Momentum, Challenges, Excitement, Opportunity

Momentum: I blogged about momentum a while back.  It's a tricky thing you know?  Its very essence demands that there be seasons of experiencing the opposite of momentum.  I guess that would be stagnation and/or struggle.  By the grace of God I believe we are experiencing momentum right now.  Thank you for all of your prayers.  I truly believe prayer is the crucial ingredient.  Most of you know that congregational prayer is THE emphasis for The Pathway this year.  We've been gathering monthly for concerts of prayer and asking God to bring spiritual healing to our city.  

As always, God has been gracious.  Easter and everything that went with it (Sponsoring a 5k, Murder Mystery, Good Friday Gathering, pancake breakfast, baptisms and more) has sparked new momentum for our church.  The arrival of our new Associate Pastor and his family coupled with the grace with which our former worship leader has teamed with him has brought momentum.  I shared several blogs ago that I have been asking God to help us eclipse the 100 people barrier in our worship gatherings and this month we averaged 97... he knows what he is doing.  We've launched 3 new groups and one more launches this week.  God is good.

Challenges:  Of course when the Spirit brings momentum challenges ALWAYS arise.  In recent days we have learned that 2 couples who are key leaders in our church are moving on.  They both lead Intentional Communities, they have both been with our church for extended periods of time... they are both incredible.  My first reaction to the news was fear.  After all, I'm always blogging about how we need more leaders.  But God has reminded me, in a very clear and loving way, that when Jesus is your leader, you need not be afraid.  He is going to provide new leaders and even greater opportunities for our church and more importantly for his Kingdom going forward.

Excitement: This perspective has moved me from fear to excitement.  After all, these couples are missionaries.  They truly are.  Now they are going to new cities in different states to saturate their new communities with the gospel.  This is what we prayed for from the beginning of The Pathway.  It's in our vision statement... We want to be a church with beautiful feet... sending missionaries.  We want to pray for them, celebrate what God is doing in them and support them as they go.  There are not many things more exciting than sending missionaries!

Opportunity: With every wave of momentum, with every challenge and with every exciting new venture comes a swell of opportunity.  I would ask you all to pray for new leaders to rise up, new leaders to embrace God's call on their lives and new disciples to lead new Intentional Communities.  There is tremendous spiritual opportunity in Tacoma.  God has been working, is working and will continue to work.  Please join us in praying for the spiritual healing of the people in Tacoma.  We are desperate for it.  We are broken for these people.  We believe the opportunity is endless and we are asking God to continue to provide workers for this incredible mission field!

[14] if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14 ESV