Sorry for the Silence
Hey there friends of the Van Waardhuizens / Capitol City Church. Let me start by apologizing for a long hiatus from the digital updates. Honestly, these can be challenging to prioritize because I, like most of my peers and fellow Americans, are subtly (aggressively?) addicted to that dopamine hit that comes from affirmation. Believe it or not their isn’t much of a hit from these blog updates. So… I’m sorry for the silence.
Now that I have helped you all practice the ways of Jesus by both patience and forgiveness, I’d love to share what we are up to this year and what God has been teaching us along the way.
The primary theme for this year has been good, old fashioned, ordinary, day by day, week by week, faithfulness. By no means am I saying that we are nailing, as is implied in the category of “learning,” but it is very much a part of our life. The crazy thing about faithfulness is that so often you aren’t really even sure if you are doing it. But over the course of the last ten months we have experienced more and more clarity that faithfulness is a major piece of living as a missionary follower of Jesus.
What’s wild about faithfulness is how the primary context of this lesson is in the midst of doubt, hopelessness, and confusion either from trial or from mediocrity. When nothing is going exceptionally well or exceptionally terrible it is easy to question. “What are we even doing? What is the point? Wait what is happening? Did God really say? Are we being obedient?” These are a smattering of questions that come around and around to anyone once you “settle in” to the life. Or as previously mentioned these come up when the dopamine hit hasn’t been there or simply isn’t satisfying like it used to.
As followers of Jesus we are attempting that age old discipline of “a long obedience in the same direction.”
As leaders of a church community in our home we are attempting to be obedient to the scriptures, to prayer, to the proclamation and demonstration of the gospel, and to spiritual formation into the likeness of Christ. As missionaries in our neighborhood and in city we are attempting to be faithful to our neighbors, to our kids’ school, to the felt needs around us, to intercession and petition for those we know and love, and to just being present. As a couple we are attempting to be faithful to one another, to our kids, and to boundaries we need in work, rest, and play. All of this being done as ordinary people following the Spirit of God after the teachings of Jesus, King of kings.
When I look over this last year here are a few faithful things we have attempted:
Weekly gatherings of believers for the reading of scripture and prayer.
Feasts of celebration and consecration with our community both in a sober winter form as well as jovial summer camping trip
Intentional pursuit of the practices of sabbath and prayer with our community to reset upon the presence of God as our resting place and starting point in life / ministry.
We raised over $2000 to help purchase a car for our 17 year old friend who has been in recovery and needed a car as she is entering the workforce.
Easter brunch in our backyard where around thirty neighbors showed up to feast with us under the banner of Jesus whether they believed or did not.
Hosting an end of year party for our kids’ school where we blessed the kids (and parents) with cotton candy, popcorn, face-painting, and bouncy houses.
Ally and I participating in monthly trainings with other leaders of house church communities as we explore partnership together in our city.
Just last week we hosted a week of unbroken prayer (yes, 24 hours a day) with those previously mentioned house churches. What a sweet experience!
Ally and I pursuing covocational work in her tattoo business, and me working in coffee once again for a beautiful company Servant Coffee.
Two different couples from within our community started a marriage over the summer and I (Michael) got to officiate both weddings.
Multiple discovery bible studies started (and stopped) with people far from Jesus.
Ally and I celebrated 10 years of marriage by visiting Costa Rica!
Countless birthday parties, underground music concerts, Denver Nuggets games, backyard hangouts, soccer games and practices, after school playground hangouts, etc with wonderful friends in our school and neighborhood who simply don’t love Jesus, but through friendship are meeting Jesus in , word and deed.
And I’m sure there is a lot more I have forgotten…
It has been a great year even in the confusion. We are keenly aware of our neighborhood and Denver in general being a tough place for the seeds of the gospel to take root, but we are more than certain this is where Jesus has called us. He loves this city more than I can ever fathom and we want to keep joining him in showing and telling of his great love bottomless love.
What I hope you pray for us is what I pray for you:
Ephesians 3:14-21
“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
If this is the end…
The end of 2023 is so close that it might as well already be here. For many this is the annual experience equivalent to Thursday nights in college, or Friday afternoons in the office (my fellow Millennials understand). We are so close that maybe we just don’t have to do anything or try anymore. The clock still says their is time left, but what’s the point?
Honestly, I feel this pretty strongly. I sense myself powering down for the holidays in anticipation of fun, family, presents, and over-indulging. I want to rest. I want to stop. But I also feel the tension of their is always more to do, more to think through, and more to care about. Always more. Christmas, a time of hope is set very nicely at the end of the year to remind us of where our hope comes from. It is not in adequate time off or family fusion without any chemical explosions. It is not in the knowledge that once the holidays are over I’ll crush it on my own. It is not in stuffing ourselves fuller than the turkey from last month. The prophet Isaiah reminds us…
Isaiah 43:1-2
But now thus says the Lord,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
My hope is in the Lord who created me, redeemed me, called me by name, takes personally responsibility and ownership over my life, and protects me. So if this is the end, as we power down at the end of the year, let’s look again to the hope we have that casts out fear of the unknown and the ways we grasp for purchase in that unknown.
To him who was, is, and ever will be.
If you would like to contribute financially at this end of year time click the “Donate” button in the top right corner of this screen.
1095 Days (3 Years)
We moved! We love our new home so much, and are grateful for your continued support in this transition! The craziest thing that I’m reflecting on right now is not this move, not even that it’s been 3 years since we left Iowa in the rearview to call Denver home, but the faithfulness and steadfast love of God in the nitty-gritty details of the last 1095 days.
Other Troublemaking Activities…
Since our last update…
We are more immersed in DCIS at Fairmont Elementary School. I am working hard to learn how to bless the teachers and collaborate with other parents to show our appreciation and in turn the love of Jesus.
We doubled down on our time with parents from the school with another soccer season. This time with both Aksel and Flora playing. Another year later and we are finally on friendship basis (read: phone numbers and hangouts planned) with a few more parents.
Ally’s business is continuing to grow at a steady pace, and so is her enjoyment of her work.
We celebrated Halloween in Baker which is the biggest holiday in our neighborhood. Their is much you could dissect as to why the spookiest day of the year is the most celebrated, but we leveraged it as an opportunity to continue to build friendships and relationships.
Continued to be faithful with the relationships, new and less new, in prayer, DBS, and friendship. God is clearly leading us to particular people in our neighborhood, in our school.
Prayer / Practical Needs
Our Family
We moved. We are mostly settled and love our new home more than we ever thought possible, but its still a transition. The dust is settling and the boxes are almost gone.
Unity, joy, and healthy bodies through the winter (KEEP PRAYING). School has started which means germs are flying everywhere.
Ally’s business to flourish and her with it.
For Michael to get the right job this fall/winter as he pursues bivocational work in a new way.
We pray for relationships, soft soil for the gospel, flexible scheduling, proximity to our neighborhood, and even decent pay.
DCIS at Fairmont Elementary School
Staff and Administration
Inroads that are paved with love by us being a blessing.
Pray for Wes, a custodial staff that we have begun a joyful friendship with.
People far from Jesus:
Ciara, Chandler, Jon, Mikey, Matt, Caleb, Greg, Dana, Tuan, Amy, Mike, Avery, John, Ramsey, Walter, another John and so so many more.
Our Church
We want to open a permanent 24/7 prayer room in our city. This takes prayer and money. Pray for the place to show up, and if you want to help fund this place let me know. We are undergoing a month of (makeshift) 24/7 prayer with a big push the last two days of the month. PRAY WITH US.
Emerging leaders, united as one body, disciple-makers to be exposed and called, gifts and callings to be identified.
Deliverance (action) taken by our people as we follow Jesus.
Practical
With our move we realized just how much rent has increased in the last 18 months. In order to stay in the neighborhood and flourish as a family our expenses (rent and cost of livign) have increased by $600 each month.
If you have considered giving or have considered increasing your gift we ask that you pray and ask God whether or not he is calling you to help contribute to this financial need. Either way we love you and are MORE THAN GRATEFUL FOR YOUR PRAYERS.
People and Prayer
September is a month of prayer for us at Cap City. We aren’t too good at it to be honest, but we are growing. In partnership with other traditional churches and a network of house churches we are once again pursuing a vision of 24/7 prayer for 30 days. While we know we do not have the numbers or buy in to truly fill 24/7 we are expectant that every moment, every hour of every day that is our prayer room is filled with the cries, hopes, dreams, distracted thoughts, and repentant hearts of saints will be a true and honest offering to the Lord.
In this month the Lord has clarified once again what I (Michael) am to be focused on at all times, but I would say even more particularly in this season. The first is, of course, prayer. Listening for the voice of the Lord in the quiet hours of the morning. Intercession for the hurting brother. Prayer of Blessing for longing sister. Petition for the pains of my friends who aren’t friends with Jesus. I so foolishly forget that this is the work. He is illuminating the white harvest fields and pointing me, brokenhearted for his world and his people, toward the ripe and ready.
The second piece of focus is then, of course, people. People in my life, but particularly the people illuminated by the Spirit in my times of prayer. Hungry people in our church community. The bamboozled neighbor who realizes I’m serious about Jesus and how much he loves his friends. The coworker who is warming up to greater intimacy with me and my family. The barista at my local coffee shop (yeah, classic I know) who wants to hang out outside of the shop because I just sit and listen… mostly. The missionaries in my city who are hurting from years of faithfulness with little fruit and little help, but lots of perseverance after Jesus and the call he has given them.
Obviously. The reality is that their are numerous things that need SOME attention every now and then, but these two are my calling. More than preaching micro-sermons every now and then. More than training emerging missionaries. More than sharing the gospel with the lost. These things of teaching, training, sharing, and more are great because they come FROM prayer TO people.
Pray with me.
Love people with me.
Together we are doing the work of God in our patches of creation as they become new creation.
Other Troublemaking Activities…
Since our last update…
We have finished our second round of our Missionary Pathway Training. This is a space to spark missionary identity in the lives of everyday followers of Jesus. This has been a great space to help others discover their next steps in following Jesus into the harvest.
We have started our second year at DCIS Fairmont where Aksel (2nd grade), Flora (Spanish Immersion Kinder), and Frances (ECE 3) all attend school. All are (mostly) loving life in school!
Ally has moved into a larger studio that she shares with two other artists. It has been such an impactful move relationally as well as for her business.
Michael has taken on the (moderately) official title of Vice President of the Parent Teacher Organization. This is a critical space to not only impact a few activities in the school each year, but to curate a space of love, joy, and peace where people can learn they belong whether a parent, a student, or staff at the school.
Continued to be faithful with the relationships, new and less new, in prayer, DBS, and friendship. God is clearly leading us to particular people in our neighborhood, in our school
Prayer / Practical Needs
Our Family
We are moving. We are fighting hard to stay in the neighborhood, but we are most likely going to be losing something(s) in the move whether it is neighbors, square footage, comfort, or otherwise. Pray for the right place to open up by the end of this week as we need to make our final decision.
Unity, joy, and healthy bodies through the winter (KEEP PRAYING). School has started which means germs are flying everywhere.
Ally’s business to flourish and her with it.
For Michael to get the right job this fall as he pursues bivocational work in a new way.
We pray for relationships, soft soil for the gospel, flexible scheduling, proximity to our neighborhood, and even decent pay.
DCIS at Fairmont Elementary School
Staff and Administration
Inroads that are paved with love by us being a blessing.
Pray for Wes, a custodial staff that we have begun a joyful friendship with.
People far from Jesus:
Ciara, Chandler, Jon, Mikey, Matt, Caleb, Greg, Dana, Tuan, Amy, Mike, Avery, John, Ramsey, Walter, another John and so so many more.
Our Church
We want to open a permanent 24/7 prayer room in our city. This takes prayer and money. Pray for the place to show up, and if you want to help fund this place let me know. We are undergoing a month of (makeshift) 24/7 prayer with a big push the last two days of the month. PRAY WITH US.
Emerging leaders, united as one body, disciple-makers to be exposed and called, gifts and callings to be identified.
Deliverance (action) taken by our people as we follow Jesus.
Purposeful Pivots
Purpose
I overthink most things. Often times I turn something over in mind enough times that its completely distorted by the time I am done kind of like clutching an Oreo cookie in a closed fist for too long. It loses form, flavor, and really even appeal. Yet I find that I am doing this less and less over time largely because of the process that God has put me in with church planting and simply just following Jesus. One of the things that I have clutched onto / overthought is my purpose. Even more specifically the way that I live out my purpose. I know my purpose ultimately is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, but how do I live that out? How do I put that into action as we live in Denver, work in Denver, raise kids in Denver, start churches in Denver, start businesses in Denver, and so much more. The danger of this is that, like the Oreo cookie, with too much time thinking about all of this and very little time putting action toward my thinking purpose can become distorted. It can lose form, flavor and even appeal.
Pivots
Why am I bringing this up? Well, over the last two years this is what I have been doing in cyclical fashion, and recently we started a new season of analyzing. How do we as a family show up? How about us as a church? How do we love and lead our kids as they all step into the public school system this fall? How do we stay in love with one another in the midst of busy schedules and busy lives? How do we love an lead our neighbors to Jesus? How do we champion what is beautiful in our city and in our neighborhood? How do we start more and more expressions of the church across our city?
Pivots. Pivots from point to point over time on a long journey of following Jesus. We are moving in one direction and that is toward Christ, but often times their are degrees of change that must happen whether it is in our hearts or in our rhythms of life. We are always asking God what he wants us to do next and that is honestly the only thing that keeps me from overthinking every decision to the where it is a mushy Oreo in my mind. He says come follow me. What are you willing to leave behind?
This year we made a pivot toward Ally starting a business and pursuing a passion and a career. This has led us to a pivot of me quitting my coffee shop job (mostly) to spend more time with the kids all summer, and to put more time toward Ally’s business. This was not a pivot I had on my radar by any means, but the Lord is very much in it. By no means is this a pivot from bi-vocational work entirely, but rather a seasonal shift toward a paradigm where WE (Ally and I) are parenting our kids, WE are in ministry together, and WE are bi-vocational in the workforce.
Another pivot is coming in the Fall once the kids begin school. Will you pray that we keep transitioning well?
Other Troublemaking Activities…
Since our last update we have…
Started our second round of our Missionary Pathway Training. This is a space to spark missionary identity in the lives of everyday followers of Jesus. I am so stoked on what God is doing in the lives of the 5 participants and my co-leader.
Finished our first school year at DCIS, our local public school.
Taken a family vacation back to the midwest to visit a LOT of family, and rest deeply (although not physically).
Started working our local Farmer’s Market on the weekends for Jubilee Roasting Co.
Continued to be faithful with the relationships, new and less new, in prayer, DBS, and friendship.
Prayer / Practical Needs
Our Family
Unity, joy, and healthy bodies through the winter (KEEP PRAYING).
Healthy work / life balance in the transitioning of jobs yet again and roles in vocation.
For Michael to get the right job this fall as he pursues bivocational work in a new way.
We pray for relationships, soft soil for the gospel, flexible scheduling, proximity to our neighborhood, and even decent pay.
DCIS at Fairmont Elementary School
Staff and Administration
Inroads that are paved with love by us being a blessing.
People far from Jesus:
Ciara, Chandler, Jon, Mikey, Caleb, Greg, Dana, Tuan, Amy, Mike, Avery, John, Ramsey, Walter, and so so many more.
Our Church
We want to open a permanent 24/7 prayer room in our city. This takes prayer and money. Pray for the place to show up, and if you want to help fund this place let me know.
Emerging leaders, united as one body, disciple-makers to be exposed and called, gifts and callings to be identified.
Deliverance (action) taken by our people as we follow Jesus.
Family and Movement
Family
Over the last year or so I have wrestled deeply with questions about who we are as the people of God. Are we missionaries? Are we servants? Are we Family? Friends? Who are we? Who are we first and foremost? How does prioritization of identity impact the rest of who we are, not to mention what we do. Because who we are drives what we do. But who we are comes from what we look at. Or the way it’s been said for years now is “you become what you behold.”
Where I have landed through much prayer and experience is that we are family first. I especially mean this for Capitol City Church and how we want to function. While it is true that brotherhood is formed in the trenches in places such as the military, my experience has been more along the lines that when we lock in as family (read: stubbornly love one another) and move at the speed of friendship (Thanks Jon) overflow of Sonship and Daughterhood is mission.
Another word that God has been using to help me understand mission is movement.
Movement
Mission. Multiplication. Movement. Discipleship. Evangelism. These can all be buzzwords for followers of Jesus. What I see Jesus calling us to is stubborn devotion to one another as family that results in movement. We go together where Jesus has gone before us. We follow Jesus into the ordinary things of life to declare and demonstrate the extraordinary gospel. We aren’t made to stay insular. We aren’t made to become ingrown. We aren’t algae ridden ponds that are hard to get into (because they are a little gross), but rather refreshing rivers carrying life downstream in the current of God’s grace.
Movement looks like personal devotion to following Jesus in the united spiritual family of God’s church. Movement is participation with Jesus in the gospel of grace just like Ananias participated in Saul’s conversion (Acts 9:10-19). Movement is killing our own sin by inviting Jesus into every nook and cranny of our lives. Movement if seeking the calling that Jesus has put on your life right here and now, and saying “yes” to working with him to usher in the Kingdom. Movement is prayer and fasting. Movement is planting the gospel. Movement is inviting those who are far from Jesus into discovery in his word over front porch conversation. Movement is baptizing new believers in bath tubs. Movement is little spiritual families (churches?) emerging from living rooms. Movement is serving the local school. Movement is loving our homeless neighbors by making sure they are known, seen, heard, and loved. Movement happens when we form true family.
Other Troublemaking Activities…
Since our last update we have…
Finished a 40 day Lenten prayer initiative with four other churches.
Celebrated Good Friday for the first time as a community by working through a table liturgy over the Lord’s Supper. Truly one of the most powerful moments for our family.
Worshipped on Easter with two other churches in a public park about a mile from our home. There were a number of people far from Jesus present and a beautiful collision of 3 communities in celebration of the Risen Christ.
Completed round 1 of our Missionary Pathway Training, and are inviting people into round 2 as we speak. This is a space to spark missionary identity in the lives of everyday followers of Jesus.
Blessed our local elementary school in a couple of big ways. One was by championing Teacher Appreciation Week as a member of the PTA by serving coffee to all of the staff in the school. The second was also made possible by being a member of the PTA. We discovered a need for a robust supply closet for teachers to draw resources from rather than their own wallets and Cap City was able to kickstart this closet by donating a plethora of their top 10 most needed items. They were truly grateful and we are hopeful that it is the beginning of communicating how much we really do care for them.
Started two new discovery bible studies with hopes of two more beginning in the coming month.
Sent out a member of Cap City to follow Jesus in CA.
Locked arms with other church and business leaders over a two-day retreat to dig into how we as Sons and Daughters seek the transformation of our city together as people from places of business, government, church world, and cultural influence.
Prayer / Practical Needs
Our Family
Unity, joy, and healthy bodies through the winter (KEEP PRAYING).
Healthy work / life balance in the transitioning of multiple jobs and roles in vocation.
DCIS at Fairmont Elementary School
Staff and Administration
Inroads that are paved with love by us being a blessing.
People far from Jesus:
Ciara, Chandler, Jon, Caleb, Greg, Dana, Tuan, Amy, Mike, Avery, John, Ramsey, Walter, and so so many more.
Sig and Kevin. Amanda and Charles.
Our Church
We want to open a permanent 24/7 prayer room in our city. This takes prayer and money. Pray for the place to show up, and if you want to help fund this place let me know.
Emerging leaders, united as one body, disciple-makers to be exposed and called, gifts and callings to be identified.
Deliverance (action) taken by our people as we follow Jesus.
Practically
We are hoping to have a few members of Cap City move into the neighborhood this summer / fall. One big barrier to entry is paying the deposit + first month’s rent up front. If anyone would like to give toward this cause please reach out.
Ally needs a new iPhone: donations accepted ;)
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY Week
Prayer and Fasting
In this season of Lent, where we “wandered the wilderness” with Jesus in prayer and fasting, we as a church joined up with a few others to commit to 24/7 Prayer for 40 days. Before we even set out on this journey we wanted to mark a win for ourselves. Our win was not filling every prayer slot for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for the entirety of Lent. Our win was not miracles or visions occurring in the prayer room. While all these are good and desirable and even things we prayed for(!) our win was simply this: Rooting in the Presence of God. A wise (new) friend and mentor recently said this: The purpose of wilderness is Presence. Friends we have won and are winning daily here.
Some sweet fruit that we are tasting is unity of the church. We are partnering head over heals with churches in our city in prayer and fasting, and our hope for the future is in restoration of our city in all things. Pray for our church friends and partners, the churches that make up the CHURCH OF DENVER: The Oaks, Coram Deo, Scum of the Earth, and Lincoln Park Church Emerge as we partner more and more together.
Dwell and Deliver
With Holy Week in view we are setting ourselves up to Dwell with Jesus and Deliver Rest to the Restless in a variety of way. We as a church are remembering, worshipping, celebrating, and practicing in a number of ways:
We will continue our normal rhythms as a community including a Family Meal to eat, drink, and waste time together with friends and neighbors.
We are going to hold a night of table liturgy for Good Friday where we remember and press into the darkening that was the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, Son of God Son of Man.
On Easter we are going to do what Denver does well (best?): BRUNCH. A neighborhood brunch will be held in our home to welcome neighbors into what they know well which is breakfast for lunch on Sunday (PRAISE GOD EASTER LANDS ON A SUNDAY THIS YEAR).
Finally we will be holding a joint outdoor service with two of our dear friends and companions: Scum of the Earth, and Lincoln Park Church Emerge. These two are located less than a mile away, and are becoming dear friends and brothers and sisters in the gospel. God has and is continuing to unite us together with a vision of the Kingdom.
This is not our “public launch” as a church plant. This does not mean that we are doing Sunday services every week now or that we are finally a “real church”. It is something so much more. It is a declaration to our people, to our city, and to the watching world (read: spiritual powers) that we are ONE. Together we will sing, meditate on scripture, pray, and feast on a meal in celebration of the resurrection of our King. Together we will remember that Christ has died, Christ has risen, and Christ will come again.
Other Troublemaking Activities…
We are praying and pursuing all the different ways we can be active in our neighborhood and in our city. God has opened doors for me (Michael) to be on the Parent Teacher Association at Aksel’s school, and we are also beginning to build partnership with them as a church. PRAISE GOD!
Ally’s business is continuing to grow as is her skill, and she has been given the chance to mentor a high school student in recovery over coming the month. This is a chance for Ally to teach her and train her in what it looks like to start a tattoo business
God has been incredibly generous to us in countlesss ways (some of you reading this are a part of that. You know who you are!) One fun and unexpected way was an incredible gift from our sending church, Redeemer Church. To you we publicly say: THANK YOU.
I’ve gotten the chance to start a Discovery Bible Study (DBS) with a friend over the last month. This is a space to discover more of the person of Jesus through the scriptures by the Spirit and is a place we hope to see disciples and microchurches formed.
Prayer Needs
Our Family
Unity, joy, and healthy bodies through the winter (KEEP PRAYING).
Healthy work / life balance in the transitioning of multiple jobs and roles in vocation.
DCIS at Fairmont Elementary School
Staff and Administration
Inroads that are paved with love by us being a blessing.
People far from Jesus:
Chandler, Jon, Caleb, Greg, Dana, Tuan, Amy, Mike, Avery, John, Ramsey, Walter, and so so many more.
Sig and Kevin. Amanda and Charles.
Our Church
Our Holy Week spaces/
Emerging leaders, united as one body, disciple-makers to be exposed and called, gifts and callings to be identified.
Deliverance (action) taken by our people as we follow Jesus.
Deliverance
Check out this video for updates on how to give / change your giving to Capitol City Church. For written details click here or the “Donate” button in the top right corner of your screen.
Dwell and Deliver
This is the mission of Capitol City Church. When we look at the person and work of Jesus Christ in the scriptures, the history of his Bride the centuries, and how we have experienced him in our own lives this is our response. This is what we need and what our city needs. This is what I need. This is what my kids need. This is what my neighbors need.
2022 was intentionally and unavoidably a year marked (almost exclusively) by dwelling with Jesus. While we still practiced delivering rest to the restless time after time what the Lord was calling us to was to simply BE. “Be with me. Dwell in my presence.” This was no surprise as not only is it good, biblical, and healthy, but it was in line with what we believed the Lord was going to do. At the end of 2021 in prayer we believed that he was telling us Cap City was going to be “small”, “fun”, and “family”. That is exactly what happened.
At the end of December we held our first annual “FEAST”. A time to eat, drink and be merry. A time to reflect on the past year and what God had done in each of us through Cap City. A time to look ahead and ask God what he wants to do this coming year. This was a 24 hour span of time where we feasted on the friendship with one another and friendship with the Lord. In our reflections we over and over what nearly every single person said fit into the categories of “small”, “fun”, and “family”. This came through a focus on Dwelling with Jesus. Learning the deep rooted truth that being with Jesus is small intimate moments of fun discovery of Jesus in light of the painfully necessary healing that comes from being brought into a family.
As we looked ahead to this next year much was shared about hopes, dreams, passions, and plans, yet one word sticks out:
Deliverance
Here is what we think, hope, pray, and plan for 2023. A year marked by deliverance.
Deliverance whole people who live in our neighborhood and city from the domain of darkness into the kingdom of light.
Deliverance from spiritual bondage into holistic freedom.
Deliverance from sickness and physical pain to healing and relief.
Deliverance from nihilism and cynicism to hope and unashamed joy.
Deliverance from nibbling at the table of the world to feasting at the Table of the Lord.
Deliverance from isolation to belonging.
Deliverance from wandering to following.
Deliverance comes from Jesus. Being co-labors in this comes from knowing and experiencing the deliverance of Jesus (aka dwelling with him). 2023 is going to be a year of following Jesus in participation with what he is already doing, or as I tell our people “going to work with dad”. What might we look like after a year like this? What might or neighborhoods and workplaces look like? Maybe a little more like a heavenly Kingdom come to earth.
Other Troublemaking Activities…
Ally has moved into a tattoo studio space where she can pursue her craft and provide a warm and welcoming space for her clients. She is also hoping to be able share this space with a new friend from her cohort.
Aksel, Flora, and Frances are all happy and healthy and adjusting well to mom working throughout the week. They are all growing and changing in their own ways: Aksel losing teeth, Flora learning her letters and pretending to read books, Frances talking in phrases and almost-sentences (while roaring for comedic relief.)
We are back into the rec-leauge sports grind with Aksel playing basketball with many of the same teammates from his soccer club.
We are officially a state-acknowledged non-profit! While this isn’t everything it is a helpful move for us in becoming a legitimate presence in our neighborhood.
Prayer Needs
Our Family
Unity, joy, and healthy bodies through the winter.
Healthy work / life balance in the transitioning of multiple jobs and roles in vocation.
People far from Jesus:
Chandler, Jon, Caleb, Greg, Dana, Tuan, Amy, Mike, Avery, John, Ramsey, Walter, and so so many more.
Sig and Kevin. Amanda and Charles.
Our Church
Emerging leaders, united as one body, disciple-makers to be exposed and called, gifts and callings to be identified.
Deliverance (action) taken by our people as we follow Jesus.
2022 Wrapped
Other Troublemaking Activities…
Aksel is loving his neighborhood school. Ally and I had the privilege of volunteering and making LOTS of Lebanese food with other parents for his International Festival this Fall.
All of the women in the VW house are pursuing careers as artists. Flora is queen of coloring books, and Frances is the princess of scribbling.
Ally has officially begun a career as a tattoo artist here in Denver. She completed an apprenticeship here in the city and is officially taking clients as of this month. We are so excited to see the joy that her work brings her blossom into relationships and opportunities to love our “neighbors” well.
We hosted a wonderful mission team from a partner church in Alabama. Because of this awesome team the gospel was shared in our neighborhood, resources were given to some of our homeless neighbors, new relationships were formed in the neighborhood, and Jesus was worshiped greatly by all of us together.
Prayer Needs
Our Family
Unity, joy, work-life balance in new careers, healthy bodies through the winter.
People far from Jesus:
Chandler, Jon, Caleb, Greg, Dana, Tuan, Amy, Mike, Avery, John, Ramsey, Walter, and so so many more.
Our Church
Emerging leaders, united as one body, disciple-makers to be exposed and called, gifts and callings to be identified.
Prayer Party
Other Troublemaking Activities…
Capitol City Church has begun meeting as a Simple Church to remember Christ, worship Christ, and equip the Body for the work of the ministry in a biweekly fashion. This space is SIMPLE and hopefully a seed of what our church blossoms into.
Our Cap City FAM is nearing the end of our multiplication training using zume.training. Our goal has been to grow in knowledge and participation with Christ as we make simple, reproducible, faithful, and fruitful disciples of Christ to the fourth generation and beyond!
As we wrap up this training we will be reevaluating what our rhythms will be as a church family. Rather than jump into Sunday mornings we are doing deep evaluations of what we are called and able to do here and now to see the Kingdom come to Denver as it is in heaven.
Ally is starting her own art business, and is in the process of finalizing a lot of those details as we head into the fall. Pray for fruit and depth of relationships into this community that so deeply values artistic expression.
Aksel started first grade at DCIS Fairmont just a couple blocks from our house. He is also starting his second soccer season with the Denver Rec. League in our neighborhood.
Flora has upgraded and is obsessed with riding her strider bike (tricycle no more), reading books, and painting her nails.
Frances is very interested in everything her siblings do and is embracing her inner wild child more and more each day.
THE UNTHINKABLE
Continue praying for…
HOUSING
Starting in June we want to live where we live. This means that we want to actually have a home where we do life, play, eat, caffeinate, pray, and share the gospel. PRAYER ANSWERED.
It’s never too early! We are still asking God to give us a place in Baker with Apartment Life next year so that we can have the easiest front door to neighbors and the gospel.
However, we are also asking God to give us a FREE (yes, I said free) place to live if it’s not with Apartment Life. We have seen this happen before, and we know God can do it again even in one of the more expensive areas of Denver.
And yet we have begun applying for homes to rent. This is a process here in Denver so pray for favor!
PRAYER ANSWERED.
MULTIPLICATION
Our Discovery Groups are a place where we discover the person of Jesus through the scriptures by the Spirit. This is where we experience the presence of God, being transformed by the presence of God, and learn how we can bear fruit of blessing as the presence of God through active discipleship (AKA: Obedience).
We are asking God to multiply these groups through the sending of the sons and daughters of God into the harvest and seeing the lost found and the found follow. Pray for persons of peace, soft soil to be identified and planted, and that God would save many!
Through this we are multiplying not only disciples of Jesus, but disciple makers. This is how we are going to plant Cap City, and how we pray we will plant five neighborhood churches in five years.
It is our prayer that through these Discovery Groups we would grow to 75 people in exactly 12 months. We long to see 75 engaged members of Cap City by February of 2023 before we “launch” this thing. That is a lofty God-sized prayer. Pray with us.
ANOINTING
We want to see the Holy Spirit fall. I don’t ever use the word anointing, but right now there is no other word to describe what we are longing for. We want to see the Spirit move in a way that draws attention to the greatness of our King, Jesus.
Pray for for our team to have intimacy with our Father that leads to breakthrough and personal renewal.
Ask that this personal renewal will lead to unthinkable declarations and demonstrations of the gospel in our homes, at our jobs, and on the streets.
Pray for an opportunity for us to reach the neighborhood and those who come into our neighborhood to experience what it has to offer through bold contagious holiness.
FUNDING
We want to stay, serve, and send as a church in Denver. One of the pieces that makes those three things happen is sufficient funding. Consider partnering with us financially by giving to the mission today. Simply click the Donate button up and to your right to start this process.
If you would like to talk more about this please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at michael@capcitydenver.com
TROUBLEMAKERS
Other Troublemaking Activities…
We have officially been sent out by The Oaks Church!!
Capitol City Church has begun meeting as a Simple Church to remember Christ, worship Christ, and equip the Body for the work of the ministry in a biweekly fashion. This space is SIMPLE and hopefully a seed of what our church blossoms into.
Our Cap City FAM has begun our multiplication training using zume.training in hopes of creating simple, reproducible, faithful, and fruitful disciples of Christ to the fourth generation and beyond!
Ally has begun pursuing art more and more as a vocation over the last month. Pray for fruit and depth of relationships into this community.
Aksel finished his first season of soccer with the Denver Rec. League and turns out he born to play defense.
Flora is obsessed with riding her tricycle, reading books, and playing Uno.
Frances is running, screaming “NO”, and learning more words every single day.
THE UNTHINKABLE
Continue praying for…
HOUSING
Starting in June we want to live where we live. This means that we want to actually have a home where we do life, play, eat, caffeinate, pray, and share the gospel. PRAYER ANSWERED.
We are still asking God to give us a place in Baker with Apartment Life next year so that we can have the easiest front door to neighbors and the gospel.
However, we are also asking God to give us a FREE (yes, I said free) place to live if it’s not with Apartment Life. We have seen this happen before, and we know God can do it again even in one of the more expensive areas of Denver.
And yet we have begun applying for homes to rent. This is a process here in Denver so pray for favor! PRAYER ANSWERED.
MULTIPLICATION
Our Discovery Groups are a place where we discover the person of Jesus through the scriptures by the Spirit. This is where we experience the presence of God, being transformed by the presence of God, and learn how we can bear fruit of blessing as the presence of God through active discipleship (AKA: Obedience).
We are asking God to multiply these groups every 4 months through the sending of the sons and daughters of God into the harvest and seeing the lost found and the found follow. Pray for persons of peace, soft soil to be identified and planted, and that God would save many!
Through this we are multiplying not only disciples of Jesus, but disciple makers. This is how we are going to plant Cap City, and how we pray we will plant five neighborhood churches in the next five years.
It is our prayer that through these Discovery Groups we would grow to 75 people in exactly 12 months. We long to see 75 engaged members of Cap City by February of 2023 before we “launch” this thing. That is a lofty God-sized prayer. Pray with us.
ANOINTING
We want to see the Holy Spirit fall. I don’t ever use the word anointing, but right now there is no other word to describe what we are longing for. We want to see the Spirit move in a way that draws attention to the greatness of our King, Jesus.
Pray for for our team to have intimacy with our Father that leads to breakthrough and personal renewal.
Ask that this personal renewal will lead to unthinkable declarations and demonstrations of the gospel in our homes, at our jobs, and on the streets.
Pray for an opportunity for us to reach the neighborhood and those who come into our neighborhood to experience what it has to offer through bold contagious holiness.
FUNDING
We want to stay, serve, and send as a church in Denver. One of the pieces that makes those three things happen is sufficient funding. Consider partnering with us financially by giving to the mission today. Simply click the Donate button up and to your right to start this process.
If you would like to talk more about this please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at michael@capcitydenver.com
The Speed of God
A couple of months ago I sent out a list of the unthinkable prayers we are praying so that you could join us.
KEEP PRAYING.
God is on the move and we are following his tracks in front of us. Here is refreshed version of that list.
THE UNTHINKABLE
HOUSING
Starting in June we want to live where we live. This means that we want to actually have a home where we do life, play, eat, caffeinate, pray, and share the gospel.
We are still asking God to give us a place in Baker or Lincoln Park with Apartment Life so that we can have the easiest front door to neighbors and the gospel.
However, we are also asking God to give us a FREE (yes, I said free) place to live if it’s not with Apartment Life. We have seen this happen before, and we know God can do it again even in one of the more expensive areas of Denver.
And yet we have begun applying for homes to rent. This is a process here in Denver so pray for favor!
MULTIPLICATION
Our Discovery Groups multiplied from one group into two. This is a place where we discover the person of Jesus through the scriptures by the Spirit. This is where we experience the presence of God, being transformed by the presence of God, and learn how we can bear fruit of blessing as the presence of God through active discipleship (AKA: Obedience).
We are asking God to multiply these groups every 4 months through the sending of the sons and daughters of God into the harvest and seeing the lost found and the found follow. Pray for persons of peace, soft soil to be identified and planted, and that God would save many!
Through this we are multiplying not only disciples of Jesus, but disciple makers. This is how we are going to plant Cap City, and how we pray we will plant five neighborhood churches in the next five years.
It is our prayer that through these Discovery Groups we would grow to 75 people in exactly 12 months. We long to see 75 engaged members of Cap City by February of 2023 before we “launch” this thing. That is a lofty God-sized prayer. Pray with us.
ANOINTING
We want to see the Holy Spirit fall. I don’t ever use the word anointing, but right now there is no other word to describe what we are longing for. We want to see the Spirit move in a way that draws attention to the greatness of our King, Jesus.
Pray for for our team to have intimacy with our Father that leads to breakthrough and personal renewal.
Ask that this personal renewal will lead to unthinkable declarations and demonstrations of the gospel in our homes, at our jobs, and on the streets.
FUNDING
We want to stay, serve, and send as a church in Denver. One of the pieces that makes those three things happen is sufficient funding. Consider partnering with us financially by giving to the mission today. Simply click the Donate button up and to your right to start this process.
One fun way you can support us is by picking up one of the shirts designed by our team and making a donation of any amount. To snag one of this click here to fill out your preorder form ASAP.
If you would like to talk more about this please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at michael@capcitydenver.com
Run The Play
I’m no sports guy.
I think that maybe goes without saying, but these days I have been saying a phrase that is all over March Madness. That phrase is “Run the play”.
Right now we are praising God for the great kindness of not only having a “play” to run, but having people to run it. We have been praying for God to help us raise up leaders to lead so that our Discovery Groups can multiply, and as of one month ago he has done just that. We have moved from the White Board Stage to the Focus Group Stage, and now we are officially in the Run the Play Stage.
We want these Discovery Groups to help people discover the person of Jesus through the scriptures by the Spirit. Why? Because it is a Blessing to know and follow Jesus. It is a great Blessing to help others know and follow Jesus. It is an even greater Blessing to start a spiritual family in a Discovery Group. It is the greatest Blessing to equip others to start spiritual families.
But… this all has to start in the mundane ordinary stuff of prayer, conversations, meals, loving service, and bold sharing.
My prayer request from you is that we would faithfully do all that we have set out to do, but also that we would grow into a people living in a culture of being a BLESSING. That we would pray for, listen to, eat meals with, serve, and share our stories with our neighbors, coworkers, and friends.
This is how we run the play. This is how we plant Cap City. This is how we carry out the vision of Seeking the Renewal of the City Through the Renewal of the Citizen.
Small(ish) Faith. Big God.
I’ve asked for so much from so many people for so long, but if I’m being honest asking has not gotten a lot easier. I still wrestle with seeing the validity and the value of asking for help despite our history. Our history with people is rich with generosity. Our history with Jesus is even richer.
And yet here we are asking for help again. Remembrance of our history is why we are asking you to ask with us for the things that are beyond what we can imagine or think of on our own. Don’t get me wrong these are lofty asks, but I’ve seen greater answers than this come to the sons and daughters of God. This is not even our comprehensive list (because frankly I’m learning to keep track and list more each day). There are always immediate needs, but today we are asking you to look to the future, into the unknown with us and ASK.
THE UNTHINKABLE
HOUSING
Starting in June we want to live where we live. This means that we want to actually have a home where we do life, play, eat, caffeinate, pray, and share the gospel.
We are asking God to give us a place in Baker or Lincoln Park with Apartment Life so that we can have the easiest front door to neighbors and the gospel
We are also asking God to give us a FREE (yes, I said free) place to live if it’s not with Apartment Life. We have seen this happen before, and we know God can do it again even in one of the more expensive areas of Denver.
MULTIPLICATION
Starting February 22 our Discovery Groups (think evangelistic discovery bible study) will multiply from one group into two. Ask for the blessing of the kingdom of God that it would be multiplied in it’s impact on the participants, the leaders, and the lost who find themselves in this environment.
We are asking God to multiply these groups every 4 months through the sending of the sons and daughters of God into the harvest.
Through this we are multiplying not only followers aka disciples of Jesus, but leaders aka disciple makers. This is how we are going to plant Cap City, and how we pray we will plant five neighborhood churches in the next five years.
It is our prayer that through these Discovery Groups we would grow to 75 people in exactly 12 months. We long to see 75 engaged members of Cap City by February of 2023 before we “launch” this thing.
ANOINTING
We want to see the Holy Spirit fall. I don’t every use the word anointing, but right now there is no other word to describe what we are longing for. We want to see the Spirit move in a way that draws attention to the greatness of our King, Jesus.
Pray for intimacy with our Father for our team that leads to breakthrough and personal renewal.
Ask that this personal renewal will lead to unthinkable declarations and demonstrations of the gospel in our homes, at our jobs, and on the streets.
FUNDING
We want to reach 100% of our Year 1 budget ($149,000) by May to continue to in health and joy stay, send, and serve as a church.
Currently we are 62% of the way to that goal (up 7% from two months ago)!
The Joy of Discovery
Thank you for supporting us this year as we have utilized the space of our residency to discover the joy of Jesus in the person of Jesus all the more. This truly was a year of learning to Dwell with Jesus and him Delivering Rest to our Restless souls.
What else is going on?
We are meeting once a month for a night we call Practicing the Presence. Ally has been leading us in worship as well as teaching us tools to practice listening to the voice of Holy Spirit in prayer. This space has provided opportunity for us to practice the prophetic together as well as pray for healing (AND SEE HEALING COME!).
Next Tuesday I have the opportunity to join other Send Network church plants in the Front Range as we all share our calling and vision with leaders of nearly a dozen churches from Texas and Arkansas. This is an opportunity to cast a vision of church planting in the Front Range, not just Denver, as we hope to see others join in with what God is up to here in Colorado.
We got to visit many of our friends back in Iowa over Thanksgiving and for that we are so incredibly grateful.
Aksel is crushing it in Kindergarten, Flora is funnier and funnier every day with her comments and jokes, and Frances started walking this week!
Prayer Needs
Pray for our marriage and that it would STAY healthy and only get healthier.
Pray for our kids and that they would see the collision of intellect and experience in the gospel as we live as sent missionaries to Denver. We want them to discover Jesus and Dwell with him more than anyone else.
Pray for our team to be united as we continue to grow. Pray that the evangelistic temperature of our team would be HOT and ever-climbing.
Pray for those who are lost in our lives. Sam, Trev, Jess, Kevin, Liz, Harlow, Caleb, Layla, T & C, E & T, and so many others yet to come.
Pray for clarity on some fun steps ahead around studio space to use for arts, office space, and a means of meeting more people.
Pray for partnerships in Lincoln Park to form between us and the community.
Keep praying for the right teammates. We are praying for biblically serious charismatics to join us and lead this church with us. We have more and more people that we are praying would join us here in Denver (and they don’t know it yet), but also those who we hope God sends from other states. And yet, our biggest prayer is that God would raise up some from the harvest to be a part of our team.
Pray for the empowerment of our team to use their gifts, live out their callings, and unite in the gospel as the Family of God.
Year 1 Funding Met
One Year in Denver
It has officially been one year since we moved from Cedar Falls, Iowa.
Suffice it to say that we are home.
Abundance.
More.
Well, this month we get to celebrate more of the same lavishness as last. Ten days ago we had yet another teammate uproot their life, pack their worldly possessions, travel hundreds of miles and knock at my front door late into the evening because they are following a call God has put on them. Mari Ella Koons was one of the very first people we ever asked to consider joining us in Colorado. Long before we knew church names, neighborhoods, or even which city we were going to be prioritizing we asked her to start praying. Years passed, she prayed, we prayed, and then finally in the spring of this year through some divine direction, she made a spontaneous trip out here to learn, look, and little did she know, fall in love with the vision and the city.
Since that fateful trip she has visited a few other times thus sealing her fate as a member and early adopter of Capitol City Church. Mari Ella is an artist, a thoughtful disciple, a lover of children (especially ours), and has recently finished her bachelor’s degree. With that in mind one way we ask you to pray is for clarity on how she should proceed with her professional career. She has a beautiful blooming prayer ministry and many skills and side-hustles, but has also invested in a potential career in counseling with dreams of grad school in the future. Pray for a job to pay the bills, but also that she would be able to do this through her self-employment opportunities.
We welcome her with absolute joy and gratitude to the Capitol City Family.
Complete.
Another major celebration on the Capitol City Church front is that we have officially reached our budget goal for this year (and just in time too)!!!
We have officially raised 100% of our Year Zero goal of $110,000! WOW. I still can’t believe it. A year ago I definitely wasn’t certain if something like this was even possible, but the beauty of the gospel has been displayed to me yet again in that this generous gift has not been given because of my own merit or character, but because of grace and grace alone. Generosity from many of you toward us as an act of worship to the Living Jesus. That is how we are here. God ordaining the ends and the means. What a joy it is to partner with all of you in so many ways including the generous financial piece.
Looking Ahead.
While we are celebrating the meeting of a goal there is a bit of odd grit in my smile as we look ahead. Starting in November we officially begin Year 1, and thus a new budget year. We are making major progress on that budget as we speak, and their will be more info on that to come. However, with the beginning of our official first year as a church plant we have so many goals, plans, schemes, prayers, and daydreams.
We are beginning our discipleship rhythms as a team with the hope of multiplying into two Discovery Groups starting in January, and again into four Discovery Groups in April of 2022. The primary way we hope this happens is through people far from Jesus discovering who Jesus really is through the scriptures and by the Spirit in these groups.
We are praying for more team, specifically Godly men who are qualified to lead this church alongside me (Michael) as elders. We want a robust team of diverse individuals, but right now my main prayer is a friend who is a biblically serious charismatic man to work alongside me.
We are praying for unity in our little team / family. We don’t simply want warm bodies, but one united Body uniquely gifted and bound together.
We are praying for opportunities to BLESS Lincoln Park and the greater Central Denver area. Pray for inroads and persons of peace there.
Teamwork = Dreamwork
It Has Begun.
Our team is forming and growing. Pictured above is a brave soul named Elle Weg who recently moved to Denver from South Dakota / Iowa. She has begun settling into her rhythms here in Denver as she continues online school at Sioux Falls Seminary, works her new barista job at Jubilee Roasting Co. (I KNOW RIGHT?!), and continues to learn the city and all it has to offer.
Elle is a zealous, teachable, servant-hearted student of the word who longs to cross cultures and even oceans to bring the gospel to the hurting and the lost. We met here almost a year ago at our vision night at Redeemer Church in Cedar Falls, IA when the Spirit pressed her to mark a silly little box expressing interest in our core team.
Pray for Elle. She is crushing it right now, but we know that she has made a declaration of war by moving here and joining the likes of us. Pray she would make friends, that she would have clarity of what life looks like in this context, pray for stable housing, finances, and a rooted identity as a daughter, a servant, and a sent one by the Spirit that overflows in a bold evangelistic spirit.
Elle is the first, but not the last. We have others joining us (and others we are praying join us) over the next month. The fact that God keeps building this church is a dream come true for us, and I hope that it is for you as well as you have come along with us, partnering in the gospel together.
What else is going on?
We finished summer with a SICK vacation that was completely changed last minute.
Aksel started Kindergarten at Bishop Elementary two blocks from our house (which is why our vacation changed)!
All three kids celebrated birthdays: Aksel turned 5, Flora turned 3, and Frances had her first birthday!
We are prayerfully pursuing new partnerships with churches and other individuals so that we can healthily stay, serve, and send as a local church here in Denver.
We’ve begun a cohort with Multiply Group alongside seven other churches in the Front Range to develop our church’s leadership development pathway. This is perfectly timed for us as we begin with our core team looking ahead to how we can lead well and create a culture of leadership development.
Prayer Needs
Pray for our marriage and that it would STAY healthy and only get healthier.
Pray for our kids and that they would see the collision of intellect and experience in the gospel as we live as sent missionaries to Denver.
Pray for our team to be united as we continue to grow. Pray that the evangelistic temperature of our team would be HOT and ever-climbing.
Pray for Martha and her family that they would be shaped in all parts of life by the gospel.
Pray for those who are lost in our lives. Trev, Jess, Jer, Kris, Kevin, Liz, Harlow, Caleb, T & C, E & T, and so many others yet to come.
Pray for clarity on some fun steps ahead around studio space to use for arts, office space, and a means of meeting more people.
Pray for partnerships in Lincoln Park to form between us and the community.
Pray that God would keep uprooting beliefs that we are performing for him or that we have to pretend to be something we aren’t. The cross is so much greater than this.
Keep praying for the right teammates. We have more and more people that we are praying would join us here in Denver (and they don’t know it yet), but also those who we hope God sends from other states. And yet, our biggest prayer is that God would raise up some from the harvest to be a part of our team.
Pray for the empowerment of our team to use their gifts, live out their callings, and unite in the gospel as the Family of God.
Tears of Joy
The video below is enough for this month. Watch it to learn what we want to see God do, but also what he has ALREADY done. I’m blown away by God’s grace, his power to save, and the joy of working with Him to see the renewal of our city one renewed citizen at a time.
Puzzle Pieces.
Thank You.
I want to start by thanking all of you who prayed for Martha and for Jess. Both are hurting physically and spiritually and the Lord has led us to a place where we believe he wants to intervene and show up in a very tangible way in their lives. Ally had the chance to share the gospel with Jess, and we are hoping that the seed has been planted! While we expected that Wednesday to be a big day of gospel shares and bold prayers our kind Father redirected plans to a point of prayer on just a few days later. Ally was able to not only share her hope of Jesus with Martha, but also to pray for relief for her 7 year old herniated disc in her back.
Guys. God took her pain from an unbearable and visibly uncomfortable level down to nearly no pain at all in a moment! This short paragraph does not capture the joy we feel at the clear leading of God to love on Martha or the steps that we, especially Ally, have taken in faith. We are watching God lead us in plain ways as we are heralds of the gospel to the citizens of Denver. But he is not done. With her healing or with her heart, or the hearts of so many others we are meeting like Jess, Jer, Kris, Kevin, Liz, Harlow, Caleb, and so many others yet to come.
KEEP PRAYING.
In Other News.
We are loving Denver more and more every day, especially now that Summer is here. I (Michael) has been working the Jubilee booth at the new City Park Farmer’s Market on Saturdays. It’s been such a treat to be in the downtown area, building relationships, and having a presence that is seen as legitimate in our city. We are looking forward to seeing all of the incredible ways God is using my time at Jubilee to bring the Kingdom to bare here.
Ally is honing in her relationships, her time, and her talents on discipling and loving specific people in the city as well as focusing in on her art and creative gifts as much as possible. We are anxious to see what God wants to do with her talents as we have discovered not only does God value them, but so do the people of Denver.
The kids are growing. Talking. Laughing. Talking. Talking. And also talking. But they are loving making new friends, going to parks, playing in the mountains, and Aksel is anxiously awaiting starting preschool this fall.
What’s Been Happening
We are praying over our neighborhoods, and even have the opportunity to bring in six college interns from Gen Send through the Send Network to partner with us this summer!
We are working on becoming a legitimate 501c3 in the eyes of the state so that we can officially become “Capitol City Church”. This is great, but is without a doubt my least favorite part of church planting!
We are growing in our understanding of our own gifting, callings, and how those things make our church unique, as well as how those things show up in the neighborhood.
We are hoping to start monthly nights of prayer and worship to discover more of what God is up to in our city, be loving toward one another, and see who God draws to us in this process.
Most of what we are doing is being with people as a family. We find that we have almost no down time five or six days a week (which we usually love!), and that we rest HARD on our family day. We are learning how to hone in who, how, and what we spend our time on each week.
Prayer Needs
Pray for our marriage and that it would STAY healthy and only get healthier.
Pray for our kids and that they would see the collision of intellect and experience in the gospel as we live as sent missionaries to Denver.
Pray for those who are lost in our lives. Martha, Jess, Jer, Kris, Kevin, Liz, Harlow, Caleb, Anna, T & C, E & T, and so many others yet to come.
Pray that God would keep uprooting belief that we are performing for him or that we have to pretend to be something we aren’t. The cross is so much greater than this.
Pray for boldness to start summer events to meet more people, be the church, and see what God wants to do.
Pray for our micro-gatherings we have started doing with a few friends where we focus on prayer and worship to meet with Jesus and encourage one another.
Keep praying for the right teammates. We have more and more people that we are praying would join us here in Denver (and they don’t know it yet), but also those who we hope God sends from other states. And yet, our biggest prayer is that God would raise up some from the harvest to be a part of our team.
Pray for the empowerment of our team to use their gifts, live out their callings, and unite in the gospel as the Family of God.
Pray for clarity of what Capitol City Church needs to look like at the end of 2022. This impacts what we do in January, which impacts where we are going for the next six months of our residency.