Boot Camp

We headed to Church Multiplication Boot Camp last week with a stronger belief in God's power.  Thanks to our experiences in Atlanta, God felt larger.  Pursuing righteousness has greater benefits than a healthy life, it allows us to trust God and believe our prayers will be answered.  Not a bad place to be when beginning a week of learning new habits. 


The first few days of the camp were slower than we expected.  Many of the other church planters were still getting to know their communities.  We have been serving the homeless and impoverished for six years.  Many were still grappling with vision.  Through this blog God has been clarifying and refining the vision.  Mapping out the needs of the homeless community and ways to meet those needs came easily.  Then we hit a head wind.  Trinity and Roger, both successful church planters and our facilitators for the week, began asking tougher questions, "who will plant this church with you, what is your plan, and how will you fund it."  


Wow, great questions.  God has brought solid men and women alongside us but how many share our vision for those experiencing homelessness in Tallahassee.  More than any other family within our fellowship at Freedom Church, the Fraziers are our closest friends and ministry partners.  We would love to have them at our side at Connections, but they carefully chose Freedom as their church home and may not be able to invest.  Others, especially those experiencing homelessness or recovering from homelessness share our vision, but how many are ready to stand?  Most will be asked to serve as volunteers in the beginning, believing God will provide part time and full time positions as we move forward.  By the end of the week we understood our launch team will need to be as committed as we are.  


God blessed us with His vision for Connections three years ago.  We are excited about holding our first service.  However, when we began considering the number of details required to launch, it began to feel overwhelming.  Fortunately, God has trained Deniz in project management.  While Jeff fought off anxiety, she pushed ahead mapping out the next months.  We have a new appreciation for talents and gifts.  Connection will trust in God while seeking His guidance through the entire process.  Rushing before having His resources in place would be foolish.


Resources, where are we going to find them?  How big is our God?  Unlike traditional fellowships which rely primarily on tithing we will need to look beyond our congregation.  Tithing will be taught and expected at Connections but additional help will be needed. As we move towards launch we are confident God will provide the funds.  Without God as a partner Connections will not succeed.  We choose to trust His vision.


If you are interested in playing a role in planting Connections and feel ready to commit fully to it's successful launch please contact us soon.  We encourage you to talk to your Pastor.  We appreciate Pastors with a heart for planting churches but understand the value of workers.  If you would like to remain with your current church, don't worry, there will still be many opportunities to partner with Connections.  


 ¹⁵ And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. ¹⁷ Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. (James 5:15-17, New King James Version)


  ³¹ “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:31-33, New King James Version)