It's Official!

It's so good to be back home after our two weeks on the road in church planting training and assessment interviews with ARC (Association of Related Churches). Robin and I are wondering how we're ever going to remember all we've taken in so we can pass it on to you guys. As situations arise we'll be better prepared and able to proactively address them. And, there's always the books to open again and again!

ARC has officially invited Branches Church to partner with them in planting in Menomonie! It's an honor and a privilege to have the coaching, mentoring and accountability that comes with a successful organization like this. They will help nurture our strengths and coach us in our weaknesses until the vision of what God has placed in us is launched successfully and beyond.

As we continue the process of laying the foundation of a new work, we will find it is as much work inside each of us as it is putting our hands to work setting up a portable church on a Sunday morning. To help us in that process we are going through the John Burke book, "No Perfect People Allowed". Last week we completed chapter three asking ourselves these four questions as we build this local church:

1. When was the last time you really had a dialogue with a non-Christian person to try to understand why he or she held their particular beliefs?

2. If a spiritual seeker came into your church, would the average person try to convince him/her in one conversation to change, or be willing to dialogue and listen as much as speak?

3. Do you feel comfortable creating a culture where people could hang out, question, and doubt for months or years as they wrestle to find faith? What fears or concerns does it raise for you?

4. What personal mindset shift, vision-casting, story-telling, or organizational changes could be made to better create a culture of dialogue?

Branches Church is a "come as you are" place and although that seems a little simple, it is still a journey...for all of us; come as you are but don't stay that way. For some it is a journey of selflessness, for others a journey into their fears of pain and darkness. Either way, going from A to Z with God starts with A to B...and so on. So come as you are with us and we'll build this local church and journey into faith together!

Mike