Refuge Radio

     So a few weeks back Dean & I were asked to present our church planting budget before a room full of people we didn't know.  We weren't told how much we should ask for or how much to expect to get.  We were more or less told to throw it out there and see what happens.  It was like being invited to a dinner and asked, "Tell us what you would like to eat - whatever you want." 
     So we did.
     We broke our budget out like a menu - pricing each meal and explaining what they included.  We ranged from a cheap grilled cheese to an 8 oz. fillet/lobster tail combo.  If they agreed to fund us entirely, the total budget was somewhere around 2 million for the first year.  Mind you, that was the high side of a budget with no actual cap or financial direction written by two guys attempting a first-time church plant with very little guidance to go on.  It included the purchasing of a building, salaries for the two of us, building renovations, sound equipment, office supplies, advertising, and the funding of a weekly radio program.     
     And then, after we had finished our presentation with some jaw-dropping results, we found out all they intended to feed us was a pack of gum.  They were excited and encouraging but we WAY overshot what was available.
     So here it is - the meeting concluded with them agreeing to fund three months of radio air time for Dean & I (that's right - Dean & I will be on the radio soon), and they will cover the costs associated with getting a church website up.  They will also establish our account under their non-profit status so we can start collecting donations.  We're hoping these two methods of support (the radio program and the web site) will allow us to generate additional funds to assist us in our attempted church plant. 
     Today Dean & I had our first meeting with KPRZ 1210 AM to get some actual numbers on the cost and the available air times.  The interview went great and the ball is beginning to roll.  We'll soon be presenting the cost options to our sponsors to see what they are willing to pay (oh please let it be the "Monday - Friday; 1/2 hour a night" option) and humbly ask for your prayers concerning this matter - pray God brings funds where funds are currently lacking.
     Our church has begun meeting @ 4:00 p.m. in a house in Alpine (started last week) and while small in number, we are determined in spirit.  We're going through the book of Luke and having a blast discussing the "realities" of scripture. 
     I like to think of it from the perspective of those who lived it and last week's big side-track dealt with Eve's lack of a reaction when a snake - a slithering serpent - started talking to her.  It opened up all kinds of stuff unrelated to our study but downright enjoyable. 
     The study itself was amazing.  We learned about the significance of some of the names given to the people and were blown away by the subtle complexities one can discover in God's word.  It was also great to be in an interactive environment where not just one person preaches.  We all contributed to the lesson by adding our own personal insight to what was being taught.  It was definitely more like a Bible study format which is how I think a church service should be.  That's our goal - to create a church where you don't just fill a seat and then go your own way.  We want people to be engaged and hopefully transformed by the experience.
     Pray for us...

Hammered

     Lately I've felt like a nail being hammered into a wood block by an unskilled worker.  This isn't the heavy, single swing of an expert carpenter smacking home the fastener with one swift stroke.  This is the awkward beating of someone who never held a hammer before and is now smacking away violently in an attempt to sink me ever deeper into the block.  It's clumsy, painful, and downright annoying.
     The hammer has been my recent spurt of unexpected troubles.  Blown water line, a rat the size of my forearm, no heat in the house, both cars breaking down on the same day, my wife's sudden string of headaches and throat troubles, my dog going straight psycho, my neighbors yelling at me over my dog, my unemployment suddenly being cut-off unexpectedly, unmentionable family troubles, and a slew of other sudden problems I'd rather forget than record.
     I'm not one to typically blame situations on spiritual warfare but I'm straight under assault right now.  The Bible says it exists and the book of Job is an amazing depiction of what life can be like when the Devil gets involved.  That being said - these problems all started when I agreed to plant a church.  I've shared these experiences with those closest to the plant & I've told them how these events just confirm that this is exciting stuff but seriously God, enough already.  Time to shelter me in your shadow and encase me in a cosmic force field of anti-bad stuff or something.  I'm straight done being hammered...
     Pray for us.