Liberty Church Planting Network

February 27th was an awesome day in downtown Winston-Salem, NC. The long anticipated launch of REVO Church took place in the “Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts”. You could feel the excitement in the air as the praise team began to play and sing and the lead pastor Nathan Cline began to preach. Well over 300 attended the launch and God’s Spirit was evident in the place. There is going to be a revolution in this great city as REVO Church begins to make an impact for Christ. Please pray for Nathan and his team.

REVO Church
251 North Spruce St
Winston-Salem, NC
www.discoverrevo.com

This time of year always proves to be kind of a grind to me. From the middle of January through February to the end of March, cabin fever begins to set in as many outside activities are on hold because of the cold weather. The days are still short and they seem gray and dull. I realize that Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow on Groundhog’s day and that means that we are going to get an early spring (this according to the famous rodent’s website www.punxsutawneyphil.com). But the winter generally persists in hanging on until the bitter end and it keeps many people cooped up within the proverbial four walls of their homes.

I, personally, like to be on the move. I enjoy travelling and especially flying, but sometimes there can be major delays that you have to deal with when you fly. Have you ever been on a flight that got stuck in in a holding pattern? The plane can’t land because there are too many planes in the landing pattern or there is another plane at your gate, or there is severe weather in the area. Holding patterns take place for these and other reasons. There is something potentially dangerous ahead that the pilot is trying to avoid.

But we don’t like being stuck in holding patterns. They are a waste of our time. They cause us to miss our connections. They cause us to wonder as we are flying around if the plane has enough fuel to make it. The reality is this, there are many areas of our lives that can be stuck in a holding pattern from time to time.

And when an area of our life is on hold and we look around, it seems that the people we see are on the move. Everyone else has a job, a growing ministry, good health, and money. Why not us? Other people’s lives and ministries are moving forward and there we are, stuck in some holding pattern. And saying that you are simply waiting can sound like such a cop out. It sounds like you aren’t smart enough to come up with a better plan to move things forward.

Why is it so difficult to wait? Here are a few reasons: We know that time is slipping through our hands and we only have a limited amount. We know that we are missing something somewhere because we have to wait here. We don’t schedule delays. When we are forced to be idle and cabin fever sets in, the mind tends to focus on our failures. We begin to second guess our decisions. We start thinking, “Since this isn’t going anywhere, should I look for another ministry?” When we are forced to wait we tend to grow more frustrated with the circumstances and honestly, we can grow frustrated with God. We wonder, “What is He up to? Surely He sees, and knows, and cares. Then why am I in this holding pattern?” The bottom line is this, we hate waiting because we don’t like it when we are not in control.

Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 7:8 (NKJV) “The end of a thing is better than its beginning; The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.”

The truth is, waiting is something that is inevitable, it happens to everyone. However, after a protracted season of waiting we can feel like we have been forgotten. Have you ever been to a restaurant where you received that pager and someone who came in after you gets called before you? You look at your pager and think, “Is it broken? Is something wrong? Did they forget me?” We tend to ask the same thing about God. “Is something wrong? Did God forget me?”

The fact is God has not forgotten you. He is preparing you and He is preparing things for you. Holding patterns take place for a reason. There is something potentially dangerous ahead that the pilot is trying to avoid. When God puts an area of your life into a holding pattern He is orchestrating things so that you have a safe arrival. He orchestrates things for you with the absolute best in mind. He is not trying to delay you just to make you wait.

Abraham & Sarah, Joseph, Moses, David, and the heros of our faith all had something in common. They each knew something very important. Those men and women in Scripture who were blessed greatly and who were used greatly by God had learned the art of waiting. Paul did so as well. He wrote in Philippians 1:12 (NIV) “Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.” It’s amazing to me that Paul’s confinement under house arrest led to the Gospel’s furtherance. The message went forward because Paul was forced to sit still, because God had him in a holding pattern.

That time of confinement was only for a season in Paul’s ministry. Your holding pattern in your life or in your ministry is as well. And pretty soon the weather will break, Spring will arrive, the days will get longer, and the winter grind will come to an end.

Tre and Kristin Faulkner felt God’s leading to plant a church in Murfreesboro, TN. So in the spring of 2009 they headed west and panted Illuminate Church. They are presently meeting in an elementary school and are running around 90 each week. They are starting small groups and are hoping to make an impact on the Murfreesboro area. Since they are located so close to Nashville, they have a great amount of talent to draw upon. Tre is an excellent expositor of the Word of God and has a real heart for the lost. Please pray for Tre and Kristin and the ministry of Illuminate Church.

Illuminate Church
Murfreesboro, TN
www.illuminatechurch.tv

Matt and Sarah Rogers started Renewal church one year ago in Mauldin, SC. They began meeting in a hotel and soon found that a local church in Greenville was willing to let them use their facilities if they would meet at 9:15am on Sunday and the other church would meet at 11:00am. They are able to use the facilities all week long and do not have to tear down their setup. This has allowed them to cut their expenses and to grow. Today they are running around 100 each Sunday and have several small groups meeting during the week. Continue to pray for this church as they strive to reach the Greenville area.

Renewal Church
Mauldin, SC
www.renewalupstate.com

One year ago, Jay and Lara Beth Hardwick had a burden to reach the Columbia, SC area. There are plenty of traditional churches in Columbia, but God had placed on their heart a new type of church that would not just meet in a building on Sunday mornings but would transform the community. They started with a small group of 17 meeting in the Polo Road Elementary School and today they are averaging over 160 each Sunday. They have just hired a Pastor of Community Groups who will work on carrying out their big vision of reaching Columbia through home groups. If you are in the Columbia area, make sure you stop by and see Jay and let him know that you are praying for him.

Awaken Church
Columbia, SC
www.awakencolumbia.com

A little over two years ago, Chris and Angie Brown gathered together with a small group of 8 people that God had called together to start a church. With the help of Liberty Church Planting Network and North Point Community Church they began meeting and planning on how they could reach Matthews, North Carolina with the gospel. Today they meet in the Levine Senior Center in Matthews and have two services. They have been averaging between 220 and 250 each week and have a tremendous group of volunteers.

Their focus is not on what is going on in the building but in transforming the area with the power of the gospel. This Christmas they picked out a family, which consisted of a single mom and her three children, and decided to make an impact on their lives. The entire congregation got involved and raised enough money to not only buy the family a car load of presents but also gave the car to the mother who hasn’t had transportation for years. They had the car cleaned, put on new tires and brakes, and then paid for the insurance for a year and also for the gas she will use. An individual in the church and others who heard about the project have taken on the task of paying for her electric bill for the next year. This will give her a chance to get on her feet and it was all done in the name of Jesus. This young church is making an impact in the Charlotte area. Please pray for Chris and his family as they lead Ridge Church to new heights in the future.

Ridge Church
Matthews, NC
www.ridgechurch.net

Helen Keller once said, “Worse than being blind, would be to be able to see, but not have vision.” All of us have caught a glimpse of what we could become or contribute. We have heard stories of great accomplishments or significant impact, and something inside of us cries out, “This is the life I was created to live.” Woodrow Wilson said, “We grow great by dreams. All big men are dreamers.” It is human nature to dream, to hope, to risk, and to desire a life of significance, but it is beyond natural, it is supernatural.

Of all people, Christians should be the biggest dreamers and visionaries. Vision does not come from inside a human heart. True vision comes from God. It has been defined as “inspired guidance”. He plants in you a dream or a vision. He paints a picture, or gives you a glimpse, of what He wants to do in you and through you. Through His eyes, we begin to see things, not as they are, but as they can and will be.

But what is it that moves us from dreaming to doing? What moves us from the glimpse to the glory? It is faith. Of course, faith is more than just trusting. It was James who said, “Faith without works is dead.” In other words, faith leads to sacrifice. God gives us the vision, He gives us “inspired guidance”, but then we have to put forth the effort to step out and step up.

If vision is seeing what could be then sacrifice is paying the price to make it happen. Big vision requires big sacrifice. You could say it this way: “Inspired Guidance + Sacrifice = Maximum Impact”. All people of great accomplishment have the scars and the stories from their journeys. It is this requirement of sacrifice that keeps most people safe and complacent. All catch a glimpse of the vision but once the cost is measured, sadly most will say “no”. A friend recently said, “Most people want the glory without the story”.

The benefits of significant impact go beyond personal satisfaction and gain. The point, after all, is not personal anyway. Is it? The purpose for the increased influence and impact that we seek, is ultimately to bring God glory. Time and time again, Jesus put forth the challenge: Go, see, believe, live, give, serve, do great things, so that God gets all of the glory.

Matthew 5:16, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

John 15:8, “You should produce much fruit and show that you are my followers, which brings glory to my Father.”

Come to think of it, anything less than vision, sacrifice, and maximum impact are not acceptable. He deserves, and demands, the glory that comes from His children living a life of desperation and dependence on Him. This kind of dependence is not necessary if we choose safety and complacency, but this is not who we are. We are the church. We are His body. We are the bride of Christ. We have been entrusted with a mission that is bigger than us, but not bigger than the One Who gave it, and will cause it to be accomplished.

We have been invited to participate and be involved in things that are larger than us. Our “yes” will be met with His power and His faithfulness. In the end, we get the chance to live significant lives, and He receives the glory that He created us to bring Him.

In April of 2009, Jabob and Lindsey Atchley, surrendered to God’s call for them to plant a church in Martinsburg, West Virginia. They started meeting in a room in the local Holiday Inn and began to grow. The indoor pool became their baptismal and slowly God began to add new members to the church. In a very short time, they outgrew the Holiday Inn and relocated to Regal Theater near there. They soon outgrew the small theater and had to move to a bigger theater in the complex. After just 19 months they are running over 160 each Sunday and are planning on adding a second service soon. They have community groups that meet during the week and have been active in reaching their community. This past Thanksgiving they gave out over 100 turkeys to families in need. The church also has a burden for national and international missions, giving over 20% of their income. Keep your eye on the Church at Martinsburg because God is doing some exciting things through them.

The Church at Martinsburg
Martinsburg, WV
www.martinsburgchurch.org
304-596-9330

We want to wish all of our church planters, chaplains and supporting churches a very Merry Christmas, and we pray for the success of your ministries in the New Year. I know that ministry is tough and church planting is no picnic, but consider for a moment the incredible message God has given to us, especially as it relates to our Savior’s birth.

The incarnation means that God personally visited our world as one of us. God entered our world. He experienced the life we experience. Infinite God confined Himself to a finite existence. He felt the joys; He felt the sorrows. He would laugh, and He would cry. He would be born, and He would die.

John 1:1-5 (NKJV) says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”

The Creator entered His Creation as One created. The Author entered His own story. He would come into a world filled with sin and suffering. Light would pierce the darkness. Hope would be born, and hope would die, and death would be conquered because hope would be resurrected the third day.

The incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection speak of God’s voluntary involvement in the struggle of mankind. Why? Because God is love and love gives, and as the ultimate lover of your soul, He gave the ultimate gift — He gave Himself. In fact, no one has suffered more than God… on the cross… and through the Holy Spirit He suffers with you. No one understands more. Some would say, “He’s God. He is big enough to take it.” Yes, that’s the point. He is God, and He has not exempted Himself from the pain.

We are sinners by birth (not my fault) and sinners by choice (my bad). We suffer both directly and indirectly for our poor choices. God has never sinned. He has never made a bad decision. His suffering is the result of our sin… our poor choices. Why does God suffer? Because He chose to love! We suffer because we chose to be selfish. He suffers because He chose to give.

Suffering is the result of our sin… it is our problem. “The soul that sins it shall die,” the Bible says. He died so that you could live. He left glory to enter this sin-sick world to die… to die a death that He didn’t have to die… to die your death… to die a horrible death so you could live.

God could have been disinterested. He could have started over, but he saw you in Adam and loved you. He knew that pain would be involved, but He decided that you were worth it.

At times we ask, “God, why have you done this to me? Why have you made me suffer so much?” Well, can’t God say, “But my child, why have you made me suffer so much?” He has suffered so much more for us than we ever will suffer for Him. He did it all so we would never suffer again. We truly have an amazing message to share.

May the Incarnate Christ bless you and yours this Christmas season!

Hope Hill Church, started by John and Brandy Kuzins, is making an impact on Prince William County in Virginia. After just six weeks they are running just over a hundred in their services and have started small groups during the week. They have a tremendous praise team and John does an excellent job in making the Scriptures relevant to today’s needs.

Hope Hill Church
Manassas, VA
www.hopehillchurch.org
703-919-5396