhoods, the best schools, the biggest houses, the most secure jobs, the best looking friends and family, no conflict, no messiness, to enjoy life in Christ.  In contrast, Second Decision Christians, or those who decide to follow Jesus and also make a decision to become like Jesus, will work to put the priorities of the Kingdom ahead of their own comfort, advancement, security, or image.

We love D1, or First Decision Christians. We know that they are our brothers and sisters in Christ. We serve them, pray with them, depend on them, love them, work for the Kingdom with them, learn from them, guide them, help them, and minister to them. But we are looking for D2, Second Decision Christians. We need them to work with us for the advancement of the Kingdom in Aldergrove. We need them to impact their friends, relatives, and neighbours. We need them to buckle in with us if Aldergrove is going to be transformed by the Gospel. We need them to work at their jobs with excellence, to befriend their neighbours and seek ways to serve their communities. We need them to open their homes to others, and to give of their time to Gospel Community that includes other D2 Christians, D1 Christians, pre-Christians, non-Christians, never-gonna-be-Christians, and those who think they are Christians but don’t follow or depend on Christ.

Discipleship involves community, mission, and worship. D2 Christians are continuously developing intentionally in all three of those areas. We invite you to develop in those areas with us, and to join with us, in developing a D2 Access Church.

Two Steps Forward...

What's going on with Access? That's a question I am asked quite often lately. We've been living in Aldergrove for 1 year now, which seems like a long time, but it's gone by in a flash! Taralyn has been busy with our two boys, and growing our third child as well! I have been juggling a few different jobs, as well as taking care of and spending time with my family and, of course, church planting.
Whoever said that this would be easy?

We moved here last September 15, armed with a monthly commitment from our district (www.lpd-efcc.ca), a part-time job at Dead Frog Brewery, another part-time job as a care worker for my brother Ryan, and a fail-proof strategy for planting Access Church by Easter.
At this point, I'm still with Ryan, for more hours per week than before. I'm no longer at Dead Frog. And I'm facilitating workshops with people on Income Assistance, meeting a ton of great people in Chilliwack, Port Coquitlam, and Maple Ridge (all three of which communities, by the way, really need church plants!). We haven't 'planted' Access yet either, but we are 'two steps ahead'.

After taking a long, hard look at our dream dying, we spend a couple of months trying to rebuild our confidence. We attended Bootcamp with the EFCC, and also Oasis Retreat. But the big break came in July, when we made plans with David and Linda Williaume to get together every other Sunday evening for dinner, and we'd see who else would turn up.

As it turned out, we had 16 people at our first dinner, including 6 kids! The numbers have fluctuated since then, but a year into church planting in Aldergrove, there are three couples committed to the journey, rather than just one. We are truly two steps ahead. The Eddys, the Williaumes, and the Deyettes have grouped together to make Jesus and His Gospel known in Aldergrove. We're meeting together regularly, building up our relationships with one another, and strategizing how we'll continue to minister to the others God has brought around us. There's a couple living close to the Deyettes that I'm also connected to from the past. There are other families from previous churches that have been at least peripherally interested in being involved, and there are untold numbers of people connected to our three families.

They say that 'luck' happens when opportunity meets preparation. God is doing something here in Aldergrove, most notably He's preparing us, the Access Core, for when opportunity strikes, to share His Gospel in this town on a larger scale. Until that happens, we continue to plod along. We're starting a series on Timothy Keller's "The Prodigal God" this Sunday, which will take us into December. We're thinking maybe of doing Francis Chan's "Crazy Love" after that. And we continue inviting our neighbours into our homes, and to our dinners together as well, to experience The Prodigal God's Crazy Love.

We're also holding a fundraising dinner on November 27 at Abbotsford Evangelical Free Church. Tickets will be $20, for more information email me chad@accesschurch.ca.

Please continue to pray for us. We really need to expand our core, and to become effective at ministering to one another, so that we will be prepared to minister to many in Aldergrove.

Bootcamp

Last week Taralyn and I participated in Church Planting Bootcamp, finally! For the uninitiated, starting a church is usually referred to as "church planting" for reasons I'll go into a little more in depth later, and normally a person goes through basic training (or "bootcamp") before they launch out on their church planting adventure (to really mix up metaphors!). As I noted before, Taralyn and I have done almost everything in our own church planting adventure backwards, it makes sense that we would have waited till month (what is it?) 8 to attend "basic training" bootcamp!

Part of the reason that we didn't take Church Planting Bootcamp before we stepped out, though, was the lack of availability of such a program. Yes, it's run pretty regularly across the US, but local opportunities come seldomly. The Canadian E Free Church (yes, I still cringe when I hear EV Free), for all its desire to plant more churches, is still in getting its bearings as to what that means in terms of training and launching, supporting church planters. Our EFCC Church Planting Bootcamp was a HUGE step in the right direction, and I'm excited about what it means, not only in the short-term for our Access Church Plant, but in the long-term for more church planting within the EFCC.

The Bootcamp itself consisted of five days, six-session each day, intensive training period. We went through everything from determining philosophy, mission, vision, calling, to gathering a startup team, core team, launching, preview services, marketing, using technology, small groups, discipleship process, and being a church-planting church plant (or "planting pregnant"). Taralyn and I were sent by the Evangelical Free Church of Canada, Lower Pacific District. We were helped financially by the LPD and by the generosity of friends and family so that we could attend, and my mother watched Caleb and Carter all week which really freed us up.

What do we take away from it? Wow! First, a huge dose of encouragement! Let's be honest, Access Church isn't exactly going the way we though/hoped/believed it would be at this point, when we started out last fall. There have been dark, difficult times. We've never really walked away from the dream/call, but we've often wondered what we're doing out here alone, broke, almost faithless, friendless, no church to speak of, possibly lacking what it takes to get it going. The bootcamp gave fresh wind in our sails, and a desire to see this happen, and new eyes of faith to see how it might!

The first couple of days, to do with the mission and vision of the church, is what I immediately need to review and work out as it pertains to Access. I believe that we jumped into church planting at step 6 (or 67, depending on your scale) rather than at step one. Many of the challenges we have faced stem from the fact that we didn't knock over the first bunch of dominoes before diving into the middle. So determining our vision, values, and being able to communicate those to people who might form a startup team and core community, is step one (or steps 1-17, whichever way you look at it).

What is it? We're still working on it. Yes, this takes time. If we've learned anything, it's to be patient. Be disciplined, follow through, show tenacity... but be patient. "I waited patiently on the Lord, He turned and heard my cry..." (Psalm 40, U2 and King David).

My coach, Charlie Worley, who has been an immense help to me already, was among the presenters at the bootcamp. He wrote about the week here. Other presenters were George Klippenes of EFCA Start Churches, Ray Chang of Ambassador Church, and Dave Page who is the Church Planting Director of EFCA West. Each of these men have impacted my direction and passion for church planting. I have learned much more than I can share here, because I have yet to unpack it. But I will, with Charlie's help, and I will share it with you as you read on in this blog...

Pre-Launch Service #1 is behind us!

After years of dreaming, months of planning, and frankly weeks of stressing, we have begun our journey - the "Journey to Hope in Aldergrove", as we're calling our Access Church pre-launch series. Last Sunday, October 4 2009, we held our first pre-launch 'preview' service for Access Church at the Kinsmen Community Centre in Aldergrove. There were about 15 people in attendance; some of those were family, some part of the 'Access Mission Team' from other churches, and some were interested in becoming participants in our new community. Others were there just to check it out.

I preached a sermon called "Journey to Go

d" examining what a god is, how in some way we all have 'gods' that we serve, that we trust in to save us from what we consider to be personal hell. Then we looked at the God of the Bible, and that He is The legitimate God, not made in our image but we in His, not predictable or tame but just as we'd expect of the King of the Universe, on His mission, His agenda, ruling by His own wisdom not ours. You can listen to the sermon here - yes, we're already podcasting on iTunes!

We had plenty of refreshments - coffee and cookies and fruit and juice and water. "Access Kids" took care of our two little guys, Caleb and Carter. We offered the Lords Table to believers - Welch's grape juice in plastic shot glasses and bread cut from a loaf. Darrin Climie lent his carpentry expertise to making a cross for our use. We were lent a sound system and rented some microphones. Dan Stewart did a great job of leading us skillfully in worship. There was great community through conversation that happened. All in all, it was 'church'.

We arrived at 9am to start setting up (a

ctually, I think we got there at 9:10), but we began with prayer. We were finished the service by 12:05 and out of there by 1:00 when the dog obedience class showed up! The Kinsmen Centre was a fantastic place to hold the service, though there are a few lighting and space issues we need to re-think.

Thank you to all of you who participated. Thank you also, to those of you who have prayed with us for this. It's just the beginning. Our hope is that many of the people there on Sunday will return next month with someone else. At Alcoholics Anonymous, there's a policy that once you join you start actively looking for someone you can sponsor - we want something of that same spirit at Access - to be actively pursuing others you can bring along in the journey.

The next Access Pre-Launch Service is November 1 at 10:30 at the Aldergrove Kinsmen Community Centre, 26770 29 Avenue.

Churched or Un-Churched?

Sometimes I second-guess myself.

Lately it's been whether my calling really is to non-religious, non-'churched', non-Christians, or if I'm kidding myself and really I should stick to what I know - the churched crowd.  I mean, these are the ones I've been devoting my time and my life to for the past what, 7 years... more than that, really.  I know them, I jive with them, I'm not shocked at their behaviors (most of the time).  And as much as I don't like to admit it, I'm not that unlike them.  Let's face it, I am 'Churched'.

But for some reason, I really REALLY want to plant a church that is made up of predominately 'Un-Churched' (or rather, 'Non-Churched') people. Why is that?

Because I'd rather start with something new than try to fix something old.  I find myself in contexts where there are 'Churched' people around, preaching at them how they shouldn't be this way or that way, how religion is the anti-Gospel, how their righteousness needs to be repented of just as much as sinners' sin.  I'm trying to right a faulty Christian mindset that's protectionistic rather than missional, that's inward rather than outward, that's moral management rather than Gospel- and Jesus-centric.  I'm trying to undo years, sometimes lifetimes, of indoctrination.

But with the non-Churched, those who haven't had the same indoctrination, I get to instead preach the Gospel.  Sure, I still have lots of mindsets, worldviews, patterns, ideas, and practices to correct, but much of it isn't religion-based and therefore easier to deal with.

Yes, I love the church.  I love the Churched.  I really, really do.  There are people in my head right now who I love, and I don't see eye to eye with, yet I enjoy getting together and talking with them.  But I believe that my 'holy discontent' is to see non-Churched people 'get it'.  To see that spark of understanding, of the work of the Holy Spirit in their eye, to lead them to Jesus and His Gospel that's pure and true.  That's what I want to live for.

Missionary Cards! Now Available

Delightfully Cheesy, missionary cards are one way to raise prayer support!

The Eddy FamilyChad | Taralyn | Caleb | Carter

Church Planting Missionaries
with the
Evangelical Free Church, Lower Pacific District

Called to plant Access Church in Aldergrove, BC,
a community of 12,000 between the cities of Langley and Abbotsford.

The Plan:
• Begin to lay the foundation to plant in August, 2009.
• Move to Aldergrove in the fall of 2009.
• Hold monthly pre-launch services starting in October.
• Launch date April 4, 2010, which is Easter Sunday!

Please pray for us as we look for the right place to live, get connected in the community, build both core and launch teams, raise support for ourselves and for the church plant, and find ways to share the Gospel with people in Aldergrove!

Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. (Matthew 28:18-20)

Pray like a Calvinist, Work like an Arminian

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I was having coffee a couple of weeks ago with another church planter who said that in church planting, we have to pray like Calvinists and work like Arminians. It reminded me of something I read long ago, "The Vision" by Pete Grieg of 24-7 Prayer. Speaking of this 'army of young people', he says "they pray as if it all depends on God and live as if it all depends on them."

A few people have asked me where I stand in the Calvin/Arminian continuum. My answer would surprise my 3-years-ago self. At the time I was blissfully unaware of really where I stood, not really wanting to pigeon-hole myself in one camp or the other. But one of my mentors at the time, Glen Madden, urged me to listen to a guy called Matt Chandler in a sermon titled "Hope For Here And There". I immediately resonated with Chandler, his style of preaching, and mostly his love for Scripture and expectancy of the Spirit. I hadn't seen such a powerful combination before, though I'd seen glimpses and traces. But Chandler doesn't preach devotional sermonettes. He doesn't read a small passage of Scripture and use it to spring-board into what he wants to talk about. He doesn't deliver 'talks' - he preaches. He preaches text. And he's certainly challenged me. He helped me to become aware that my beliefs from Scripture about God's sovereignty, His calling and choosing, His jealousy for His glory, all of this I previously believed, placed me squarely in the camp of the (at least 4-point) Calvinist. There, I said it. Though, I prefer the softer-toned title of "Reformed".

Since listening to Chandler and through Chandler getting into Wayne Grudem, and eventually back around to Mark Driscoll, John Piper, Tim Keller, CJ Mahaney, and others, I've found deep, deep wells of refreshing spring water flooding over me. These guys who LOVE the Word of God as it is written. I mean, everybody brings a bias into their reading and understanding of Scripture, but I have found few others who are as true to the Written Word as some of these guys. They believe Scripture for what it says, even the hard parts, preach it effectively (more or less), make no secret of their own struggles with some of the tough passages, believe in the Charismatic acts of the Holy Spirit (as any serious student of Scriptura Sola would), and simply present it to their churches, urging them to do the same.

Do I struggle with Reformed theology? You'd better believe it! There are some in the camp who are hard-headed and egotists, who ignore parts of Scripture that have more of an Arminian edge to them (ie John 3:16, Romans 10:13, etc.). Emergent Reformers are still prone to make mistakes, and I count myself among them. I know what I believe, and I'm not afraid to take that stand, and yet I still humbly come to the Bible with the question, "what is God saying about Himself in this text"? Much of the time, I think God stays out of the controversy. He is Who He is, apparently. He writes some Scripture as an Arminian would, and some He writes as a Calvinist would. It's up to us to simply let Him be and try to keep up.

Between Two Worlds - is there overlap?

I've been meeting with people over the past week. I talked to a guy with the Acts 29 network, I met with me longtime mentor Brian, I talked with my District Superintendent Rob, I met with the Canada Catalyst from Vision 360, and I've been talking about my vision for church planting which, instead of becoming more and more crystal clear is actually becoming more of a mist.

When I started this journey toward church planting - when I initially got the bug to go out and do it, it was in the context of youth ministry where I saw so much potential for more impact in the youth culture. I was also a disgruntled pentecostal/charismatic who wanted more of Jesus, His love and gifts flowing in and through my life. I really identified with the ministry of Soul Survivor, an Anglican Renewal youth movement out of the UK. They had it all - loads of kids getting saved, crazy outreach tactics and events, missionality coupled with justice and worship, and an undercurrent of ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit. It's all hopping, juiced-up, frantic, loud, and fun!

In my old age (I say that partially tongue-in-cheek) I have been drawn to and come to appreciate the solid theology, the high view of Scripture, the attractiveness of 20-and-30-somethings to the Acts 29 Network who, they say, are 'Reformed Charismatics' - Refomed in theology and Charismatic ("with a seatbelt on") in expectation and practice. They're thoughtful, deep, Scripture-centric, devoted, missional, and sometimes funny.

I'm caught between these two worlds. I want to partner with Acts 29 and I believe what they believe honestly and truly. I also love what Soul Survivor is about and I want to see that kind of impact made here in Aldergrove. Now, I'm not saying that I can't be about both things - in fact what I'm saying is that I AM part of both worlds... but it's hard to describe and explain. Even to myself. I'm part of two worlds, not entirely at home in either one of them without the other. It's kind of a lonely place to be...


Thinking about it a little further, Acts 29 is a network of like-minded (theologically/missiologically speaking) reformed charismatics. They are a movement, to be sure, but not a model. Soul Survivor I guess would be more of a model, with some heavy distinctives (DNA) in terms of worship and Holy Spirit ministry. I suppose the overlap could/would/should occur in the way I do ministry, my ministry style.
I'm reading up on stuff, meeting with people, getting loads of information. I want to combine all the things I love - the Evangelical Free Church of Canada, Acts 29, Soul Survivor... and the things I admire. But I guess the caution in that might be not having too many cooks in the kitchen, and that I need to have clarity in vision. God, please help me in that.

What Name?

Image by ~jjjohn~ via Flickr

A name is important, but it isn't the MOST important thing to figure out when it comes to church planting. Nelson Searcy says the four calls that make up the call for church planting are: 1. the church planter's call, 2. the church planters' wife's call (though he says 'spouse'), 3. the call to a geographical area, and 4. the call to a people. I think we're getting there...

But names are running through my mind. churchmarketingsucks.com didn't help very much. I did a search on their site and all I found was a story of a church in Australia that held a country-wide contest to name their church, with the prize being a brand new Wii! The result: CitySoul. Don't love it.

I DO like the name The Village, but my main influence in preaching, Matt Chandler, has already coined it and I don't wanna copy. "Soul Survivor" is a great name too, I think. But I'll not use it, unless there turns out to be some partnership...

Names I've used for youth stuff in the past are Threshold, Shine, Fuel, and Hero - none of which would make a great church name, I think (though Threshold is kinda cool...). But within those ministries, I've named events and programs Forum, reFuel, Soularize, All Access, Bonfire, Explosion, Sabbath (and there are others)...

So, maybe Access Church might work, or Soularize, maybe even Refuel.

I'm not thinking LOTS about names, but I do want to have something to invite people to when it's time... Please leave a comment and let me know what names work for you, or if you have any other church name ideas. I won't promise you a Wii if I use your idea though!

Launch Large???

Hello all. Today I got to spend some time with my family, and I'm feeling much better! Caleb and I went and saw the Langley Day Parade, and then Taralyn, Caleb and I got our hair cut. We all look spectacular. A "Basement" show is on right now, with FOCA producing. They're an upstart charity organization that wishes to help kids who are on the street - For Ones Coming After. (find out more about FOCA here and here). They're doing a great job, this being their big kickoff event. Such a great job they're doing, that I get to step away and type this blog post!
That being said, I'd better go check on things...
Okay I'm back. Just connected with a couple of guys who used to be the 'troublemakers' at a previous church I worked at. I told them, "after 12 years of youth ministry, there was only one time I had to deal with poo". They knew what I meant.

Anyway, I'm listening to Nelson Searcy talk about "Launching Large". The mistake many church planters make, he says, is starting small and 'organic'. You never really get it off the ground, but keep spinning tires, never making traction. Instead, he said, launch large. Scrap the idea of a church planting committee or 'core group', and instead build up a 'launch group'. Come up with a launch date about 6-8 months into the church planting process. And approaching that date, do a few big services once a month. Then from those who come out to the services, you can build a launch team.

That makes some sense to me. If I move into Aldergrove (or wherever...), connect with a bunch of people, get into friendship groups, social circles, etc. Then starting September or October put on a monthly 'service', which gives time for follow-up, to prepare, to create awareness in the community, to identify those who might become part of the 'launch team', to build excitement and anticipation. Then in February or March/Easter do a full Sunday morning Launch, and thereafter a weekly Sunday services.

Between monthly momentum-building 'preview' services, put on 'comeback' events - movie nights, fun family times, etc. to introduce people to the church community. Do acts of service days, picnics in the park, etc....

He says 'it's harder to get church people to reach the unchurched than it is to get unchurched people to help you start a church'. Interesting...

Anyway, just some more stuff to think about.

www.churchleaderinsights.com

Highs, and Lows

Jeremiah 2:11 So I went to Jerusalem and was there three days.

I'm a little bit discouraged today, and feeling a little bit anxious. You know - there are highs and lows, and I think I've been riding on a high ever since knowing that we're about to fly out of the nest. Today, I've been a bit overwhelmed with everything that dropping from the nest entails.

Building a team. The prospect scares me. How can I ask people who are completely happy and comfortable in their own church with their own pastor to come follow me into the unknown (yes, I get it - we're not called to be happy and comfortable... but you know what I mean). I need people - not just nominal Christians and non-Christians, but good solid Christian people, elder-type guys, a good core team. No, I'm not using this blog to recruit (though if the Spirit's stirring in you right now... j/k). I know I'll have to pray about who to ask personally, and part of the courage of planting is the courage of asking others to come with me.

Today I went again and drove around Aldergrove. This time, I had a destination. My friend Janice told me there's a place called Milsean, so I went there and had a London Fog. It was great! The servers are young and hip, and so was some of the clientelle. I spotted three guys at a table nearby and heard them talking in evangelical jargon, so I approached them and told them what I was about (seeing if God is leading me to plant a church in Aldergrove). They are from a relatively new church in the area (5-6 years) and have a drop-in center in town, and they were really positive about the idea of a new church plant.

They told me there are 25 churches in Aldergrove. 25! That's like one for every ten people! Just kidding, but that is a staggering ratio! (Aldergrove actually has 5,000 in its urban area) They desire to bring these 25 churches together, and have prayer each Monday night. Apparently, it's gathering momentum. They also invited me to come check out (and possibly be involved in) their drop-in center, Building 272, which is also gathering momentum. They have groups from Trinity Western Univeristy host one night a week, and other churches host other nights. They have a moms group there on Friday mornings, and a barbeque friday nights. It seems to be going well. Taralyn and I and the boys will go check it out when we're able to.

It seems things are happening. It seems very exciting. But I am feeling a bit discouraged. Maybe I just need some sleep.....

Starting to Think about Church Planting... again.

Nehemiah 2:4-5 Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' graves, that I may rebuild it.”

Here are my unsorted thoughts...
I am finished ministry at LEFC as of July 1, and I have a three month paid sabbatical after that. Taralyn and I will be taking our sons to Winnipeg for two weeks in the middle of July, I'm helping out with Camp Evergreen at the beginning of August, and we're speaking at Camp Tulahead at the end of August.
After that...???

I've been thinking a lot about Aldergrove. I've driven through it looking for a cafe or a coffee shop or some place I can sit and pray and watch, maybe get into some conversations with the locals. After a while of driving around I settled on Tim Hortons. I dunno... it's... Aldergrove. I think I share the same sentiment of many Aldergrov-ians. It's not a place people want to hang out in, but rather people seem to want to hurry up and get out of, go to Langley or Abbotsford or Chilliwack or Vancouver. It's a hard place, with boarded up businesses and schools, some new developments, a lot of crime, some churches that seem to be on the right page. I think the next step is to check out the demographic and social stats for Aldergrove online.

I've been thinking about church planting, and how it might look. Years ago, I was fascinated with buildings. I'd see a building for lease, drive around it, get out of my car and walk up to it, lay my hand on it and pray for a church to be planted there. These days I'm more about hanging out. Taking my laptop to a cafe, watching people, building up the courage to engage people in conversation, developing consistency and familiarity, meeting with people and getting to know their friends, talking about Jesus, inviting people to hang out together, building a community, studying the Scriptures together, finding ways to worship together, doing life together.

But all this toward what? Planting a church. That's my goal and my aim. I'm not into simply creating community and dialogue. I want church. I want preaching and worship, community on mission, elders for shepherding and accountability, baptisms and communion, UP/IN/OUT, consistency, location... those are all things that I want to see in the church I plant.

{edit...}

Diary of a Possible Church Planter

Nehemiah 2:2-3 And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid. I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad...

I got the bug years ago, and now it seems possible that it's time to act. The bug has matured. Twelve years ago I was a 19-year-old, interning at a large church in the youth ministry, and wondering why we couldn't do things a little bit differently to attract a little bit of a different demographic. I was frustrated and even angered at our cheesy christian clipart, our juvenile activities, and even our massive events targeted at our christian kids.

My youth pastor, the guy I worked under and learned from, had a lot of patience with me. He explained to me that our job as church youth workers (youth pastors) was to nurture the christian kids, whose parents were at 'big church' tithing their big bucks so that we could have a paycheck. He also told me at one point something that drastically and dramatically changed my life. He said, "you know Chad, you're not all that". As much as I was critical of the way things were, I was not the saviour. I wasn't called to be so then, and I'm certainly not called to be now.

Fast forward a few years. I'm married, I've had much, much more church experience both happy and sad, energizing and dissapointing. I have two boys of my own whom I'm terrified to bring up in the knowledge of God, and for the past 6 months at least, I've been 'sad' with what King Artaxerxes might call 'sadness of heart'. Really, it's been the same frustration I felt brewing over all those years ago.

Why do we do the things we do as Christians? Why do we say that we follow the One Who told us to go into the world, while we play it safe in our christian subculture? Why do we blame the darkness for being so bloody dark, when we who are the 'light of the world' refuse go bring light to those places? There's a school 3 blocks down the road from our church building that is notorious for being a 'dark place', and christians who want to keep their kids protected do all that they can to keep their kids away from that darkness - instead they send them to the same school most other christian parents send their kids to. So there's a conglomeration of light - which is practically not a light at all - and there's a school that gets darker and darker. And the christian parents say, 'see, I told you that was a dark place'... GAHH!


The youth ministry's been doing great. There's increasing group cohesion, missional mindset, leaders getting involved in the lives of kids outside the four walls, and excitement about what's to come. But still, there's been this 'sadness', this restlessness, this frustration, this whatever-you-want-to-call-it.

Darren, my lead pastor has recognized it. And after MUCH intense prayer and counsel and tears and anquish, has decided that the best thing for me and for the church would be to release me to find out what it is that could possibly alleviate the sadness, and do it. I'm ending my time here this summer.

My desire is to lead a church in fulfilling the great commission. I love our church, otherwise I wouldn't be so frustrated with her. But I have no option to lead her, and really, no desire to. Here I fellowship and worship, and she's a big ship to turn. I choose to leave that task to Darren. As for me, I need to find a church that I can lead into mission, a church that exists as much for the community around it as for the community within it. If no such church exists, then my desire is to plant - a thought that excites me ("yes, it's finally here!") and terrifies me ("am I really suited and ready?").

I'll keep you posted on our journey.