Well I said that the the last post had been a long time since posting anything, this one may have it topped. Life sure has a way taking it's twists and turns, and as it turns out it makes circles too. Right now at this writing we are several months into the church planting process. We are planting a church in the Manchester PA area as part of the Eastern Regional Conference of the Churches of God. The name of the church is "Visionpointe". There for a while I thought that the opportunity to Pastor another church was gone, that is why in fact I started the former radio ministry and this blog of the same name. But like one of my "life verses" God has plans, different plans than I know of. So here we are planting a church. Today I am reflecting on why would someone want to undertake something like this, tonight I am speaking at a denominational church planting dinner here in the area. Seriously why would someone want to plant a church? It has got to be one of the most humilating, humbling and exhausting experiences there is. You have to raise funds to survive,which is something that I hate to do by the way, (pride is a hateful thing, perhaps another blog post there). You have to meet people that you do not know, (cold call),and some that you do know, and wonder about what God is doing through all of this. And talk about rejection, you pour your heart out to someone thinking that they are coming along and then semmingly at the "last" moment they essentially say "no thanks" leaving you in the dust. You must do "marketing" in the community, which sometimes looks like door-to-door sales, seriously who likes someone you don't know at the front door that wants to talk about their "product". Leadership developement, both your own and the others who do actually say, "yes we are with you", which really is relationship developement, ("let's walk together") really is not that bad I guess. Well there is the excitement of getting to meet new people to hear and feel their life experiences. There is the joy of watching someone have the "light go on" when they "learn" that God loves them and He wants to help them with life. There are also the eternal rewards that come with all this, for God is watching over church planters. After all He "called" us to do this and watches and prepares our way leading, teaching, guiding and providing. Simply knowing that we are carrying on where others have gone before and then "pushing" the church to those who are looking for love in the wrong places, is to know that the love of God is always reaching and searching for the lost. I think I figured out why we would want to plant a church.