From the time our call was confirmed, and even more so once it was mutual and our move to Colorado was fast approaching, we’ve shared our journey openly and referred to ourselves as “church planters”. We are even being trained through Frontline Church Planting Center. This month, in fact, we became official “church planting intern(s)” with the North American Mission Board. However, I’ve come to prefer “missionaries” as our title, if we have to have one. Perhaps it is only semantics to most, but the 8 months we’ve lived and learned in Colorado have made me more comfortable being considered a missionary than a church planter. Our goal once we move to Lowry isn’t to build a church building or even immediately rent a meeting space. God hasn’t led us toward a large, planned launch date, flyers to encourage attendance, and hundreds in attendance that we haven’t even met yet. This is what many people think of when they hear of us as church planters. This works very effectively in some cases, in fact! However, God has molded and shaped our call into one of moving into a new “neighborhood”, building relationships, loving people like He loves, partnering with them before, during and after salvation. We will be on mission in Lowry, and even in other areas. Christ’s Church will grow out of these relationships, and we pray He transforms enough lives for us to have gatherings and build a local church, but we will continue the mission, regardless of whether a building and physical presence of a local church is ever wanted or needed there. We are missionaries, being sent to Lowry. Love and “The Great Commission” are the call and the priority. God is in control of it all! May His Kingdom be made great! What a privilege to be a part!
