The Next Great Work…Can you say “Monkeys”?

This Sunday, at Journey, we presented our vision that our next great work as a church is going to be family driven and family focused.  Our next great work is going to start with families working together to do a great work right where we are.  We’ve been studying Nehemiah and the great work he and the people of Jerusalem did in rebuilding the wall.

I’m more excited about this next great work than I was about John Evans because this next wave has the potential to have worldwide impact.

On Sunday I asked the families to take a brick home, pray about their next great work (as a family), write their great work on the brick (and decorate it) once the Lord revealed it to them, and then bring the brick back to church and put it on the stage.

Already, some exciting great works are emerging.  One couple is going to lead a duck hunting event at church that will reach hunters for Christ.  Another family is going to host a 5k in Greeley to raise money to help the needy.  One family is going to start a program to mentor couples.  Another family already had a garage sale to raise money for a surgical scope for a mission hospital in Guatemala.

So, last night, my family and I sat down with our brick and began praying and discussing the next great work we’re going to do as a family for the glory of God.

We don’t have clarity yet about what our work is going to be, but I wanted to share some of the ideas my kids came up with last night.

I can’t wait to see what God does next!

• Buy 10 back packs for John Evans kids and fill the backpacks with school supplies
• Dig a well in Africa
• Plant a church in Ghana
• Help our cousin Larry, who is a missionary in Germany
• Help single moms
• Start a ministry for AIDS victims in Africa
• Buy Christmas gifts for kids in need
• Help buy the surgical scope for the mission hospital in Guatemala
• Endow scholarship for kids at John Evans who want to go to college
• Hold a prom for special needs kids
• Help our friends buy a van for a paralyzed man
• Build a playground in an underdeveloped part of Greeley

And now my favorite idea from my favorite oldest son, Levi….

• Start a ministry to save the species of monkeys that are becoming extinct.

I love my kids and their heart for God, God’s people, and God’s creation.

This is going to be a great work, no matter what.

Reflections from Day Four of Our Great Work–This Work is Done

Our first great work of the summer is finished.

We’ve set aside 52 days to accomplish a great work for the glory of God.

In 4 days, over 300 volunteers from Journey Christian Church, Mosaic Church, and Amanecer Cristiano joined together and painted the walls of John Evans IB Middle School.  Several other large projects were also completed during this great work, but the major accomplishment was the painting of many, many walls.

As we wrapped up yesterday, I was asked, “What were the highlights to you?”

There were so many, but let me list a few.

• Being a part of a church where I could agree to take on this great work without having to go through a bureaucratic mess.  I knew I could just respond to the moving of God and just say “yes.”
• Seeing the hand of God moving throughout this entire experience.
• Working with a leadership team who all have ginormous faith.
• The meeting with the Principal of John Evans IB Middle School and the representatives from the School District where the District officials approved this job in about 5 minutes.
• People of Journey applauding as this great work was shared with them last Sunday and they were told that we were beginning it the next day!
• Watching my team immediately join together to get this project organized.
• When Steve Dale came up after church and volunteered to take a week of vacation and paint the school for free.
• Steve Dale and Steve Horton working together to paint the halls in 1 day.

Steve Horton & Steve Dale: Lead Painters for this Great Work

• Seeing volunteers walk in the front door and hear them ask, “Where do you need me?”
• The conversation I had with Justin at the Sherwin Williams store that began when he asked me why we were painting a public school.
• Gary Hamilton cutting paper and handing it out and refusing to take a break.
• The moment when we announced the floor of the cafeteria needed to be cleaned and everyone in the room dropped to their knees and started scrubbing it.

• Families working together on this great work.
• Getting to know the Principal of John Evans and watching her work beside us every day.
• Seeing relationships begin between volunteers as they met for the 1st time and worked together.
• Watching the kids work so very hard on this project.

My sons, Levi and Sylas cleaning baseboards

• Painting Niki Quinby’s classroom.
• Working with the people of Mosaic Church and Amanecer Cristiano on Wednesday.

Me with Pastors David Flores of Amanecer Cristiano and Angel Flores of Mosaic Church

• Seeing Patrick Lightfoot lead us passionately and humbly.
• Tilling the garden and enjoying a long conversation with God about His work in Greeley.

• The volunteers who brought food to feed other volunteers each day.
• So many people praying in the halls and classrooms of the school.

• Hundreds of Scriptures being written on the walls of the school.

• Those Scriptures bleeding through the freshly painted walls.
• Knowing that those dear students and staff of John Evans will be surrounded and supported by God’s Word every day they are in that building.
• The opportunity I had to reply, when someone asked me to stop working and meet with them, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down.”
• The many Journey folks who have asked me, “What’s our next great work?”

Our next great work…stay tuned.