Relationally Founded

Relationally Founded- Right relationships are the heart of our lives and ministry.

My former pastor, Steve Bredesen, found himself faced down on the floor one day while he was in seminary.  Now being face down on the floor is an awkward place to be.  It is a place of helplessness from a fall, or surrender because of the fall.  Steve was face down praying to God, and God gave him a word.  A word to build his ministry around, and that word was Relationship.

A New Church Mission Statement

Mission Statement: “Transforming the broken into whole-hearted disciples of Christ signified by our loves and lives.”

Brokenness defines us.  I wish it wasn’t so, but it is.  We are each defined to some extent by our brokenness.  We have all described people as “a little needy,” “conceited,” or “tends to be angry.”  Especially, we know our own brokenness.  Most of us know, to a variety of extents, of our brokenness, and if you don’t see any brokenness, then let me tell you one area of your brokenness is pride. 

Broken, however, is not worthless.  Our brokenness is worth dying for. 

A New Church Vision

As my seminary career is getting closer to being finished, it is time for my self-instituted capstone project.  A blog series on the mission and core values of a church that I am called to lead.  Now, this is not just a project for me, but it is also an attempt to live out my recent calling to be a church planter in the United Methodist Church.  Heather and I are in conversations with my Annual Conference about planting a new church in the Oklahoma conference, and we covet your prayers for mutual discernment about where this call will lead.  I feel called to be part of a mother-daughter church plant.  My purpose of this blog series is just to flesh out some of these ideas and concepts in the blogging community.  It is also to be a place for potential mother-churches to understand my peculiar perspective on church ministry, and be a place for conversations with those congregations.  I will attempt to do one blog a week, until it is completed.  I hope you enjoy and feel free to comment as you feel lead.

A Month of Micah: Some Thoughts on Parenthood

1 month ago today, my first son Micah Reilly Noah Tiger was born.  Needless to say, this month has been radically different from any other month of my life.  So, I thought that I would give you all somethings I have learned in my 1 month of parenthood.

1. I am a lot more selfish than I thought.  It has been an adjustment, as I understand a new level of sacrifice.  Micah depends on me to be attentive to him, and I don’t get the “me time” like I accustomed to.  I didn’t realize the depths of my selfishness, so I am thankful for Micah to show me this. 

2. I learned why they call babies, bundles of joy.  Micah just brings forth joy to all who meet him.  It is an incredible gift, and I love being around him.

3. I miss sleep.  I have seen 4 A.M. more in the past month than I think in my previous 25 years.