Makes me smile….
I find some pictures of the church we planted in Iowa today. Man, that thing was rough. I planted Heartland when I was 22 and I didn’t know anything. I was there 3 1/2 years and during that time we grew, bought 10 acres right across the street from Wal-Mart, and I learned how NOT to plant and pastor a church (something others should learn). This church about killed me, about killed my marriage, but it also made the man I am today with the convictions I have today about church and church planting. I am very dogmatic in my views on church. You don’t go through what I went through in Iowa and not have firm views on how church should be.
For a long time I struggled with my time there but, I am able to look back now a be very thankful for my time there.
1.) They are going great. I often joke that the best thing that ever happened to them was me leaving. They just completed their second building program in three years, they are growing like crazy and some of the people we got attending there are now serving and growing in their faith. That was hard for me for a long time. I am not as spiritual (thank God) as some of you and I struggled that they were growing after I left, but if they would have died, I would have been a pretty bad leader. I got to plant and someone else go to enjoy that. That is cool with me.
2.) I have a great young couple in my church who are from that church. They serve everywhere in our church and I KNOW they would do anything for me. My time in Iowa was worth it for them.
3.) My time there is greatly responsible for what God has done here. Like I said, I learned how NOT to plant a church there. I have heard through the grapevine that I brag to much about RSC on my blog. First of all, get over it. RSC is a God thing and that is worth bragging on. Second of all, after what I dealt with in Iowa, I can’t help but be excited about what God is doing here.
Anyway, none of you probably care about that, but seeing the old pictures made me smile….