February 2020 Prayer Team Update
Where We've Been
The beauty (and challenge) of gospel transformation is that hind-sight is not only expected, but it is required. To see who we are now, to know what we know now, requires a perspective of who we once were and what we once knew (or didn’t know).
Jesus began the beloved calling into church planting many years before I ever considered myself capable of planting a church. Shortly after Jesus saved my life he implanted a desire to see others know what I know and to experience the freedom that I have experienced. This took shape through leading high school and then college students in the gospel. Upon graduating from college we planted roots in a little local church plant that we still call home: Redeemer Church. As we went from Door-Greeters to Group Leaders to a place where now I (Michael) am a staff pastor God has humbled, pruned, and transformed Ally and I into Kingdom-Minded followers of Jesus.
Where We Are
To prepare for this God has placed us in Redeemer Church, our local church in Cedar Falls, as disciple-makers and leaders. One of the primary things that we are doing right now to prepare is the same thing we are asking all of you to do: PRAY.
The primary work that Ally and I are trying to be about is praying for abundant clarity, steady direction, and faithful hearts to the calling he has placed in our lives. While there is much else that we are doing this is of first importance. We want to know the who, the what, and the how that God has in store. We have faith that God will continue to do this as he has been doing for the past four years. There is much else that we are doing, but this is of primary importance now and always.
Something else for you all to know is that at this time Ally and I are expecting a child to be born in the beginning of August!! That being said, we are anxious to meet this little one and covet your prayers for the health of Ally, the baby, and our family as we proceed into being a family of five.
Where We are Headed
Ally and I know that our purpose in all of life is to be faithful, joyful disciples of Jesus, and more particularly that he has called us to do so in Denver, Colorado beginning around September of 2020.
To funnel it down even more we believe that we have been called into a particular section of the city known as the Capitol Hill neighborhood. What we hope to do in this neighborhood is be the good news of Jesus and plant the seed of the gospel in the soil of Denver, Colorado. Much of our strategy, vision, and language is yet to be flushed out, but we know and believe that Jesus has called us to this particular work in this particular place at this particular time.
While there is much that is unknown about the journey ahead one thing that we do know is that we are going to be partnering with The Oaks Church located in south Denver. Pictured above with Ally and I is Derick Scherfey Lead pastor of the Oaks.
In September of 2020 we plan to move to Denver and begin a church planting apprenticeship with them to formally prepare and train to launch our church plant sometime in the next year to two years.
Prayer Needs
Emotional and spiritual health for Ally and I as we continue to prepare for this adventure. Now is a time where we are chasing the vision of rest and health before the new work of church planting.
Unity between Ally and I as well as between us and our kids.
Health during pregnancy.
A big picture of the Kingdom coming to Cedar Falls and to Denver.
A team of missionaries to go with us into Capitol Hill to reach out to the lost.
