A Starr shines in Bakersfield

We knew from day one that if we we're going to plant a church we we're going to do it in community. From the beginning we were thinking and praying about who God might call to be a part of this adventure. Eric Starr has been a friend of ours since he was in a highschool small group we led in Bartlesville. As God started guiding us and planting the seeds of this adventure in our hearts, He was working in Eric's heart as well. After many late night conversations about the Kingdom and the church, over summer and holiday breaks in the years since Eric left High School, we invited him to be a part of what God was calling us to. The truth is when I invited him I didn't know where we were going or wether or not there would be any money to pay him. How's that for a job offer a few months before graduating with your masters fom Duke University. "Come with us to plant a church, we don't know where we're going and we have no money to offer you, but we'd sure love to have you". But Eric took a leap of faith said yes, and now he's here. I'm stoked to start moving forward in this Kingdom adventure with a partner in crime.

Weakness and Glory

…“My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (1Cor. 12:9-10)

It's been one of those days. The administrative details are piling up. I'm emensely thankful for the planters who have gone before us, and the people and organizations who have gathered best practices and are passing them on. God has blessed us with relationships with people and organizations who are dedicated to helping Church planters in general and us in particular. PTL!
However, there are always details that have to be addressed by the planter, this week is full of those and I can see no light at the end of the tunnel. So many administrative tasks… so little administrative ability. And so I hang on to the truth of this verse. I told God several years ago I wanted to be a part of something bigger than me by a long shot, something that could only be accomplished if God came through in a big way.
I'm feeling that prayer being answered. If Kaleo goes on to reach hundreds or thousands of people with the message of God's love it will be because God moved beyond the gifts and abilities He's given me, our staff, and launch team and made it happen in His strength. So I'll boast now in my weaknesses because my desire and prayer is that God will do something so amazing that it will be obvious that He made it happen; that no one will ever think for one moment that we had the leadership skills, charisma, organizational sense, creativity or any other abilty to make it happen.

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Faith vs. Insurance

One in a list of many things I wish I didn't have to think about as a church planter but do, is insurance. Specifically insurance on our ice cream truck (see previous post). A friend of mine and church planting supergenius Patrick Furgerson recently blogged at plantingspace.com about insurance, churches and bounce houses.
One of our visions for the ice cream truck is to make it available for other churches and community service organizations to use, in fact we're designing it so our name can easily be deleted from the vehicle so no one assumes we're loaning it to them for the free publicity . My hope is that everything our church ever owns will be considered Kingdom property and be made available to Christ followers to use for God's glory. However, after a conversation with our insurance agent and the two Patricks in my life–Furgeson, the afformentioned supergenious and Colaw, my brother the Lawyer and fellow supergenious. It appears that if we choose to allow people outside our church to use our stuff we do so at great peril of having our pants sued off with no coverage from our insurance company. Having no pants and being exposed is apparently a bad thing.
So, what to do? Follow our heart and Kingdom values and make the ice cream truck and everything else available for Kingdom purposes having faith that God will provide all the coverage we need, or, follow the wise counsel of godly insurance agents, lawyers and supergenious'?
I wish it was as funny as it sounds, but it really is a conundrum. God certainly encourages us to seek counsel which we've done, but He also tells us not to live in fear, which lawsuits certainly encourage. Anyway we know that God has the answer already wether it be a step of faith under a heavenly policy or an insurance a company with flexible coverage. Either way we'd appreciate your prayers.

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God's Story

I was asked to speak at NorthEast Christian Church in Bakersfield last Sunday just to tell "our story" and our vision for Kaleo.
I had planned on just winging it as I know my story pretty well and I've been eating and breathing Kaleos vision for about two years now. However, my wife reminded me that I tend to be a bit long winded when talking about myself or Kaleo and that maybe an outline would keep me on track. SoI started walking through chronologically the turning points which lead us to this point in time and the decision to plant a church. It was a very powerful experience! I could see God's hand in so many critical moments guiding, loving, redirecting, disciplining and delivering large portions of His Grace. I am so blessed, so many people have played crucial roles in my development, I am grateful to so many people. I know I've barely begun to scratch the surface of God's moving in my life but I'm determined to identify more and more and let this drive me to gratefulness and worship.

Where can you see God's fingerprints in your story?