Who Knew!
Over 5 years ago myself and Jason Clements felt compelled to pray together continuously for our city (Warner Robins). We were burdened and wanted to see Jesus made much of in Warner Robins. We had no idea what path and how this would be done.
We were just two idiots who desired to see people fall in love with Jesus and each other. Deeper than a Sunday "how are ya" and handshake. We wanted to see people that could openly confess to one another our struggles, thoughts, fears, and sins BECAUSE we knew that in Jesus it's all taken care of any way and in our struggles we could worship HIM for being a great savior. We desired to see people live and do life together and escape the secluded mess of suburbia and enter into genuine community.
Again we were just two idiots who would sit in the parking lot of Books-A-Million in the back of my truck and just pray. God was stirring our hearts...WE KNEW that. We had no plan...NO CLUE...no idea...we just wept over our city. It wasn't judging. It was genuine concern and love for the people we worked with, lived next too, saw at coffee shops, played with...WE LOVED OUR city and its people!
A lot has changed since those prayer at BAM.
First Jason got married to an amazing woman, Kimberly. I am thankful for her! After they were married my friendship with Jason grew. They would have me over for dinner and we would sit around and talk, play cards, share an adult beverage (Jason and I...the taste (even smell) of them makes Kimberly's skin crawl). I could annoy them with endless stories of my "love" life...trying to get advice. We (all 3 of us) continued to talk about seeing our city fall in love with Jesus and each other. We were now 3 idiots.
One weekend we went with a church group to a John Piper conference in South Carolina and we heard a new name...Mark Driscoll...something about encouraging young men to grow up get married and get a mortgage...we liked the way that sounded.
We found out more about him and in God's providence leading us clueless idiots Jason was sent TDY to Tacoma Washington. He was there for 3-4 months. While there he was able to travel to Seattle and visit Mark Driscoll's church and hear him...he was able to visit their small groups. He got an idea of what the sincere community we desired in WR was like. He was challenged to "Plant" a church back here in Warner Robins that looked like that.
We talked about planting a church but both felt that we had no idea how to do that or where to begin...we kept praying...now having a little bit of an idea...
Then it happened a couple of years later. One night I asked Jason feeling kinda depressed and longing deeply to see this thing happen and tired of it being an idea, “do you ever think about planting a church?” We were familiar with this church planting network called Acts 29 (learned of it through Mark Driscoll). We KNEW if we did we wanted to be an Acts 29 network church...because of the accountability, support, coaching...etc...we wanted that if we did it.
He said he just checked the A29 site and saw a new church in Macon. I nearly jumped out of my seat...actually I did. I went to a computer and pulled up their site, got the pastors (Keith Watson) phone number and called him the next day!
We got some lunch together and I gave a little bit of my story and along with mine and Jason’s history and what led me to calling him. I told him how I wanted to see a church plant in Warner Robins that would be about sound doctrine, genuine community, and loving people. (Now I might use some cool slogan like a "worshiping community of missional theologians").
I also told him I wasn’t ready and would like to join his church New City Church downtown and learn. I didn’t even know how unready to plant I was…again…I was an idiot with a passion to see something happen in Warner Robins…something BIG…something that would change the city.
I thought that since Macon and Warner Robins have grown into one semi-metropolitan area it wouldn’t make sense to have two Acts 29 churches so close but I could see working in Macon and having a new campus in Warner Robins one day. Much to my amazement HE was already praying for New City Church to have a New City Church warner robins.
I called Jason immediately after my lunch with Keith! He was excited! I was able to join New City a little sooner than Jason and Kimberly (they had a lot of responsibilities at their current church that they had to transition out of) but eventually we were all carpooling to Macon every Sunday…we did this with the FULL intention of bringing it to Warner Robins…Macon was temporary for us.
People would always ask, “If you desire to see something in Warner Robins WHY GO to MACON?” I can’t tell you how many times I fielded that question. The answer was simple to me, “I am learning and want to plant a campus in WR and we will have a campus in Warner Robins one day.” We were going to Macon to see it happen in Warner Robins. I don’t think people always got it…but I finally was certain that we had a vision and NOW a plan!
Now here we are 3.5 years later. In those 3.5 years A LOT has happened. I got married to Lindsey, the most amazing woman I have ever met. We bought a house. We have the coolest, cutest son and have number 2 on the way. We even lost a dog…I did cry over that dog…RIP Calvin! I have been challenged by God’s word more than ever before in my life. I have matured as a leader, husband, father, disciple, and friend. I love people now and not just who I dream them to be.
AND God has faithfully been building His church for the last 3.5 years. We have seen it grow from the 3 idiots to over 40 committed people who love one another, love their city, and LOVE Jesus!
AND now after 3.5 years, the next church gathering I go to will be in Warner Robins!
Here we stand on the brink of seeing New City Church warner robins become a reality…THIS SUNDAY what we have been praying for will happen…well it’s already started happening. Who knew that when we started praying for our city that God would use a church in Macon that didn’t even exist yet to see our prayers fulfilled?…HE DID!
So know looking back over the last several years of my life and seeing how God has sovereignly saw our prayer answered. I look forward with complete confidence that God will draw people to himself and that people will love Him and love each other and that a Godnormous thing will happen. (I know Godnormous sounds corny…sorry for the brief lapse into Christian subculture word making).
I am thankful that he has allowed me to be a part of this. I am thankful for Jason and Kimberly and their friendship. I am thankful for the loving support of my wife who has always served with me and shared this dream. I am thankful for Keith and that even before we met that he shared our burden. I am thankful for the last 3.5 years spent with people in downtown Macon. I am thankful that God has brought two dear friends from faraway places (Spokane Washington and Louisville Kentucky) to be co-teachers of New City Church warner robins with Keith. I am thankful for all the people that God has knit together to form New City Church wr.
This Sunday a dream will come true, a vision will be realized and many prayers answered!
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