For me, all of this comes down to one thing. There are people out there who still do not know Jesus! That is the real “cost” thats burning inside me, that is what keeps me up at night.

It has been a pretty interesting read. Perhaps the best part of the whole thing has been listening in on a conversation between the two as they discuss Church, God, and how Christians look at outsiders. The big takeaway is that Jim and the other Christians in Casper’s (the atheist) life seem to be making much more of a difference in how he perceives the possibility of a God existing than any of the Churches.

The book is a good reminder that

1. Churches need to be more aware of the fact that our culture is no longer led by Christian thought and we need to be sensitive to it. It was very evident that pastors specifically tend to use words that at the end of the day are very vague and meaningless in our culture.
2. People don’t come to love Jesus because of the words of preachers, they come to love Jesus because they see Him alive in the lives of those around them and through watching and being a part of their journey.

This book reminds you that there are people out there who are disconnected and far from God and that they matter as people!

A new study shows “22 percent of Americans say they NEVER (emphasis mine) go to church, the highest percentage ever recorded by the General Social Survey, conducted every two years by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago” – and that is up from 17 percent in 2004.

A recent cover of Rev! magazine stated that, “only 52 million people, or 17.3 percent of the U.S. population, are in church – that’s down from the traditionally recognized 40 percent participation rated suggested by the Gallup Organization and The Barna Group.

Quotes taken from the Christian Standard, Special Annual Report Issue, April 13, 2008, pg. 7.

These stats are extremely disturbing to me. They disturb me because somehow Churches are loosing the battle. Alan Hirsch has said that the American Church must move from a church that is attractional based (meaning “you come to us to find out what we know”) to missional based (meaning missionaries who go out and try and share what they know in the context of relationships). I think he is right. The time has come to GO, the time has come in our society to be in our communities making a difference. To let our conversations be seasoned with the salt of the Gospel. To serve the poor!

I personally am praying for a revolution to take place in the Church – the declining American Church. A revolution of love & service, one that lets go of power and manipulation. One that feeds the Gospels burning fire!

“What was your inspiration for tackling spirituality on television, examining the idea of a modern-day prophet?Spirituality really seems to be in the zeitgeist these days, particularly with the popularity of The Secret. We think it’s a reaction to spirituality being co-opted for political purposes in this country recently. Everybody is spiritual to some degree and many people are tired of feeling as if they need to practice a one, specific religion in order to feel legitimately spiritual. We see this show as, in part, returning ownership of spirituality to everyone.”

While Christianity is on the decline in our society, I think the environment which we find ourselves is fertile for the ideas of Jesus. It is time we lose our religion and introduce people to a relationship with Jesus! If anything, shows like Eli Stone point to the fact that people are curiously seeking for something deeper and more meaningful – I hope and pray that we can capture this moment and capitalize on it for the Kingdom!

21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

Boy, yesterday Bob Bates preached on the passion of Jesus for the Lost and did a great job bringing it to life!

You can hear in Paul’s words above the heart of Jesus beating strong. I love that Paul was willing to become whatever to whoever in order that he might save even just a few! What a strong statement of commitment to the gospel. I want to be an “all in” kind of guy! Too many people are dying without Jesus – they are too important!

Bob talked about Luke 15:7 – “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” Man, if I could give my life to one thing, it would be ensuring that there is constant partying in Heaven – we must reach those who are disconnected and far from God – plain and simple!

Dear Friends and Family,

It has been six years since I began working as the High School Youth Minister for Bible Christian Church. I have had the distinct pleasure of working with many of your teenage sons and daughters and seeing them through those tough adolescent years. I would not trade one minute from those years with your students. Both Jenni and I have counted it as a true privilege to serve at Bible Christian Church.

Over the past six years, God has been growing inside of me an overwhelming desire to plant a new church. Let me tell you where this desire comes from and where it does not come from. IT DOES come from the fact that in the US there is not one county that has more people going to church in it now than it did 10 years ago (let that soak in). IT DOES come from the fact that Nearly 4,000 churches close their doors every year! GET THIS out of 194 nations, only 11 has more unchurched people than the United States. Churches are losing ground – fast. Lost people matter to God and church planting is one of the most effective means of evangelism. This is where the desire comes from, it comes from a true passion to see those who are disconnected and far from God come home to Jesus!

This desire DOES NOT come from some problem within Bible Christian Church, I love this Church and if anything, I want to take the great things about BCC with us! As a matter of fact, Jenni and I do not look at this transition to Church Planting as us leaving, rather we look at it as being missionaries sent from BCC. IT DOES NOT come from me being tired of youth ministry or our students, the kids in our youth ministry are the finest around, I would never leave them for anything but the call of God on Mine and Jenni’s life. IT DOES NOT come from some issue with the staff or elders, if anything I am closer with these guys and gals than ever! They are not only quality leaders but truly the finest leaders I have had the privilege of serving with! I hope you can see that this is not a decision based on some negative result flowing out from BCC, but an overwhelming desire to reach lost people. Peter Wagner (no relation) says that church planting is “the single most effective evangelistic methodology under heaven.” If that is the case, then I can see nothing more important than giving my life to that cause!

I know there are a ton of questions you may have, and I would love to sit down and answer all of them. I imagine that a few of you may be asking yourself, “Aren’t new churches competing with existing churches?” This is a common misconception among Christians – especially other leaders. The fact is that in any given community on any weekend if every seat in every church were full, 90% of the population would still have no place to attend. That is huge!

Some of you may have questions about the process or how all of this would work. The over-simplified version is that Jenni and I would raise prayer support and financial support throughout the next few months and then be sent off in January 2009 from BCC to begin the process of planting Epic Church (you can get more information on the church we will plant called Epic Church at www.epic4life.com) in the Kansas City area. We would work with area churches there to develop a launch team, do events similar to the day of service and build a group of people who are sold out to the cause of reaching disconnected people through the venture of a new church! We would have several events and preview services leading up to a grand opening in September 2009, hopefully launching with over 300 people in attendance!

Jenni and I know this is a lot to take in. I wanted to be able to say to the body of Christ at BCC how blessed we are to have you as family and friends and that we are excited about the future that God has here in Garden City and around the world. If there is one thing I know about Church planting, it is that we cannot survive without each of you praying for us and lending us your support and hearts. I want to thank you ahead of time for the generosity that I’m sure will outflow from each of you. We have been touched in such amazing ways and cannot wait to take that same spirit of love and care to people who are living in a hopeless existence in desperate need of Jesus!

Serving Christ,

Kent and Jenni Wagner

Church Planters