That’s the kind of church I want to be involved in! That’s the kind of church I long for Epic to be!

Question: Are we there yet? What could we do to get there?

I think the thing I like the most is that there is room, there is margin. Everything in the house is not right on top of you all the time. You can walk around without having to dodge boxes or tables! I love it!

I think margin is something we all need in our lives. We need it at work, at home, in our families, and in our relationship with God. Jesus practiced adding margin into his life, Mark 1:35-39 talks about Jesus going off early in the morning to pray. When his disciples finally catch up with Him, they want to push Him back into the busyness – they tell Him that “Everyone is looking for you.” I think Jesus has a classy response, “Let’s go somewhere else”! After spending time with God creating margin in His life, Jesus was able to see clearly His mission in the midst of the craziness of life.

There are lots of reasons why we struggle with following God and having a relationship with him – wrong attitudes, getting caught up in things that don’t matter, being rebellious, and the list goes on. I believe that most of this could be fixed if we would take our cue from Jesus and create margin. If we would get away from the constant influx of information and busyness and start to get off with God and ask Him the big questions, “Who are you?”, “What do you think of me?”, “Where do you want me spending my time, energy and money?”.

This practice alone could literally change every aspect of your life!

Anyway, now you can listen to the sermons right from the page or pop them out to listen to them that way.  Here are th links in case you get bored:

• Making Change
• Less Message More Mission
• Bringing Christmas Back

I have been blessed by so many friends, family and organizations who have placed their trust in Jenni and I and our ability to follow God as He unfolds His work in Andover.  I realize that the struggle I face is one they face as well.  We are partners in this mission to see people reached who are far from God.  I hope that each person who is financially backing Epic Church knows that I will do whatever it takes to reach those people – I will become all things to all men that I might reach them!

The struggle is not really one of finances or selling your vision.  The struggle is really to be a person of integrity and honesty – to be trustworthy.  I want for people to look at me and say, “I believe that he is invested enough in the Kingdom that he will really pull this off!”

So, the questions I have to ask myself:

• Are you hungering for the word of God?
• Are you spending real time in the word?
• Are you being faithful to your wife?
• Are you being a great dad to your children?
• Are you making friends with people who are far from God?
• Who are you investing in?
• Who is investing in you?

Answering these questions right will continue to turn me into the kind of man people will want to give to and support.

Rock Andover.com is our new church missions portal for Epic Church.  We want to provide world class missions opportunities for churches and youth groups to experience the power of culturally relevant evangelism and community service!

We believe that we can completely and eternally alter Andover through these trips!  I can’t wait to see how God uses Rock Andover.com!!!

I am excited about the things God is doing!  I had a great meeting today with Robin Sigars, Drew Ashwell, Kevin & Courtney (potential staff) and the 4 State Men’s Group.  I have been meeting like crazy the last 4 days and it really all seems like a blur,  but the one constant in all the meetings has been just how much God is in what we are doing. Tonight while presenting to the 4 State Men’s Group I found out that one of the gentlemen there was from Derby and had pastored a church there.  Fifteen years ago he was commissioned to study Andover for a possible church plant and felt like there needed to be one there.  The group he was with ended up choosing to plant somewhere else but he said he always hoped that a plant would go in Andover.  He said, “It’s amazing how God does things He brings the right people on board when it’s the right time!”  I couldn’t agree more.  God is definitely bringing about something amazing – my prayer tonight was that He would stretch me into the leader I need to be in order to keep up with His steps!

I also had the opportunity to talk with the Director of the Andover Senior Citizen’s Club about ways that Epic Church can serve them.  I am excited about the doors God is opening for us to give back to people who have been giving to this community for a long time!  It is also a perfect location for our launch team meetings and she is really interested in renting it to us.

I talked with a lady from City Hall about bringing youth groups on missions trips to serve in the community.  It’s great to start to put some feet to the ideas we have and to share them with others, I am looking forward to the relationship we can have with the City of Andover and getting to serve there!  I also made contact with the Chamber and am excited about what they are doing and the possibility of serving with them – Garrett has been a huge help to me so far and I am looking forward to working with the whole team to find ways we can serve!

Today, I am starting it all again.  I am meeting some guys for lunch and then Jenni and I are taking a couple out to dinner that have been looking for a church – I am excited to get to meet them and hopefully form a friendship!

Tomorrow – Celebrate our Anniversary!  We are going to a Japanese Steak House and then on to a Hockey Game (Jenni’s choice – Best wife ever award!!!)

Sunday/Monday – We present to a church missions board about Epic (they are graciously hosting us in their home and providing us lunch).  Monday I am in Joplin and meet with some pastors, potential staff members and an organization that has a passion to see churches planted!

KEEP PRAYING!!!!