WHAT I’M LEARNING
There’s a famous line by John Wimber. He had become a Christian and was devouring the New Testament Scriptures. He was attending a local church and after a while came to the leadership and asked a simple, but revolutionary question: “So, when do we get to do the stuff?” The “stuff” Wimber was referencing was the ministry of Jesus by the Holy Spirit through the Apostles and the New Testament church.
I remember the moment God called me to church planting. It was birthed out of a similar “holy discontent”. I grew up in a small baptist church in a rural community in central Alabama. In college, I was at a mega-church in the city of Atlanta. Yet, neither one of them satisfied the longings that arose within me as I read through the New Testament (the book of Acts in particular). I couldn’t connect the dots between what I was reading and what I was experiencing. “How did we get here?” I thought. I longed “to do the stuff” like Wimber said. I longed to see New Testament Christianity rediscovered and reimplemented in our current moment and context.
I still feel that holy discontent, but I also feel the constant temptation to cater to more pragmatic approaches. As I look over the financial statements and giving records; As I wonder if anyone will show up to pray or gather or train; As I sense the nagging insecurity and fear of failure. I’m not a hater of pragmatism or marketing or any of that… except for when it gets in the way of us doing the stuff and being faithful to what Jesus intended when He gave us the mission and ministry He started. I just can’t believe that God broke into human history through Jesus who took upon the wrath of God and poured out the Holy Spirit just so we would attend a service, give a tithe, serve on a team, and join a group (all of which our church will encourage and provide). I think there’s more available to us… and I hunger for it.
I want to do the stuff—the Jesus stuff.
I want to be a part of a church that does the stuff.
I think our city the world longs to see—and the Spirit longs to do—the stuff.
WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING
On September 8th, I got to preach at Dunwoody Community Church a few weeks back (check it out here). DCC has been amazing friends and partners who have invited me to serve on their teaching team this semester and are even encouraging people in their congregation to prayerfully consider joining us. This is what Kingdom collaboration looks like.
On September 14th, I and some of our team were a part of an event called “Plant Atlanta” where we saw pastors and leaders across denominations come together to worship, pray, and strategize for a church planting movement in our city. If you know me, you know this is my kind of room. I long to see disciples made, churches planted, and the Kingdom expanded and I could care less what denomination or network gets the credit—as long as Jesus does!
Previously, I’ve shared about my new friend Aziz who moved to the States from Saudi Arabia about 8 years ago. We’ve continued meeting up and I’ve continued sharing the gospel with him. There are two updates:
Aziz joined me at the KCC Missional Community. He came to my home. He joined us as we prayed. He broke bread with us. He laughed with us. It was beautiful as this new friend felt safe in the presence of new friends who believe different things and come from totally different backgrounds. During the night, Aziz openly referred to me as his friend and I knew something special had happened.
Sadly, Aziz is being forced to move back to Saudi Arabia for a season. He longs to be here but there are tremendous challenges—even for someone like Aziz who has a Masters Degree and teaches at a prestigious university. Can you pray for 1) permanent residency status for Aziz and 2) that our friendship would continue even from the other side of the world?
We officially have 22 people committed to our team and have seen a dozen people uproot their lives and physically move to be part of the mission of Jesus through Kingdom City Church. Over the past 8 weeks, we’ve been training and preparing as we get ready to launch into public ministry.
WHAT’S COMING UP
I’m speaking at Oglethorpe University’s FCA Gathering tonight (09/30/2024). If you see this today, please pray for me. If you see it after, please pray for our partnership with FCA as well as fruitful relationships and influence on Oglethorpe’s campus!
This Sunday (10/06/2024), we are hosting our first public vision night. On these nights, we’re hoping people are compelled by the mission and vision of Jesus for their lives and our community. We are praying they meet people, make friends, and consider joining our launch team. If you or someone you know lives in the area and would like to join us, then click the link below!
I’m speaking at Emory University’s FCA Gathering next week (10/08/2024). Once again, please pray for me as well as our partnership with FCA as well as fruitful relationships and influence on Emory’s campus!
On Saturday, October 12th, we’ll be prayer walking through our city and hanging in the park to engage our neighbors and simply enjoy the beauty of our community.
I’ll also be preaching at Dunwoody Community Church on Sunday, October 13th on Stephen (Acts 6:8-7:60). Pray for me!
WHAT I’M READING
How (Not) to be Secular by James K.A. Smith
This is really Smith’s explanation of Charles Taylor’s 900-page book This Secular Age. Since I’m a church planter and I don’t have that kind of time, this one will have to do the trick. Smith and Taylor explain today’s secular humanism that has become the cultural reality of our day (especially in cities) and how we got here.
One with My Lord by Sam Allberry
Sam Allberry wrote another gem. This short, simple, beautiful book takes the time to remind us of all that is ours in Christ. Throughout the epistles, the defining title used to describe believers is “in Christ”. Only three times do we see the word “Christian” and it’s usually referencing something they were called by others. Allberry suggests that as we’ve drifted from the language of “in Christ” perhaps we’ve also drifted from grasping the significance that comes through our union with Jesus.
Jesus Christ, Disciple-Maker by Bill Hull
This is a book I’ve been reading with a cohort of fellow Atlanta church planters. Hull essentially traces the discipleship training pathway of Jesus over the course of his 3-year ministry. This has been gold and really encouraging for my leadership (as well as my own personal attempts and often failures of following Jesus myself)!
The Revival We Need by Oswald J. Smith
My friend, Kevin Queen (shoutout KQ), suggested this book to me years ago and only just now have I really read it. This book was written in 1922 by a Toronto pastor named Oswald J. Smith who longed to see revival come to his city. He simply looks back at revivals and calls us to new levels of desperation and devotion. It’s stirred by faith and given me a hunger to see the same thing. We long for our church to be a catalyst for revival and renewal in our city and beyond… It begins with hungry people who are willing to settle for nothing less.
HOW YOU CAN BE PRAYING
In addition to things already mentioned…
Pray for Katie, Asa, myself, and our team.
Pray for Kingdom City Church as we engage in ministry; that the Lord would add to our team and expand our influence here.
Pray for our city (Chamblee, Brookhaven, northeast Atlanta); that they would be receptive to us but more importantly—to Jesus.
Pray for a gathering location that will fit in our budget and be conducive to our needs. We are feeling some momentum in this area but there’s still a lot to figure out and a long way to go!
Love you all. Thank you for being with us on this journey.
“He is faithful. He will surely do it.” —1 Thessalonians 5:24