Church Planting in the Fog

There are those times when it seems life is being lived in a fog bank; stretches of time when duties are performed and obligations met, but with no real sense of the big picture.

Our past two weeks have felt fog bound. (Our bipolar SE Alaska weather only serves as a constant metaphor.) We've been busy. Perhaps too busy. Emotionally we've hit some exhilarating highs, but these felt sandwiched with soul-flattening lows. Sabbath rest has been hard to come by.

We went zip-lining 120 feet in the trees over an old gold mine a week ago. It was a rush, and a good break away from life at the usual altitude. We also endured the heartbreak of putting down our old but beloved family dog. In the days following we missed her, and even the inconveniences of dog ownership. (Dog owners get this. Non dog-owners don't.) With children grown and gone, Deb is feeling the loss of someone to nurture. (Not that I've gone anywhere, mind you.)

I've been subbing a lot; more than I expected and sometimes more than I wanted. But in the midst of the fog God has graced me with conversations shared with students and staff I never could have initiated on my own. I also worked as a timer for a regional championship track meet this past weekend. Bright sun on Friday. Driving rain on Saturday. It was good to serve, and I came home tired. I also had my first go at being a volunteer at the Visitor's Center Kiosk down by the cruise ship terminal on Wednesday. Talked with a good number of Australians. They're always fun. They called me "mate."

Admittedly though, I cannot say I've made a lot of "progress" in working "on" Radiant Church Juneau during this stretch. I didn't allow myself time, and had little to show. But in the midst of the fog I was given a gift. I was given a re-realization of what my calling is, and is not.

As church-planters, as Jesus-followers we are not called to make churches. I may be a church-planter, but I do not build the church. That role and responsibility is reserved for Jesus alone. What we are called to do is make disciples. Being and making disciples is what Jesus called His Church to be and do (Matthew 28:19).

With this as a new evaluative criterion I reviewed the past two weeks again. God is making disciples. He's making a disciple out of me. He's even gracing me with conversations and events and experiences where I can be a disciple-maker. Even in the fog.

Upon further review, it's been a good two weeks.