So the past few days have been interesting.  I’ve been really excited about the level of momentum building for our house church as it develops but yesterday ended up being a real “gut-check” for me.  I’ve had to face tough questions that are making me ask questions I thought I had answered already.  Do I really believe in organic Christianity?  Is seeing apostolic Christianity restored in my lifetime worth fighting for?  Is the risk really worth it to myself and ultimately to the Lord?  These questions seem fairly obvious, but when the enemy applies just the right pressure, we have to go back and decide them again for ourselves.

It started for me yesterday morning.  I hopped onto my blog reader and was able to catch up for the first time in weeks.  In the process I stumbled across the blog for Ministry Today Magazine. Now normally I enjoy reading Charisma Magazine and it’s affiliates.  They tend to be a lot less oriented to the world system than some Christian media.  Yesterday, though, part of their blog reported on a meeting of the Charismatic Leadership Council that has some potentially disturbing results.

Now for those of you unfamiliar with the Charismatic Leadership Council, it’s a coalition of charismatic leaders that somewhat resembles an apostolic council for independent charismatic churches.  You can read about their first meeting here.  This year the content of their discussion centered on several topics, but the one that caught my eye was the unresolved discussion about the nature of house churches.  Basically they are still undecided about whether house churches are a new missional movement in the United States or just a hotbed of bitter, anti-authority believers. 

But this got me thinking.  What happens if the leaders in the charismatic church totally write off the house church movement?  What happens if those that I love and respect suddenly issue a “referendum” against this movement that I’m believing God will use in the days to come?  What if I’m called to give an account for those things I believe so strongly?  Am I willing to stake my reputation on this movement even if means me being branded as a “radical” or “anti-authoritarian?” So the last day or so I’ve been gripped with fear over this new direction we’re moving.  I finally understand how Elijah could run to the wilderness with nothing but a threat from the lips of Jezebel.  (FYI: The Charismatic Leadership Council is not Jezebel…but the demonic attack of fear I’m facing is real.)

I’ve had to begin to examine how valuable this thing is to me and to the Lord.  I’ve begun to realize the grip that the fear of man still has on my life and my intense need to overcome it at any cost. I don’t believe that everything the house church movement stands for is worth dying for.  There are some things they stand for that don’t line up with the Kingdom.  But this apostolic Christianity that I’m beginning to see will to the casual observer much like a house church movement.  And that will cost us.  In order to move ahead with this reality seriously, we have to embrace the possibility that persecution may come from those who love us the most and have lead the way for many years. 

The plus side of this whole situation is that God is incredibly good at proving Himself an exceptional leader in our midst.  As soon as the enemy came to intimidate me, God spoke directly into the situation.  One day later a friend without any knowledge of the situation came with an incredibly accurate word that specifically addressed the need for boldness and resolve in this hour.  Now, prophetic knowledge of how to handle myself is good, but knowing that Jesus knows where I am and is familiar with my struggle is so much better. Just knowing Jesus is with you makes it all worth it. 

Where does that leave us?  Well…we’re still going forward.  The cost could be high, but what good thing has ever come without a high price?  And so we go forward.  We gather, we build, we plant, we sow.  Eternity will determine the fruit of our labors.

So today I received notice that two of my friends from
Kansas City started blogging.  Now, I’ve got a lot of friends who are starting to blog, but two in one day?  Kinda crazy.  Anyways, I want to heartily recommend both of them for your blog-reading pleasure.

Kingdom Collision is written by some of our dearest friends Ryan and Kortni Kubacina.  Pictured here, Ryan and Kortni are some of the most anointed young leaders I know of in the Earth.  They balance a sound walk with the Lord with a growing view of the shift coming to the church in our day.  Very few people have stood with Christy and I and encouraged us like Ryan and Kortni. The things I have heard from Ryan and Kortni are more than just theory, they are principles born out of sacrifice. Don’t miss what they have to say.

Only One Necesarry Thing & Some Other Stuff is written by Jonothan Combrink.  Now, not only do I love IHOP bloggers (because Jono is one) but Jono also used to be my roommate when I was a student at the Forerunner School.  I love his heart to pursue the knowledge of God and his sense of humor.  Check him out. 

Looks like I need to start a blogroll….

So while I’ve been on a blogging hiatus, Christy and I also bought a house.  Now, lots of people buy houses and lots of people move from an apartment to a new apartment or from a house to another house.  Us?  We decided to buy a duplex right in the middle of renovation.  Not only that, but we bought a duplex real close to the inner city of Cedar Rapids to help fund our lives as missionaries.  Fun huh?

So there’s been a lot of work that needed to be done.  Some our friends and family (Chris and Brandi, Sean, Jamie, Mom and Dad Washburn, Momma and Ian Cruse, Big Daddy K, Kevin and Aroea Knox, Bryan Hamilton, and a bunch of others I’m probably forgetting…) have helped us get the place liveable for us and our tenets. It’s been a little bit of an adventure.  Furnace stuff, water heaters, painting, more hours sanding than I want to count….let’s just say, had it not been for Christy’s constant reassurance, I would have never stuck through with this project.

This is a “before” picture…

This is an “after” picture…

But now we have a home and a rental property currently being rented.  I also, for the first time in my life have my very own little office space.  Most importantly, we now have a place where the house church we’re planting can meet.  A place to meet, a place to eat, and a place for us all to come together and pursue the Lord.  I’m excited to see where the Lord takes us.  More updates to come.