Published September 28, 2017
Involve Church, Nampa, Idaho
Luke
Ministry Highlights
I was blessed to be able to attend Baptist Network Northwest’s (BNN) “Refresh” Ministry Workers Retreat in Cannon Beach, Oregon with Rachael. We were energized by fellowship with other pastors and their wives, teaching of the word by Doug Bookman, and I was able to sit in on some leadership meetings with the BNN Leadership Council. It was encouraging to hear about plans to see healthy churches in the network and talk through new, potential church plants in the Northwest.
I enjoyed having my classmate and fellow intern from BBS, Josh Carpenter, stop by with his family as they were traveling from Chicago to their home in Red Bluff, CA. It was good to connect with a fellow classmate…it made the “distance” part of being a distance student feel a little less distant!
I have had the privilege of continuing a weekly men’s study with 4 other guys. We are going through Francis Chan’s Multiply. We are in the second month of our study (it is a 6-month study). The guys seem to be enjoying the study and I can tell they are being challenged about the mission of the church: the Great Commission.
Key Prayer Requests
Our family is starting to experience some more balanced, healthy time together. Please pray that this will continue to improve as we settle into more normal patterns after 13 years of school. Also pray that as I continue to be busy that I would continue to grow in more role as spiritual leader of my family.
Please pray as our church leadership meets together for a planning and prayer retreat in the mountains at the end of October.
Please pray that I will continue to develop in my faithfulness and consistency in ministry, as it seems these qualities have a profound effect on the people I pastor and lead.
Prominent Lessons
During one of our Sunday morning worship services, I watched several things unfold throughout the morning. What became obvious to me is that both Pastor Ryan and I are wearing too many hats on a Sunday morning. I believe the service came off as a bit fragmented and “frazzled,” because Pastor Ryan and I were feeling this way – and it clearly effected the rest of the church. What it taught me is that it is sometimes better to do without something – to “cut back” – rather than to force everything on a Sunday morning. The next Sunday, we cut back on the busyness and the number of things we tried to take on and I think that God was glorified and believers were edified.
I had the privilege of joining the leadership team for Baptist Network Northwest (BNN), a network of Regular Baptist churches in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Our goal is to encourage existing churches and plant additional churches in the northwest. I learned a lot in both my subcommittee, which deals primarily with church planting, and in the executive committee which had a lot of decisions to make in regards to key churches in the network. I was amazed to see how God can use the combined resources of many churches partnering together.
I had the opportunity to facilitate a discussion with our leadership team regarding the biblical qualifications for the biblical offices of the church. I not only enjoyed my preparation time, but it seemed the men enjoyed the discussion as well. It helped me see that walking people through a discussion on important issues can be a good way to gain understanding and consensus with key leaders.
Key Goals for the Next Month
For October, I will be mapping out a plan to walk our leaders through the concepts of our discipleship pathway and help them brainstorm ways they can put it into action. This will happen at our end-of-month leadership retreat. In other words, I am going to challenge them to disciple one other person.
I am going to have two more meetings with our leaders in which we will discuss key concepts regarding the biblical offices and how those will play out practically at our church.
I am going to plan a prayer service which is occurring in early November.
I am going to continue discipling several men in the church, with the goal of seeing them grow in Christlikeness and understanding of their purpose within the local church.
Rachael
Ministry Highlights
Luke and I enjoyed a short getaway to our regional Pastors and Wives Refresh conference at Cannon Beach Conference Center. It was an encouraging time with other Pastors and their Wives and a nice time away toget her.
We started up a new session of Life Groups. It been nice to get to know a few new people from Involve, hear what they have to share about their life and spiritual growth, and pray together.
Key Prayer Requests
Continue prayer for Wade and Christina as they grieve the loss of their son. They have been going to their life group, but have struggled to come to church. We miss them and would love to see them around regularly again, yet we want to be understanding of how hard it is right now and support them well.
Prominent Lessons
Please share below some learning experiences or lessons you have had this past month related to your internship, preferably ministry-related. Briefly describe each experience, and then identify what you have learned about ministry, God, people and yourself from this experience.
Last week, I got together with a friend of mine who is a single mom and not a believer. We talked about our kids’ first month at school, and she expressed some concerns about her son’s school. I was reminded of what a blessing it is to not only have a husband and family who I can talk to and go to for advice, but also a church family who is loving and supportive. I once again expressed a desire to see her at our church sometime. She openly acknowledges that the community and support from a church are very attractive, but says that since she doesn’t share our faith she would feel like she was taking advantage. I tried to assure her that we would welcome her anyway. A few things she said have been on my mind. She told me that a few years ago, she was adamantly atheist, but is now open to the existence of a God and that “who knows? A year from now, I may be religious.” I was encouraged by this because I have known her for a little more than a year and I have been praying for her all this time. I am reminded that God does work, and it may be slower than I would like, but I will trust him to move in His own, perfect time.
Key Goals for the Next Month
I hope to see a few new families attend our life group this month.
At the end of this month, we have a leadership retreat planned. I don’t know what my responsibilities for that will be yet, but I hope it can be an encouraging, productive time for the leaders and their wives.
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