Proverbs 19. 21 marked the beginning of the year in Barlanark:
“There are many purposes in man’s heart, but will the Lord’s plan remain?(Pv 19. 21)
In fact, all our experience here is summarized in this verse
18 months ago, we left our work as young people and embarked on this journey to establish a new gospel-centered church on the periphery on the one hand, it seems that little time has passed, but on the other hand, it seems that a life has been left behind.
At this point, our plans were to build a team, consolidate our vision, and start bringing the gospel to the many lost people around us. It didn’t take long for this to become our vision statement:
Spread the word about Jesus in Barlanark and beyond; proclaim the gospel by making disciples living in community.
This has generated harmony. He brought us closer together, united our passion for seeing people know Jesus.
Soon we had a great workplace, located in a local community center. We begin to study the Bible and pray with others every morning. We began to develop discipleship one by one for all members of our group. -Christians. We are beginning to see people professing faith.
At the end of summer 2016, a year after the full-time day, we had more than 15 adults professing the faith and working according to that vision. We had at least four non-Christians who were regularly in our meetings and in contact with many others. We had 9 kids and another one was on our way. And it looked like we were in the mood. Our first intern had just begun. Our group of children was eager to get started. We were encouraged, people seemed to know Jesus.
So we decided it was time to think about ‘start planting’. The next step in our plan was to officially meet on a Sunday, that would bring us closer. This would lead us from a group of Christians on a mission to be a committed and accepted local church, this would provide a focal point for our future non-Christian contacts, this would be the end and, at the same time, the beginning of our journey.
So we made a plan on April 2, 2017, this would be our first official service, that’s why we were working. This would be the moment when our dream, our vision, would come true.
However, don’t get me wrong. We were sure that wasn’t just our plan. In fact, we had been praying for this for months; in fact, for years. We seek the wisdom of others. We had talked a lot about it and everything seemed to be in place. It seemed that this was really the goal of the Lord.
People who had professed faith and grown up suddenly felt discouraged and abandoned; others who sought the Lord, slowly but surely, turned away; some who worked according to the vision were called to serve elsewhere; and others who participated in our vision realized that our theological beliefs were not aligned.
What seemed like a prosperous group of Christians who lived to “make Jesus known”, gradually began to dissipate from the base.
Now we return to the original 7 members of our group that we started two years ago and the last two months have left their mark.
In this ministerial effort, it seems that we have had to deal with one attack after another, personally and spiritually. We faced provocations in our homes, written opposition letters, rumors and false accusations made public, Christians told us that our vision would never come true and our team was forced to be part of their mission. Over the past year, as two families, we had to deal with what appears to be a continuous lack of sleep and normality at home, endless problems with the car, miscarriages, months of pain. illness and one problem after another in pastoral ministry.
And yet, in many ways, it was nothing compared to the last few months, we were aware of the Lord’s care at all times, and despite the most difficult times, he supported us.
But surely the implosion of our church planting team just before the formalization of the local church was not the Lord’s goal? That certainly wasn’t our plan. If you had given us a blank sheet of paper a few months ago and asked us to write our worst-case scenario before the official seeding, even that assumption probably wouldn’t be as difficult as reality.
It changes everything. We’re going to slow down. Let’s get together. We will postpone our official establishment as a local church from April 2 until the dust calms down.
No wonder people asked us if we were sure, shouldn’t we continue in faith?What is the magic number? I mean, biblically speaking, of course the 7th is the ideal starting point, isn’t it?!And there is no doubt that there is truth and wisdom in it.
But are there many men’s projects?
We feel more at peace now than in the last 6 months; more than ever, we are convinced that the time has come to unite and refocus on our mission; we feel freer than ever to proclaim the gospel. we feel ready to reorient our mission. energy to our task of going and “publicize Jesus. “
Perhaps the hardest part of all this is managing our own pride.
We were eager to be the first church stage for Harper Church and 20schemes in Glasgow. We were eager to lead and pastor this church we have been dreaming of for so long. We couldn’t wait to get there and start. Now, however, we must admit our weakness and say that our plans have failed. We have to face people who ask us if it is not for lack of faith that we do not continue to face difficulties. You must be patient and trust in the Lord FULLY.
But, this is not the end. It’s not a failure
It is the powerful and elegant hand of God who fulfills his purposes.
Despite the abundance of evidence that might suggest otherwise, we are CONVINCED that we are in the place God desires for us. Not because we have a growing team of mature Christians willing to give everything for the cause, not because we have buildings and activities to act as a safe network for our group, not because we see a lot of knowing Jesus, but because there are almost 4,000 people lost on our periphery who need to hear the words of the gospel. As we still have this treasure, certainly in fragile and fallible clay vessels, this in itself will bring hope to the desperate. Because Barlanark (like every periphery and community in our country) still needs to know Jesus.
“In all of us, we are troubled, but not afflicted; perplexed, but not discouraged; persecuted, but not abandoned; slitting, but not destroyed; Always carrying the death of Jesus in the body, so that his life may also manifest in ours Why do we, who live, always dedicated to death by Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also manifest himself in our mortal flesh?(2Co 4. 8-11).
And so, more than ever, we cling to the vision
We are convinced that it will be for the sake of our group. As you move forward, you can build a stronger foundation. May we learn these lessons and continue with renewed joy and strength. It is God’s grace to slow us down here, rather than let us implod when we really started.
And then we are convinced that it will be for the supreme glory of God. Correct any claim that we have this church establishment in full control. Make it clear that only he will build his church. God shows the world that it is EVERYTHING to him.
Therefore, we continue to proclaim the gospel. We continue to make disciples, we continue to live in community. We continue to pray enthusiastically that the Will of the Lord may be fulfilled and that he truly builds his church and brings many lost people to meet Jesus in Barlanark and beyond.
We didn’t plan it that way. But the Lord planned it, and we are happy.
There are many goals in man’s heart, but the Lord’s plan will remain
By: Pete Stewart, © 20 diagrams. Website: 20schemes. com. Translated with permission. Source: Establishment of the Church; What happens when it doesn’t work?
Original: Establishment of the church: what happens when the settlement is not done in our direction?© Return to the Gospel. Website: voltemosaoevangelho. com All rights reserved. Translation and rereading: William and Camila Rebeca Teixeira.