therstblog

I wonder if that’s the way we make communities feel…? You know. The way it feels the morning after an incredible night, event, indulgence… The heaviness, the worthlessness, the anxiety, the stress, fear, abandonment & most importantly the guilt… The morning after can have a horrible & unforgiven affect on both parties or all parties involved. So, I’m curious to know if this is the affect “we” have on communities, homeless, addicts & anyone else hurting when we show up PRELAUNCH on our white horse in our shining armor?

Do they know in advance that we probably won’t be serving them “like this” “post launch”? Do they wonder if this is service or advertising? Are we any different than the other groups that hand out thier sandwiches once a week then drive off making no connections? Are we using the hurt & pain of thier situations to tell everyone a “new church” is in town?

Seriously, these thoughts run through my mind as I dig deep into the identity of peculiarplace & the vision God has given me!

I’m not knocking serving! Not at all!! But my concern, questions & intent are aimed at the intensity at which we seek to “serve” our community “pre launch” & then we suddenly shift gears when the people show up.

I’m new to this, so admittedly all my thoughts could be dead wrong! And maybe they’re not!!!!

So, today we create & search for service opportunities that we can do now, but more importantly we are looking for things that we can continue to do long after we have launched!!

I refuse to leave Old Fourth Ward in the middle of the night to deal with the emotional earthquack of “the morning after”. We will stay, stand & stir up the transformative power of the risen Savior, Jesus!!!!!!!!

I’m bacccckkkkk!!! It’s been a while I know, and well I’ve missed you too. But, I needed that quiet time to FOCUS! That time has paid off big time. We have moved into our new community and have wasted no time to hit the streets. We have sent out our first wave of partnership/ support packages, we have launched our new website, www.peculiarplace.tv, we are in the process of planning our first  community garden and have gotten acclimated to our home and our community.

I am so pleased at how God is opening doors into this community. I mean seriously, i have met some amazing historians and neighbors that have welcomed us, even knowing why we moved there, to the community. I am sure there will be resistance, but I have to keep in mind that it is not resistance to me or my family, but to the Will of God. That simply means that it is for Him to fight this fight, not us!!

I look forward to keeping you updated, entertained, informed and sharing our story that God is so graciously writing for us.

Thank you for your prayers, love & most importantly patience!!

I will be updating our prayer list here very soon so please be on the look out for that!!

I am often asked by friends and pastors or church leaders if there is anything they be can praying with us for… sometimes i have to search my brain for a minute or two, other times i have at my immediate disposal. I was made aware of a pure thought, never leave home without your “list”. Well,l for those who have asked or those who might have wondered but not asked here is our “list”:

Top Prayer Needs

1)  Location, location, location: We are interested in a venue that is probably the least
likely to be considered for Sunday morning service, but it is perfect for us! We are
praying for favor in not only securing space, but negotiating a rental fee we can
afford.

2)  Support!: It takes money to do ministry. We are raising 150, 000 for year one,
which includes my full time salary and housing allowance, ministry/evangelism
budget, rent/lease fee, children’s equipment, marketing, computers, and next
years BIG GIVE outreach budget of 10,000. We have 20% of our desired goal.

3)  People Power: We are assembling a launch team of 30-40 families. It will take a
strong team who whole-heartedly believes in the Vision that is peculiarplace. A
team that is 1000% committed and passionate about seeing the Kingdom of
God invades Old Fourth Ward.

4)  Move: We are praying that God has begun to work on the hearts of the residents
in and around Old Fourth Ward. That they are open to being served and loved by
peculairplace.

5)  Urban Missionaries: My family. My marriage. My children as they transition to
new schools, with new friends and new teachers. My wife as she becomes
acclimated to a “new” environment and makes new friends. Me, as I provide
the security she needs and wants while I continue to grow to be the husband God
created me to be.

Top Ministry Needs

1)    Props: Needing light, realistic, crosses made for a street theater idea we have for Easter. The crosses must be life size and
be able to be carried by individuals for long periods of time. We also need circular signs attached to cross that have “what
if God were one of us” on them.

2)    Collateral: Printing of Brochures, Business cards, Street signs, Letterhead, Envelopes and all other collateral.

3)    Tshirts: We need 400 black t-shirts printed up. On the T-shirts it would say “making Him famous.com” with the
peculiarplace.tv web address in white on the front. Need those before the end of March.

4)   A Whiteboard: Quartet® 5′ x 3′ Total Erase® Porcelain Dry-Erase Board with Aluminum Frame, Staples list price is
309.99
5)   TH3E: http://www.elevationchurch.org/three/ This is a one day conference that I feel like we would totally benefit from.
One of the fastest growing churches in America doing it with sound teaching and superb leadership. The cost of the
conference is 300.00.

Top Personal Needs

1)    A House: We are looking for a 3/2 home in the Old Fourth Ward community of Atlanta. This is where we are planting the church as well. We want something that we are able to live in for 2 or 3 years and possibly even purchase it by that time.

2)    Finances: In our efforts to raise funds for the church we are also raising support for my salary as well. My commitment
to God is also a commitment to my family. To be able to be the provider that He has called me to be.

3)    School: Our son is battling some learning difficulties and was recommended by an educational psychologist to attend
The Howard School.  We are believing for God to provide the necessary funds for his education.   The school is very
expensive!

4)    Reading: Kindle/Audiobooks, Some would say I have enough tech gadgets, but I am requiring of myself to be very well
read and that takes time. With a Kindle and audiobooks they both allow me to do multiple things, read multiple books
and get more work done.
5)    Vehicle: We are reaching a point where a bigger vehicle is a must, our family is growing and our children have
outgrown our current vehicle.

I don’t care what you are starting, family, relationship, marriage, business or church, starting anything is a difficult and can CONSUME YOU, if you let it. The thing is, that no matter what you are starting, no matter what you decide to put together, to create there are typically two things (of course there are more) that it will cost you a great deal of. There are two things that will be a challenge, hurdle (more like a steeplechase) and an indicator  of your threshold for both pain and success! What are those two things, TIME & MONEY!

Does that make any sense to you?

TIME

There is never enough. The people around you want more, than you seemingly have to give. Even when you plan the most perfect day (time management) something will come up and attempt to throw a monkey wrench in your plans. If your in a relationship, then time might be one of the most valuable commodities you have, how else will you ever come to know the person you are in a relationship with. When you make a physical, mental, emotional commitment you also have just committed a large (to be determined hopefully by both parties involved) amount of time to the new relationship. This is the same no matter your poison, whether it be business, family, church planting or marriage… TIME is a crucial asset that must be leveraged correctly or it will destroy you and more importantly the people around you. I speak from experience!

MONEY

Look, plain and simple is WE need it. You need it to start a business (if you don’t want to shut down or not be able to pay employees), you need it for the dates and eventually you will need it for a wedding and BOI!! do you need it to start a church (note: I’m not saying how much, but you need some). The reality is this one thing probably destroys more things than anything else, if you don’t believe me just look at our economy. We have been “thriving” (note: plenty sarcasm) for so long as a country off of credit for money we hope to have in the future or make in ROI and when the bottom falls out, there is no cold hard cash to stand on. Political rant over! But seriously, money or lack of and sometimes surplus of, can create issues in any of the above settings. Like time, you must get a real and honest grasp of your control over it. Over the desire to put it first in your relationship, over the temptation to splurge and not be wise, or the temptation to skim from the top of a business or church. The temptation and desire is real! Equally as important is flat out learning to MANAGE the money you have!!! I speak from experience.

These two things, time and money, are not ALL that matters. Nor or they the only things that make or break an endeavor, but they are two of the first things that will be challenged or attacked by the enemy in any one of these endeavors, especially if you have a fondness for either one before entering endeavor! I love the fact that God has provided Grace for these and so many other issues. You are going to need it. Not, just for yourself, but for those you are involved with. Perhaps you are the one who is a great manager of time but your partner isn’t. Perhaps you are a wise financial stud, but your partner needs to mature in this area, God’s Grace is more than sufficient! Your job is to not tear down, but to encourage, correct lovingly and pray- but you probably should pray first!!! LOL!

out of darkness into His marvelous night…

From Texas, South Dakota, Atlanta to Oklahoma people have answered the call of 50 giving $10 and so far we are only $200 from our goal! I just want to thank ALL of you who have given.

TODAY is the deadline, so don’t procrastinate any longer… GIVE BIG HERE!!

It means so much, I will be sure and let the kinds know who their big brothers and sisters truly are!

We will have pics of the field trip as well!