Huge Turnout at Coffee House Forum on Church Planting

After adding extra tables and chairs, and setting up a microphone for the unexpectedly large turnout, everyone settled in to listen, share, and dream about the possibility of East Hills doing a church plant.

Pastor Nick took some time to give an overview of how church planting has been on the hearts of the people of East Hills through many decades, and while it has sometimes been moved to the back burner, the vision to plant keeps popping up.

There are many statistics that support planting churches, but the most compelling is that church plants are the most effective form of evangelism today.

After Nick’s presentation, the floor was opened for questions and comments on the matter. Of the over 50 people in attendance, many had something to say. Here are some highlights from the discussion. (If you would like a full transcript or audio recording of the evening, contact the church office.)

"A church plant is like a child. We instill our values, but our child (plant) will take on its own ministries and strengths as we let it grow."

"Is the decision to plant a new church already made? I think in the back of our minds we’re thinking ‘it’s already done.’" Pastor Nick’s response to this common sentiment was "That as the lead pastor, I have made a decision to take steps in that direction. But it’s not a bus I’m driving, but I’m stopping and asking questions. Having the conversation is what’s essential at this point. I’m not trying to push it forward. I want us to take steps together to see if this is what God wants to do."

"You talked about one of the benefits of planting is that we can partner with the daughter church in events and outreaches. But it is sad that the only partnership we can take part in is with our own brainchild. Shouldn’t we be doing this with other churches in the community now?" Sadly, we can plant a church faster than we could learn to work with other churches. Buy in is extremely slow for partnering churches. The Longview/Kelso Ministerial Association has spent 20 years trying to accomplish just this, and is just beginning to scratch the surface.

"What are we looking for in a church planter staff person?" Evangelistic, entrepreneurial, administrative. This person would go through extensive assessment before ever being hired to determine if they have the right stuff to be a church planter. The planter would become a part of East Hills as a church planter in residence, and then let their vision and their passions mold what our new plant would look like.

"What about the possibility of taking over Splitz bowling and just enlarging East Hills?" There was much discussion on this topic from various people. "You miss people unless you’re in a different geographical location." "Our community is proud of being a small town. This area really likes small churches and the feeling of mini communities. "People really need to know they are cared for, and you don’t get that in a larger church."

"What are other things we can do to reach out instead of planting a new church." "What are those church plants doing that really attract new people, who then become new believers?" Nick’s response: "Yes, that’s the conversation we need to be having. What can we do outreach wise to reach those who would never come otherwise? Church plants create relationships. Relationships create evangelism opportunities."

"What if our good leaders leave with the church plant? What are we left with?" Response from the group: "If all the good people left, the people you didn’t know sitting next to you will surprise you with their gifts. Vacancies create leadership opportunities."

"When our life group split, it hurt. But I’m excited about this church plant and its flavor, and who it’s going to minister to!"

"I feel like God will always provide when we get to that spot."

"This is a faith process. If this goes, God will cover it. God works when we risk. When we obey and step out in faith, God will reward and bless it."

Testimonies of God at Work

By Jim Fishel:

Changes are a necessary part of life. Without changes we would not mature or gain skills or meet new friends. For example, as parents we are always looking for changes in our children. We look for the first step, the first word, the first report card from school. We want our children to change from infants to toddlers to teens and finally to mature adults. Change sometimes scares us because we don’t know what is ahead of us. What challenges will we face if we start doing things differently?

I remember some major changes that Sharon and I experienced without knowing for certain what the outcomes would be. In the first year of our marriage we were convinced that God wanted us to tithe, and though our income and expenses were very close we chose to follow God’s leading. That same week as a confirmation we had done the right thing I got to work some unexpected overtime with extra pay. I’d like to tell you that we never had a financial difficulty after that, but what I can say is God has been faithful and has provided our every need. When our two daughters were still small we were convinced we needed to move our family out of California. So we moved to Oregon in 1976 without a job to go to or a house to live in. We just packed up our belongings and moved. We were trusting God to provide the things we needed because He knew all about us and certainly knew all our needs.

We bought a 6 acre property of trees, ferns and poison oak and built a home. The mid Willamette Valley in 1976 was experiencing a minor drought. As a confirmation that God was in this move, we planted a garden that God watered with small clouds that only dropped water on the garden. We raised our girls along with rabbits, chickens, sheep, pony, horse, goat, dogs and cats with no prior experience except for the dogs. The most important change for us though was attending and getting involved in the Veneta Christian and Missionary Alliance Church. We had missionaries stay in our home and their impact on us and our children is immeasurable.

My employment was on and off and in 1988 I was offered a position in Portland. After much prayer we decided to try to sell the house and all the animals (except the dogs). Sharon contacted a local church that put out a weekly newsletter and in less than a week we had sold or given away all the animals and had an offer on the house. This was another confirmation that God was in this move also.

Another big change came in 1994 when we became grandparents and I can tell you if I knew how fun that was I would have traded raising kids to being grandpa. In 1995 our other daughter married and made us empty nesters. We had planned for this change by following some advice we had received years before to maintain our "two" while we were a family of four.

The next big change came last year. During my routine annual physical my Doctor asked "How are you feeling?" As a man my usual response has been" Fine", but this time I said "I get a slight pain in my chest when I mow the lawn." He set me up for a stress test which I failed and a couple of weeks later had bypass surgery. Now I have to change a few of the habits I have had in order to provide a healthier environment for my heart.

It is easy to develop habits or behaviors by just doing the same things over and over. I’m not referring just to bad habits or things I should not be doing, but to the patterns that our lives develop in ordinary daily living. For most of the last 53 years I’ve been waking early, dressing, eating breakfast, driving to work, coming home, eating dinner, going to bed and starting the same process over the next day. Weekends varied the routine, but what I’m saying is that habits develop. Changing those habits is going to be a challenge.

At the end of July we started our latest life change. Sharon and I retired. I wanted to retire years ago but had to wait for my child bride to get old enough to join me. Retirement will be a big change in our lives and I like the challenges that this change brings. For the last 3 months my alarm clock has been set about 4 times. The habit of early rising has been broken without a struggle.

Pastor Nick’s latest sermons on freedom are an exciting series of making necessary changes to move from sin to righteous behavior. I expect the truth of God’s Word to reveal sin in me and continue to set me free.

Interview with Amber Hansen

Bio-Notes . . . Amber Hanson was introduced to Jesus Christ as a child at summer camp, probably at the age of ten or twelve, but in December, 2010, being in relationship with Jesus became real for her.

Amber grew up in Longview, and graduated from Mark Morris High School. She is employed by OHSU, and works in the Casey Eye Institute in Longview. She began her training and employment in the optical department, and is now a receptionist there. Her two boys, Micah, 5, and Jonah, 2, claim any free time she has. She loves being with them as much as she can.

The House: As we talked about, the November issue of The House is focused on seasons of life and the challenges in change, including the steps we are learning about as part of the "Setting Me Free" series.

The video was saw two weeks ago about the major change in your life in the last year certainly speaks to all these things. In the video you shared that from the age of fifteen until you were twenty-five, you were using some kind of narcotic, and that in December, 2010, you ran out of money, became very ill, and pretty much came to the end of yourself being in control of your life.

Can you tell us what you think caused this drastic change in your life, beyond your circumstances? Amber: Running out of money and being very ill really forced me to look at my life. I know my prayers and the prayers of my family are what really made the difference. I went through sixteen days of withdrawal, and I was angry when the only person who knew I had been hiding this secret for ten years told my family and the doctors, but I am grateful now that she did.

The House: "Setting Me Free" talks about how "confession destroys the barrier of pride, creating humility." How have you experienced that truth? Amber: Every day I see something new that makes me think, "How did I not see that before?" I am confronted every day with something else that my addiction allowed me to hide from. I am grateful for the new life I have, even with all the challenges. I know I am growing in faith, and "one day at a time" applies to my life, and I’m glad it does. The House: We are very grateful to you for sharing your story with us. It’s a privilege to hear about your journey. Amber: I am grateful for an appropriate time and place to share it. I know it is important for my life and future, and for my children’s lives. And, I always hope there is someone hearing my story who is like I was, and might have the courage to surrender their life to God, and be able to receive it back from Him, but in the way He has for them.

The House: Another aspect of "Setting Me Free" is about patience, a word none of use likes much, because we know that means learning to wait on God and seeking His plan for our lives, when sometimes that is very difficult. What do you have to say about patience in your life now? Amber: I believe I am learning to trust Him, to "live and let live", meaning that I just need to live my life out, day to day, and not try to manage and control everything. I don’t have "new" plans beyond living one day at a time, working, playing with my sons, and doing the work it takes to remain sober. I know that change will come when God knows I am ready for it. The House: You are working, raising your boys, and going to NA meetings. Since we’re talking about changing seasons in our lives, are there some changes in yours? Amber: Yes! I’ve deleted my FaceBook account, leaving my cell phone off, at home or in my car, not holding it in my hand all the time, constantly checking for messages. I’m amazed at how freeing that is; not being "on call" all the time.

I check it a few times throughout my day, just to be sure I can be reached in an emergency with my kids or something, but I find my thought-life is not as anxious and "cluttered" as it was when I was constantly "checking in". I found that stuff I had been "sitting on" for six months, feeling like I didn’t have time to do, suddenly were things I had time for. It feels really good to not let "distracting electronics" dictate to me all day! LOL! The House: You’ve done so well with your recovery. What are the challenges you feel are on your horizon now? Amber: I still have to struggle with being with friends who are not in a recovery program, and might not need to be, but continue to have a drink. That is not something I can do, so being comfortable with them is hard. I also have a hard time with "having nothing to do". If I have a time like that, I usually fill it up with visiting family, taking my boys somewhere, like OMSI, anything but "doing nothing". It will be great when "doing nothing" is okay for me. The House: It is really wonderful to hear your enthusiasm for learning about your faith, bringing friends to EHA to hear what you’re hearing, and how diligent you are about your recovery. We are with you, and praying for continued healing and wholeness. Thank you so much for sharing your story again! It’s so clear that you understand how much we all need God in our lives, and that He wants so much for us to be free in Him to live the life He has in mind for us!

We will remember the word you felt was most important: SURRENDER!

Time Marches On...

In the Pacific Northwest, changing seasons from winter to spring and spring to summer can be a little difficult to mark.

"Is this still winter rain, or have we moved on to spring showers?"

"Is it going to stay warmer long enough to say summer has arrived?"

Fall, however, is a little more easily defined because of the trees. When the brilliant yellows, oranges and reds appear, we feel a briskness in our souls, gear up for trick or treat-ers, jack-o-lanterns, plan our shopping for the right turkey for this year’s Thanksgiving gathering, and start getting serious about that Christmas list.

This seems like the season to take inventory of our lives as well . . .

"What has changed for me since this time last year?" "Has this year been especially trying for me?" "Do I feel ‘asleep at the wheel’ or is everything ‘on track’?

Perhaps this is the time to join a Bible-study group, Life Group, or book club.

Have you ever tried a "morning letter to God"? It can be a great exercise in getting your heart-thoughts down on paper. You might be surprised at what comes out when you write for five minutes without allowing yourself to "edit". Just "Dear God . . . "a deep breath, and what comes. Giving yourself a little time restraint, and not allowing editing, but speaking from your heart, can really be something that brings clarity to questions and pondering you’ve had going on "in the background" and bring it to the front so you can ask Him to help you with the underlying motivation for those thoughts.

Maybe you would be willing to tell us a little about something new in your life . . . a baby, a job, a book, a study . . . anything that has caused you to "adjust your sails" a little.

Here’s one of mine: I’m adjusting my calendar to allow more time for writing. I’ve had several writing projects lying on my desk, waiting for me, and letting them collect dust because I started them, but stopped when they got hard. Some of them are ancient!

I’ve been convicted that I need to be obedient in finishing them, not judging them before they have a chance to breathe, and just plain having the discipline to sit there until something comes. It’s hard, but I have good friends and family who have heard me out about it, and called me on it.

I went away for a retreat in early October, with the question of working on these things at the front of my mind. On the first morning, I gathered at a table before breakfast with several friends to complete the guided study we were provided. When we had all finished our study worksheets, we began a conversation that included discussing study/devotional books that had influenced us.

The woman on my right mentioned a book, and the woman on my left said, "That’s amazing! That book changed my life! I had forgotten about it!"

A few minutes later, the woman on my left mentioned another book, and the woman on my right said, "That’s amazing! That book changed my life! I had forgotten about it!"

This conversation was "in my face". I came to the retreat questioning whether the hard work of finishing these writing pieces "matters". The conversation between these two women said to me that I needed to finish what I had been called to do, without judging the outcome, and trying to decide before I am finished if I actually have something to say.

The Holy Spirit was pretty clear: "That’s not your business. You need to be obedient, and leave the results up to me."

It wasn’t easy. I came away from the weekend doing an inventory of my time, to see if I could squeeze in some writing time. My cohorts pounced on me! "Stop postponing what you’ve clearly been told to do. Just do it!"

So, this new season, I’m moving things around, and making time for writing. It’s hard. And good.

What’s up for you? Are you being called to "do it differently" in some way?

Please share your walk. It’s how we help one another grow.

Mary Hagle, Editor, The House

Proverbs 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. KJV

In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths. AmplifiedBible

Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;　he's the one who will keep you on track. The Message