The Extreme Sport Of Church Planting

Watching the finals of the Winter X Games I'm amazed at how extreme these guys will go to win a medal at their sport. It's just crazy to watch these guys back-flipping snowmobiles 20ft in the air or nailing some amazing snowboard tricks on the half-pipe. They will go to extremes to find new ways to take their sport to another level and win the gold. I'm lovin' watching these guys! This week I got to hang out with some other guys who, along with me, are in the extreme sport of church planting. I say extreme because we are doing whatever it takes to reach this generation with the life-changing message of Christ. Paul says, "Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever" 1 Corinthians 9:25. Paul reminds me that I am in the greatest sport in the world. I'm on the greatest team in the world. Reaching our generation for Jesus is the reward that will last forever, because people last forever. What a privilege to be on the same team with guys like Clint, Jamie, Matt, and Jonathan.

Tonight we had seven here at our home to continue sharing our vision of planting Mosaic Church here in Culpeper. One of the challenges that we face is figuring out what will be most effective in reaching the people of this community. It's an extreme sport and sometimes it takes extreme, out-of-the-box, unconventional ways. Pray for us as church planters to have wisdom and direction from Father to know what will be the most effective for the Kingdom.

Pray also for us as we interview a young man from Beaumont, TX for the position of worship leader. His name is Joshua Rogers. We are asking Father for the right person for this important position on our launch team.

Father reminded me this morning, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" Galatians 6:10. So we keep going, because its not about us, its about those who aren't on the team yet.

Duane

Get-together On Sunday

I hate meetings. So I not calling it a "meeting". We're having a "get-together". It's my passion to share the vision God has given me for Mosaic Church. So...we're having a "get-together" at our house at 102 S. Blue Ridge Ave here in Culpeper at 6:30 PM, Sun. Jan. 27, to share the vision. We have met many people and several who have expressed interest in the kind of church God has called us to launch. So we're going to get together in a casual setting, our home, and share the vision. We are looking and praying for God to send us the people He wants to join our launch team. It will be a great opportunity for everyone to get questions answered and learn how they can help us carry out the dream God has planted in our hearts. So, if you're in the area, come on over. We'd love to meet you. If you're far away...Pray!
Duane
P.S. There will be food!

Dealing With Loss

Yesterday one our immediate family members died. Although she wasn't human, she was a member of our family. Rajah, our cat, was killed crossing the road in front of our house. She was brought into our family 17 years ago Michigan when I was on staff in my first ministry position. She was there all those years as our kids grew up. I am deeply saddened. I've had others tell me over the years the pain they had felt losing a family pet, but this time I'm experiencing it. I've been effected by this loss much more than I ever thought I would be. I miss her coming and sitting next to me in my chair at night and her loud meow in the morning when she was hungry. This morning when I took Buster (our dog) for his walk in the park the song "Blessed Be Your Name" came to mind. I started remembering the words to this song that I've sung many times over the last couple of years. "Blessed be Your Name when the sun's shining down on me, when the world's all as it should be, blessed be Your Name. Blessed be Your Name on the road marked with suffering, though there's pain in the offering, blessed be Your Name...You give and take away...My heart will choose to say, Blessed be Your Name." Those are easy words to sing in church when things are going great. It's another to sing those words when you don't understand or see. God gives us so many good things. And sometimes He takes them away. That's when I have a choice. Will I choose to bless Him or blame Him when life doesn't seem fair? I shared this with my wife this morning and then when we got to the church we attending right now while preparing to start Mosaic...guess what was the first song we sang? You guessed it..."Blessed Be Your Name." I guess the Spirit knew I needed that.
Duane

Opportunity To Advance The Kingdom!

Thanks for your continued prayer and support of what the Lord is doing here in Culpeper, VA. God has given us an opportunity to lease a place to begin holding services for Mosaic Church. It is in the downtown area of Culpeper at 128 W. Culpeper St. where the former Rock Academy used to meet. This is exactly where we believe God has called us to start Mosaic. We have the opportunity to lease the top floor of this historical building. It has a large open meeting room with hard wood floors, one full length brick wall, lots of windows, large wooden columns, and another smaller room that will work well for the nursery and kids church space. It has lots of character and will create the "come as you are" coffee house feel to it that we want. We are believing God that He has this spot reserved for Mosaic to begin bringing people to Christ. Now, here's where I need your help. The lease is $1575.00 a month, which is the best rate I've seen anywhere here in Culpeper. We need the first month's rent to be able to sign the lease and get going. Will you help us? Maybe you could give a whole month's rent? Or maybe a part of a month. Whatever God puts on your heart, large or small...it will all go towards expanding His Kingdom. Pray about what you should give and lay up some treasure in heaven. We would like to be able to start the lease Feb.1.
If you would like to help us, you can make a check out to Mosaic Church of Culpeper and send it to us here at 102 S. Blue Ridge Ave, Culpeper, VA, 22701. (it is tax-deductable) Let us know. If you need to talk to me further, call me at 540-718-9033.
God is going to do some awesome stuff!

Duane

For Lease...Pray For Favor

Tonight we met with the owner of a building in the downtown area of Culpeper. It has two floors. Both are for lease either for seperate businesses or one to lease both. There are two large rooms and three smaller rooms. It would be an ideal place for us to start Mosaic Church. The owner would certainly like to lease to us. I feel like Nehemiah when he had been given a vision from God to rebuild the wall in Jerusalem. Nehemiah, being a slave, had to ask the king for permission to return and rebuild the wall. He wept, fasted, and prayed. He asked God to give him favor with the King. He said, "O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man." (Neh.1:11)

That's what I'm asking God for tonight. As we talk to the owner and negotiate we are praying for favor. To get a good price in the lease...to be able to afford to lease both floors. Maybe he will do even better. Pray for us and pray for favor as we look to lease this property to bring people to Jesus.

Duane

Doing Life Together

One of the things I am learning on my journey is how to do life together. Over the years it seems as though I've become rather independent. When I say that I mean that I really don't need anyone else outside my family. I've always had plenty. My last pastorate I was paid quite well for the size church and community. I really didn't need anyone else. Not to say that I didn't need God. Of course I needed Him, but my life with my fellow "Christians" was far from what I read about in Acts where the church "had all things in common" and they shared and met one another's needs. They even sold land to help one another out. They were really dependent on God and He met their needs through each other. Now God is teaching me what it means to do life together. Its one of the core values of Mosaic. We aren’t interested in being a church where a lot of people get together for an inspiring service but never move beyond the casual arm's distance relationships of an auditorium. We want to grow by really "doing life together." Community is knowing and being known, loving and being loved, celebrating and being celebrated, and serving and being served. To help me learn how to do life together God has brought Joel and Dana along with us. They came with us here to Culpeper to help us launch Mosaic. Joel and Dana have helped me begin to learn what it means to do life together. They continue to bless us when we are in need. I never have to ask. God is using them to teach me to receive. I've never been good at that. It's my pride. Somehow its been engrained in us to never admit that we have a need. Pride. God is gradually removing pride and teaching me how to do life together. Its how life should be...getting below the surface and really loving and being loved. Thanks Lord for using Joel and Dana to teach me on the journey.

Duane