Keep Moving Forward

Well, I am getting ready to head to the Minneapolis airport. Before I left Virginia I purchased a ticket back to Virginia so I could see my family again. It is my hope that I can do this once a month. I don't know how realistic this is, but I will do my best to see my loved ones every month until the end of this year. In January, things will start picking up with the church plant. I will get on the grind building a planting core team and raising funds. My goal will to have at least a strong 12 member core team, and I will also have a goal of raising at least $30,000 for the church plant itself. My intent is to build up momentum for launch service. Yet, before this starts I know God is doing something in my heart now. During this sabbatical I am reading a lot of books on purity. I know the Lord has lead me to this topic. Hebrews 12:14 states
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. During these three months I pray that I can establish a solid theological and practical method of articulating God's heart for purity and ministering it to His people. It seems odd, but considering the consequences of not having it and the sordid condition our country is in, it is amazing that more Pastors are not speaking on it. It seems like many are afraid to touch it. Maybe they are afraid they will loose members? Maybe it is not a popular topic? May it is fear that their own struggles will be revealed? One thing is sure. WE all need it here in Minneapolis. Downtown Minneapolis is Amazing. I can't tell you how this cosmopolitan city resonates in my heart. It is so diverse. You can see some one driving around in a 6 figure automobile while simultaneously seeing immigrants from East Africa standing on the corner. The city makes you transparent. No pretenders here. People are not looking for a show. Their problems are to real. It seems like they are looking for answers. I pray that is why I am here. To give them the answer--Jesus. I will be attending the start conference next week when I return to Minneapolis. START is a three day campus event that exposes students and local pastors/leaders to the wide variety of church planters and church planting models. Guest speakers from across the nation led group sessions with NCU students and local church leaders, while also serving as the daily chapel speaker. START special guests included Herbert Cooper (People’s Church), Leonard Sweet (author, speaker), Wilfredo de Jesus (New Life Covenant Church), Brad Davis (Desert Springs Church), Rob Ketterling (River Valley Church), Peter Haas (Substance Church), and Trinity Jordan (Elevation Church). Nice plug right. http://www.northcentral.edu/news/11/10/start-conference

Anyway I am about to hit the shower, head to Caribou Coffee and then to the airport. I have about 5 hours flight time. I will then also head up to West Virginia at about 6pm. That will be about a 7 hour drive. I cant wait to see Dawniqua, the kids, and my parents...

Endure