Following is an email response to a pastor out in Colorado with the EFCA asking about my desire/interest in being involved in church planting...
I’ve been a believer, and actively involved in ministry for about 28 years now. I’m 44, with teenaged kids. One in college at Biola University, where my wife and I met. One at a great Christian High School in town (a junior), and one in the 8th grade at a Christian school where we have been involved for about 14 years, where my wife currently works, and where I served on the board for a time.
I’ve been a serial entrepreneur for most of my adult life. Have built a few successful ventures, and have been involved with consulting etc. for others. I’ve been very involved in ministry in the business community, in the local church, in the Christian school, and have tried to use my business involvements as both platforms for and opportunities for ministry, and also for provision for ministry.
For years, I’ve been wanting to make the move to full-time vocational ministry. I have a strong desire, and I believe gifts and skill-sets for preaching, teaching, leading, that have been affirmed by those around me over the years.
A few years ago, I got involved with a terrible lawsuit with some partners. It was a very destructive thing in terms of our financial and business life, and very unjust. I’ll tell you all about it sometime.
Now, unencumbered, I am making the move to ministry. Because of my skill-set, and my desire to preach, I’ve landed in the church-planting ranks. I believe this is the clear leading of the Lord. I also believe that I have been led back to the EFCA for this next phase of life and ministry.
For about 18 of the last 28 years, I’ve been involved with the EFCA. As an undergrad, we attended Evangelical Free in Fullerton while Swindoll was there. As a grad student at TEDS, we also attended Arlington Heights Ev Free where Greg Waybright was the pastor (before he took over the presidency of Trinity). When we moved to KS in 90, we were very involved with First Ev Free in Wichita for about 12 years. There are many things that I appreciate about the EFCA…doctrine, government, organization, distinctives…the support of a denominational organization without the heavy-handedness of some…the emphasis on church planting.
My wife and I have been trying to move to Colorado for years…out of somewhat selfish motives…attracted by the mountains and all that brings to a family in terms of beauty and opportunity. We have vacationed there often, and often threatened not to go home.
The current impulse is not quite so crass. I want to be where the need is great. Oregon, California, Colorado all have a greater percentage of unchurched/lost/mal-churched people than Kansas. There are several practical considerations as a father and with a commitment to Christian schooling that will factor into our decision. As far as the interest in North Denver, that is not anything that is settled, it is just an interest because of the liberal culture in the Boulder area, and a general belief/desire to be engaged with both the business and the academic world in evangelism. Business and Academic centers are the places to have the most leverage in impacting the culture...possibly the most leverage in reaching the lost. Academic people…students are seeking answers – and we have them…professors are leading people astray and need to be refuted. In the business arena…these guys are hiring, firing, building, failing, struggling with marriage and family…I speak their language…have “street cred”. There are so many opportunities to minister to men in that environment.
The only Christian High School in Colorado with a baseball team (more on that later) is down in Colorado Springs, which I have always viewed as sort of a Christian Bulwark, but Bruce assures me that the need is great there, so honestly, I’m considering that as well.
Another strong desire I have, is to be involved in the seminary community…partly for my own continued personal growth and challenge and the fellowship of strong and godly and motivated men, and partly a desire to be involved with encouraging and equipping young men…ministers, husbands and fathers, in the faith. Long term, I hope my ministry will include teaching in the seminary environment. Denver Seminary is not my first choice. I am more drawn to Master’s, or Talbot (Biola my alma mater), or to Western. These interests have me considering those geographic areas as well. I also saw that ReachGlobal has a position at the Tyndale Seminary in the Netherlands. That also appeals to me – but would be very difficult for my youngest son at this point in his life.
Randy Littlefield allowed me to tag along on a recent trip to Dallas, where Bruce Redmond, Bruce Martin, and a couple of guys from the Trinity area were meeting with Dallas students. It was a fantastic time to spend in fellowship with those guys. Plus, it gave me a chance to get on the Dallas campus, even for a little while, and to be around some of the young men there, and also to catch up with Ray Chang, a friend from Biola. Bruce Martin wants me to come out to Oregon. Ray wants me to come to Southern California. Bruce Redmond wants me to come to Colorado. Randy Littlefield wants me to stay here. It’s great to have so many opportunities, but it also creates problems. I’ve been earnestly seeking the Lord’s direction and trying to be patient. So far…no guy from Macedonia in my dreams.
I really don’t feel a particular call to a specific zip code, Rob. I am called to the Kingdom, for the glory of Christ. The specifics of the next move are a little hazy.
I think that as far as being involved with EFCA/Church Planting goes, that I will be most effective and most useful as I equip other men plant churches….encouraging and equipping and building up. The openings in the Midwest District, and in the Rocky Mountain District to be more involved with Church Planting on a larger scale are very interesting to me, and I could see a great fit and effectiveness if they were to develop. Not sure if an opportunity to be involved in that capacity will develop or not.
My wife would prefer to just stay here. We have many close friends through our involvement in the Christian school. Many in the Body of Christ who have been ministered to by us, and who have borne our burdens in difficult days. It’s hard to leave those people without a very good reason. The Christian High school here has been a blessing to my sons. The baseball coach is a friend and former business partner, and he has invested a lot in my youngest son. It would be a blessing and a privilege for Landon to play for him. Seth still has another year in high school, so it is difficult to pull him out to do his senior year somewhere else unless there is a clear leading and opportunity.
No matter what…this is going to be a “pioneering” move. There may be some who will want to be involved at some level financially, and who will want to maintain close relationships and feel some “ownership” in the effort. But, we’ll be starting from nothing. I’m not sitting on a personal “war chest” financially. We were completely wiped out in our legal battles. I know that the Lord will provide for the work He wants to do. I am earnestly seeking His leading. I am hopeful that there are EFCA churches in each of these areas who would want to be involved in the initial stages financially, with expertise and counsel, etc. While finances are not the primary concern, it doesn’t make much sense to go where there is no support…perhaps the Lord will lead that way.
