The Mission Church of the Nazarene

     It took us a long time to really decide to make the move to church planting in Hammond. Partly because we really love the church where we serve. Building these deep friendships with people, finally feeling like you know where everything is, and having a deep pride in your community, is a hard thing to leave.
    The other reason it was difficult to decide to church plant was purely economical. This fear raises to the surface when you look at your stack of monthly bills, and you know that those are not going away when you move (in fact, they'll probably increase), but you are not making an income from the church.
    The vast majority of people I know, don't go into ministry for the money. If you do, you'll be incredibly disappointed (unless of course you'd like to be a prosperity preacher, and that's a whole different issue). I have always said I am in ministry because I'm called, I love God, and I love people, not for the money. However, looking at how to make ends meet with potentially nothing, or solely on a spouse's salary, is a daunting thing.
     Thus, it was a huge leap of faith for us to say "Ok God. We know you are calling us here, and we will take this leap, whatever that means for us."
     There was a helpfulness in having so many cheerleaders in our corner, telling us we'd be ok. Telling us it is evident that God has called us here. Telling us their own stories of struggle and God's provision. Encouraging us, that all we need is enough for today. Urging us to just pray for enough, and staying humble enough to be grateful for the little that comes our way.
    Despite my best attempts, part of me doubts. My mom has a greater faith than me, and she continues to tell me that God will take care of us. But, there are still times where I look around our house here in Mundelein, and I think "are we out of our minds to pack up what we have known for our entire marriage, and dive into a ministry with no idea of what that will even look like yet?"
    The answer is probably yes. It is a foolish choice, it's crazy, and we are a bit out of our minds. We don't have a bunch of money in savings, or 401k's, or stock portfolio's. We have 1 car currently, because my car is broken down in the driveway waiting for repairs it will take us a while to save up for.  Our net worth is like $-20,000 or something like that. In the World's standards, we are absolutely out of our minds.
    But, we don't live by the world's standards.
    One of my favorite quotes is by Frederick Buechner, he says, "The life you clutch, hoard, guard, and play safe with is in the end a life worth little to anybody, including yourself, and only a life given away for love's sake is a life worth living. To bring his point home, God shows us a man who gave his life away to the extent of dying a national disgrace without a penny in the bank or a friend to his name. In terms of men's wisdom, he was a Perfect Fool, and anybody who thinks he can follow him without making something like the same kind of a fool of himself is laboring under not a cross but a delusion."
       There is a great chance we won't have a penny in the bank, but I think we will truly discover what we need. We need to pay our bills, and be responsible to pay off our debt, we need to eat, and we'll find a way to do all of those things whatever it takes. I pray for that. That God provides for those very real needs, but honestly... I find myself praying less and less for that, and more and more for God's kingdom to come. Despite my fear of making ends meet, I find myself praying that God would give me His eyes and heart for His people. I find myself praying that the investments I make are kingdom investments. That despite having little, we'd be generous and gracious people.
     The reality is, that I already see this Kingdom coming. I already see God at work in The Mission Church of the Nazarene. The stories are endless of God's provision already, and I plan on dedicating a post to that soon, but as a teaser we have four different groups coming to serve with us this summer. Four! Which is astounding, and humbling.
     Most importantly, what I've seen is a change in my heart. In my priorities. In the things I desire in this life. My faith in God has grown, my conversations with people transformed, and I am again reminded to hold the material things of this world loosely in my hands. I'm reminded that I can not live on bread alone, but that I must live on the word of God. I'm starting to see myself desiring more than ever before, to give my life away for love's sake.
       We may be perfect fools, but at least we are in good company.