Take Off Was Good

Yesterday, at 9:40 AM, Epic Church officially launched! Words cannot express how amazing it is to be sitting here right now writing this blog. I am honestly in awe of Epic's first "harvest." Over the summer, while working for Epic, I would pray continually for launch--launch was always "on the mind." There were times when, in prayer, I would feel so barren and honestly sometimes, I felt like things were never going to reach a harvest point. Launch was almost incomprehensible to me. I soon realized that, with churchplanting, you just never know. You do everything wandering if you're doing stuff right and then you realize that church planting is more a test of trust than anything else.

Yesterday morning while I was in my own little theatre waiting on my children, I was wondering how things were going, it was sooo hard for me not to leave my theatre and go into the big theatre at the Warren where the actual worship service was held. Even at 9:40 I had NO kids. I was really starting to freak-out a little bit. Then, at about 9:42 here come ten kids all at once into the elementary room. Nine boys and one girl. I was suuuuper excited to have ten kids--which was perfect for me. La Shawn, Da Shawn, La Shayla, Mason, Shay, Eli, Jacob, Ethan, Rylan, and Andrew--you're my first kids EVER. We worshipped and danced, then we watched our video curriculum "Kidmo" where we learned about how BIG God is. After that we talked about God and who He is...and then, my favorite part...we prayed together. I had one student volunteer to pray for us, listening to him almost made my cry just sitting there. He thanked God for Epic church and prayed for some other student's prayer requests and then he thanked God for freedom and our soldiers fighting overseas (where this came from, I don't know, I'm guessing home!). We ended our time with a game of Simon says, which actually turned into "Mason says, La Shawn says, Da Shawn says, La Shayla says..."

So, officially, Epic launched out with 180 people total. I'm guessing the rough break down of that is 30 volunteers, about 20 children in the children's ministry, and 130 people at service. What a GREAT day! Not to mention there were about 15 more kids in the actual service that didn't participate in the children's ministry...that's exciting for me!

We ended the day with a Brisket feed at the Smokes house...yummy!! I can't wait to see how God is going to provide in the coming months--even this morning I was looking at a bulletin from the main service that one of my friends brought home and I just couldn't believe it...we are actually a church! It's such a surreal feeling. God is good--I don't say that casually, He really is good. I'd ask that you'd continue to pray for the development of the Epic community God has formulated and still is formulating. For those who have been a part of Epic Church in prayer--thank you, seriously prayer has been the driving force. Now I'm just rambling...but I am SOOO very excited. These are exciting days indeed!

You Know You Work With a Church Plant If...

So Trista and I were driving today and we were laughing at all of the STUFF I had in the back of my car. We decided we needed to post "You Know You Work With a Church Plant If..." Blog. Enjoy!

Here we go...

You know you work with a church plant if...

• It's not unusual to have nine 5 x 5 rugs, four 5 x7 carpets, two large plastic tubs, eight pool noodles, a broom, latex gloves, four yard signs with missing stands, and shopping lists scattered all around your car all at the same time.
• You go to Dillons and eat all their sample food for lunch (ex. cheese cubes, small roast beef sandwich, and canteloupe)
• You max the credit card out all the time
• You make the people at your printing place despise you because after the third time of re-filling the black ink, they're completely out of stock and you're not done yet
• One of the four-year old's that is a child of one of your launch team members runs around saying, "Hello everyone, I'm stressed out."
• You live in a basement and use rafters as your closet
• You and ONE other person can canvas (put flyers on cars) in an entire Wal-Mart parking lot in twenty minutes
• You're an EXPERT at rolling up a moon bounce
• You run out of milk and realize you have to make your macaroni with water. Then it tastes nasty, but you eat it anyway cause you're hungry
• You and your fellow intern have to split one muffin for breakfast
• You wear the same shirt at least four times a week
• You clean one house a week for some extra cash and get REALLY excited about twenty bucks
• You go to the movie theatre for church--not a movie because you can't afford it
• Going to Wal-Mart weekly is in your job description
• You really want to eat the church's ice cream out in the freezer, but you can't cause it's the church's
• Your pastor's garage is church storage
• A trailer takes residence in your driveway
• You can't even take a nap for twenty minutes because all you can think/talk about are the things you need to get done. The worst part is, when twenty minutes is up, you realize that you meant to take a nap.
• It's exciting to organize your portable church into color-coded tubs that are labeled with PINK duct tape
• You're writing this blog and you think it's funny
• You REALLY, REALLY, TRULY, love God and see Him move on a daily basis and realize that you wouldn't trade anything for the experience that you've had

It's beginning to look a lot like LAUNCH...

This past week was a full one. Sunday we observed at Aviator Church (another church plant that launched a year ago in Derby, KS). We left Andover at about 6:40 AM to observe their set-up at 7:00. An early morning, but it was a great time of learning and observation. Monday we had our first official staff meeting, which went excellent. We spent some time catching one another up in our personal areas and we also spent time just praying for the community of Andover and for launch. Tuesday we hosted yet another "Summer Fun Day" at the Andover Library. The library group is starting to become a bit more consistent, so it's nice to meet new people as well as catch up with mom's and kiddos we've met before. Many are starting to really show a great interest in launch. Wednesday, I got to spend most of my day planning for children's ministry. I started planning Sunday's out and worked on reviewing our children's ministry curriculum, Kidmo. Whoo!! So wonderful. Thursday, we hosted another "Summer Fun Day" at the Library, and rested Friday. Saturday, the real excitement started. Central Christian Church, another church in East Wichita is partnering with Epic and supporting us by allowing us to come into their Saturday night Service, 5:33, and ask for volunteers on Sunday morning to help us get Epic up and running. We were officially introduced this past Saturday night during service. Central has such a heart for church planting. After service we were able to connect with some potential volunteers. It was an AWESOME time for us. God really showed us himself that night. Each person that we talked with fit in places where we need people to fit! It was so exciting. This morning, Kent, Jory, Damion and I headed out at about 10:00 AM and did some door-to-door advertising and this evening we met with our launch team for a worship service and a time of fellowship at a local park! The days are busy but good. Keep praying, harder now than ever! God is GOOD.

The Adventure Continues...

And the adventure continues. So much has been going on the past couple of weeks, I can't believe it's already mid-July and summer's closing up! Well I have done lots of traveling in the past few weeks. I went from Colorado Springs to Dallas to Joplin. I was the camp missionary at Cyokamo Camp about a week and a half ago. That was a wonderful time! I got to hang out with kids (400 or so to be exact) and talk a little bit about church planting with them. They were a pretty awesome bunch. They raised over $1,500 for Epic Missions. Such a blessing! Then, last Sunday, we partnered with the YMCA in Andover to do, what we call, "Summer Countdowns." Epic comes in and we set up our moonbounces, have free-throw contests, prizes, and homemade Italian Creme Sodas (My Personal fav). Yum, Yum! On Tuesday we hosted "Summer Fun Days" at the Andover Library and that was a wonderful time as well. Again, we set up our moonbounces, handed out free popsicles, blew bubbles, drew with sidewalk chalk and hung out with kids. We sat up to meet the kids and their moms right after story hour concluded. One of the coolest things about church planting has been getting out into the community and just meeting families. Jory, our brand new worship pastor also came on Tuesday. Our staff is now up to 5...woo! He's here for good and is preparing for launch. Wednesday night we had a "Welcome" BBQ for him and a bunch of people came over to our house for that. Also on Wednesday night, Trista and I attended our first midnight premier--yes, we went to see Harry Potter (nerds, I know)! We also went bulk shopping for our children's ministry. That was AWESOME. I can't wait to start up and meet the kiddos! As we are getting closer please be praying for this stuff:

• Perseverance, perseverance, perseverance and strength!!
• Our launch team and our new worship pastor, Jory
• The Epic community God is formulating...
• ANDOVER (seriously this is huge)
• Our mass advertising day on August 29th and youth groups/small groups to help us out
• LAUNCH on September 13, 2009 (Can't wait, I'm so antsy!)

Work Worth Doing

Psalm 40. Read it. Last night, in the middle of prayer during my devo time, I was completely overwhelmed by the Spirit. I was praying for the community of Andover and I was overcome with a sense of urgency and passion. I was somewhat bothered by a comment that had been made to me earlier that day about having a job in ministry for the summer and how it's not a "real job." It made me really stop and think. Which is where Pslam 40 comes in. Psalm 40 is probably one of my favorite pieces of scripture. It was never one that stuck out to me until last year when I was at a prayer meeting at a conference in Colorado Springs. I was in a room of about 45 people and they were praying, participating in intercession and praying scripture all over the place. There was one specific moment when a woman in the room started reading Pslam 40 and my ears were just drawn to her voice as she read. Every time I read it or quote it now, I can only hear her. She read it and prayed after with such passion. As I was reading last night the Lord just kept speaking "trust" to me. That Psalm is all about trust. It's about being a sinner saved by grace who trusts in someone higher and greater.

You know, there should be so many reasons why planting this church should not work. Kent, Trista and I were in prayer this morning and we all three just kept saying, we don't have enough money, we don't have enough people, we don't have enough this, we don't have enough that, BUT what we do have is Jesus. That's enough. That seals the deal. He is someone that can't ever be taken away. To me, God has been preparing my heart for this summer and this opportunity for a very long time. It's not about money, or resources, or having it all together to me because God has never failed me before. He's always provided. He's a good dad. That makes this as "real" to me as ever.

As I was at the throne of God in prayer last night I just kept asking for God to pour out his love on the people of Andover who don't know Him. I've honestly never been so passionate about anything in my life. This stuff is real. Because of Christ's love, I can freely run to God's throne where I belong everyday, but other people cannot. People are lost. If I may blog bluntly, this world is asleep. It's asleep and the bridegroom is coming. This is the most real job I've ever had. I may not be paid a fortune, but I hope, one day, I get to see people in Heaven who otherwise might not have been there if it wasn't for Epic Church. The work that God is doing around here is real. It's important. Therefore, I trust in the one who has no limits-- my deliverer, and above all, my provider. This is work, to me, that is worth doing.

P.S. Jory said YES to the worship position! Guess what that means beautiful people? We have a worship pastor! WEEEEEEEEEEE!!

Weekend, Worship and the Warren!

Greetings from our office at Panera :). This past weekend was a great time of fun and fellowship for all of us at Epic. Our potential worship candidate, Jory, came to visit from Kentucky. We got to hang with him for the weekend, so that was pretty sweeeeeeeeeeet! He was an all around awesome guy and seemed to fit in well with Epic. Please be praying for Jory and for Epic during this time. A lot of decisions will be made in the next couple of weeks concerning the worship position.

Trista and I were also able to chill with her family this weekend. They all came up for a wedding reception, so that was a blessing and a great time as well. Then, on Sunday morning, we went to Aviator Church in Derby. Aviator is a church plant that launched last August with the vision of reaching out to the Derby/Mulvane area. It was so inspiring to see God's provision in Aviator's progress. The church is headed by Joe and Michelle Boyd, Jenni's sister and brother-in-law. They are just moving right along. They meet in Derby High school and in the past few months have hired on a youth pastor and graphic designer to their team of a worship pastor and a few interns! Pretty awesome!

Also, we have been looking and trying to nail down a location for Epic to meet for services after the launch in September. Kent just informed us a few minutes ago that the location has been set. Anyone want to take a guess where Epic will be meeting? Warren Theatre!!!! Now THAT'S pretty sweet. Ha. It's been an answer to prayer for us! I believe we will have a main theatre for worship and two theatres for the children's ministry.

Please be praying for:

• Aviator Church - They are doing awesome things in Derby


• Epic, of course, and all of us here on the launch team


• That God would send His Spirit ahead of us in all that we do so that we may find and meet the people that He brought us here to reach!


• Jory and the worship position


• PRAISE: location in Warren Theatre!

SWEET!

An Epic Summer

I can't believe summer has finally arrived! It's almost JUNE! For the last few months I have been anticipating summer because of the work I get to do with Epic Church in Andover, Kansas. For those of you who don't know, Epic is a new church plant spearheaded by my high school youth pastor and his wife, Kent and Jenni Wagner. They moved to Andover in January and have been planning to do a church plant for quite awhile now. I am so stoked to love God and love people this summer and represent Epic in the most positive way possible! It's so great to be a part of team with a vision that is bigger than ourselves, and a vision that can only be fulfilled by God alone. It's amazing to see how God continually provides -- church planting is a scary thing, it's an ultimate step of faith, that's for sure. Today was my first day at work and I'm already exhausted! One of my best friends from high school, Trista, is interning with me as well so we've gotten right down to work. Both of us got jobs to head for the summer already and we've gone straight to work. Here's some of the stuff that we've worked on today and a few insights I've had already:

• I am working on heading the summer Mini-Mission teams and events that will be going on this summer. My job, in this realm, is to basically recruit groups to come help us advertise Epic to the community of Andover.
• Looking at this job, I realized how God has continually been preparing me in ways I didn't even realize throughout the school year. By being in Winfield at college for a year, I know of many potential youth groups in many of the surrouding areas that could come help us out. Everything just flowed today, it was sweeeeeet!
• I've also realized how important the power of prayer and personal relationship is during this season. I am already exhausted from work and I've only been here a day! Please pray for strength, guidance, perseverance and wisdom for all of us here on staff at Epic.
• I totally, totally dig getting to work in coffee shops and Panera bread. Woot, woot for free wi-fi AND building relationships at the same time
• Trista is working on planning block parties and other evangelistic things...pretty SWEET. This all leads up to Epic's launch on September 13, 2009. Can't wait!!

With that said, I will end this post on this note. The other day I was reading in the book of 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5, which states:

"Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith. But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue doing the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance."

Paul's request for prayer from the Thessalonians in this passage floors me, and it's really become my prayer for the community of Andover. May the message of salvation spread rapdily and be honored. And, as God's people, may our hearts be directed into his love and Christ's perseverance. What a b-e-a-utifully appropriate request!