About a month ago I was talking with a church planter who has been at it for about 9 or 10 years now. His church is still growing and still reaching people, we had a good talk about all things church planting. In our conversation he compared church planting to building a bicycle while trying to learn to ride it at the same time. After about six weeks on the job I can completely agree with his assessment.
Currently, we have added families to our core team and are still praying for more additions over the next couple of weeks. We also will begin a few small groups in the next couple of weeks and are excited about adding some new faces through small groups in our homes.
Last week Jennifer and I went up to Liberty University for a meeting with their church planting network and the church was approved for funding through the network. They will send a check for $2,000 a month and will match $30,000, but we must repay that amount beginning on the 13th month of our existence. Notice a key word in that last sentence was MATCH. We have go to get busy raising $30,000. If you are reading this post and want to know how you can help. Please call me at 919.366.6101 or email me at mjwalton33@bellsouth.net. If you don’t need any additional information and want to partner financially you can do that by sending your gift to:
The Passage Church, PO Box 1807, Wendell, NC 27591
Things have gotten a little crazy with the new church plant and the blog has been the first thing to go. Now that things are set up in the new office I decided I’m going to take a few minutes a couple times a week to update the blog.
I’m excited about getting some new quotes and life updates on the blog.
On Tuesday I went to a mini Dr Seuss musical at Jennifer’s school. I have never been a big Dr. Seuss fan, I know that he doesn’t like Green Eggs and Ham and that’s about it. I don’t believe everything Dr. Seuss may teach, but I do agree with a song they sung, “A Person is Person no matter how small.”
Now if we could only get our President to read and believe this Dr. Seuss song.
I announced that I would be leaving my current position at WBC at the end of March. This church plant thing is REALLY starting to sink in. It is exciting, but it will be strange, 6 years is a long time.
Need to start looking for partners, both individuals and churches, if your interested in learning more let me know
If you know of where I can print some high quality, yet affordable brochures that would also be helpful.
It is officially March, let the Madness begin. Selection Sunday is only a couple weeks away.
If you are looking for a new Study Bible, you can’t beat the ESV study Bible.
This Sunday night I started a new study with some guys. We are looking at J.C. Ryle’s book “Thoughts for Young Men.” In the first chapter he gives us 5 reason he is Exhorting Young Men. Here area couple quotes from the first chapter.
“Satan cares not how spiritual your intentions may be, and how holy your resolutions, if only they are fixed on tomorrow.”
“Young men, be not deceived. Think not you can, serve lusts and pleasures in your beginning, and then go and serve God with ease at your latter end.”
“Surely none are so mad as those who are content to live unprepared to die. Surely the unbelief of men is the most amazing thing in the world.”
“Seek the Lord early and you will be spared many tears.”
“Young men, this enemy is working hard for your destruction, however little you may think it. You are the prize for which he is contending.”
I’m not sure where the idea of Disciple NOW came from, but I know it has been around for awhile. If your not familiar what it’s about the concept is really simple. Youth stay with the others the same gender and same age as themselves, inside the home of a church member. They have a small group leader who leads Bible study in the homes and they get together in the evening for worship. Some churches do things differently, but that is the basic format.
One thing I have learned from my D-Now experiences is that it works. God used D-Now this weekend as a tool to move the hearts of teenagers towards himself. We saw many teenagers commit their lives to Christ. After the event was over it was awesome walking through the church and seeing that nearly every Sunday school classroom had a light on and chairs rearranged. As I walked, it was awesome to know that a few hours before someone was recognizing their need for Jesus and responding to Him right there in that room.
In the message on the final night our speaker played an old Christian song, I Surrender All, by Clay Crosse. Here are some lyrics to that song:
“I surrender all my silent hopes and dreams
Though the price to follow costs me everything
I surrender all my human soul desires
If sacrifice requires
That all my kingdoms fall
I surrender all”
I completed the Krispy Kreme challenge, but I did not finish under the time limit. I need to start training for next year.
I thought I could eat 12 donuts faster than 15 minutes, I’m disappointed in myself.
The winner finished in under 30 minutes (4miles and 12 donuts).
We are back to the drawing board on the new church name, if you have any ideas let us know.
Noah turns 6 months on Wednesday!!! Thinking about a throwing a birthday party.
Why do I always wait for the last minute on V-Day gifts?
I’m preaching this week and looks like I’m going to tackly Ephesians 5, “Biblical Marriage in an Unbiblical World.” Today’s quote comes from Matt Chandler or at least a document with his church name on it.
“I believe much of the reason that women today are so leery of Male-headship is because of the almost absolute failure of evangelical men to be the nail pierced servants of their wives. “
What a challenge and a reminder that as husband we must serve our wives with a Christlike passion and humility.
This post is from last week never got published on main page.
Notes:
Had a Mexico meeting last night and am excited to take this group to Casa Hogar Emmanuel.
The church will vote this week about the church plant.
Jennifer and I just realized that we have had a baby in our house for almost 6 months!!
I’m preaching Feb. 15th feeling real strong about Ephesians 5.
Indiana might not win another basketball game all year.
Super Bowl Sunday is coming up: Cardinals/Steelers — Who cares?
As I mentioned last week I have been making my way through Piper’s book, Hunger for God and there is one quote that I have carried around with me for a few days.
“If you don’t feel strong desires for the manifestation of the glory of God, it is not because you have drunk deeply and are satisfied. It is because you have nibbled so long at the table of the world. Your soul is stuffed with small things, and there is no room for the great. “
Tuesday Denny’s will be giving out free Grand Slam Breakfast from 6am-2pm, I’ll be there.
Valentine’s Day is around the corner, remember buying all those cards when you were in school?
I sent the RSVP card in for my cousin’s wedding, looks like we will be in Indiana March 19-23.
Update: The church voted yesterday to bless the new church plant, and we are excited to be moving forward. It has been more than 6 months since we introduced the idea to our church leadership, and yesterday we got their blessing to carry out what we believe God has called us to do. The next step will be to present our plan to the church plant team of the local association. Please continue to pray for both the church plant and our sending church, Wendell Baptist Also, pray for those in our community we will have an opportunity to reach with the Gospel.
As we look toward the new church we must do so in a full reliance on God, realizing that our only chance of impacting people for Christ rest in Him alone. It is with that in mind that I leave you with a quote from Martin Luther:
It has been a few weeks since I have visited the blog. I just thought I would spend a couple minutes trying to justify my absences by giving you a short update of some things that have gone on.
Mexico–Last week I went to Mexico with three other church leaders to map out our Mexico mission trip. It was awesome to visit with some of the children again. I miss them all and can’t wait to go back.
Snow–Been hanging out with the family watching it snow.
Church Plant–On Sunday we had our final Town Hall meeting about the new church plant. We are excited that it looks like the church will vote on Feb. 1 at the conclusion of both worship services. It is exciting. If things work out it will be a very busy two months trying to get everything in place here at WBC. Please pray for our transition time. I love the children and youth here and will miss them tremendously.
Youth D-Now–Our Youth D-Now is around the corner and we have been working hard to iron out the details.
Home–Trying to fulfill my biblical role as a husband and a father.
I hope everyone is doing well and I look forward to more post soon. I’m currently reading “Hunger for God,” by John Piper so look for a quote from that book on Monday.
