Pushing through...

Yes, this is my second blog of the day.  But I have not given a practical update in a while, so I thought I would give an update on how things are progressing.

No, our house has not sold yet.  It is frustrating, but we are working hard to sell it.  Here are some great encouragements.  First, my wife Brittney, still is not in need of monthly procedures, God has fulfilled His promise of that.  I have actually seen  Lakewood, which I am in love with.  I went up for about a week, and met with church leaders, businesses, and generally got in touch with the culture up there.  Landon has graduated from NMSU and we have been meeting to establish the foundation of the church plant.  It is great to see that God has given him the same vision that He gave me, and in the correct capacity, to help, follow, and lift up Jesus in the northwest.
I am currently still looking for a job, not a career, in the Lakewood/Tacoma area.  Waiting upon the Lord to see exactly how we are follow the Lord.  Please pray that we are sensitive to His leading, and see the doors open. 
In 1 Corinthians 16:9 Paul says, "For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries."  I think that is true in most cases.  It is our job to "fear not" as we are commanded to do so often in scripture.
It seems that all our plans are laid to waste, if we are not sensitive to the Spirit.  In my previous post I spoke of the importance of loyalty, and keeping our word.  We still believe that we are to leave in July, and by God's will, we will. 
It is not all tough, and we are so excited for the adventure.  The people in Lakewood are very different from the culture of the southwest.  Open, friendly, misguided, and  spiritually abused.  There are many hurting people, many people are in great need of Jesus.  We are expecting things to progress quickly as the time before our expected departure.  There is no question in my heart that we will leave, in July.  If we need to rent out our houses, we will, and leave it in the Lord's hands.
Landon will be joining us in early August, as his internship will end then.  He will join our family in Washington, in the house we will be renting.  We are so pleased to be live together, serve together, and plant together to the Glory of God..

Thank you for all your prayers and support.  We will soon continue to hold support meetings in our home.   

In Him,

Cam

Temptation, and loyalty.

There is something to be said for the trend of church planting in America today.  Networks are springing up like the weeds in the front of my house.  Almost every week I see a new network, a new way of planting, and more resources.  When we went to "fit for the field" a year ago now, I met Peyton Jones, and learned of New Breed Church Planting.  Right away we hit it off, and I knew that I was called into the New Breed Network.  Over the past year Peyton and I have become close, built a relationship, and I have learned much from a seasoned veteran church planter.  New Breed does not charge me, does not pay me, but equips me to plant a church.  I am grateful for all of these things.
I have heard my Senior Pastor, Pat Kestell, give wisdom on church planting, and the importance of servant hood.  He has also said that some have a brand, mine is the Calvary dove, hidden somewhere in their heart, or as he says, on their butt. 
So that brings me to the point I want to make.  I have seen the Calvary Church planting network grow and mature into something great.  Kellen Criswell, whom I met at "fit for the field", is highly involved in this movement, and I see a great network emerging to meet the needs of the new generation of church planters.  Namely through money.  It is tempting for church planters like me to jump ship and follow the money, to make things as easy a possible.  Or to take the edge off the cost of planting.  I can't get around the need for some support, but I also cannot get around the the call of God, and the fit with New Breed. 
Church Planting is not about church hoppers.  It is about unbelievers, spreading the Gospel, and seeking those far from God.  In turn, if we were to hop networks, what does that say about the mission of Calvary South Sound?  If we hop onto to the latest and greatest thing, we would be network hopping, and that is not a good thing.  God is not poor, those guys that portray that really cheese me off, and He will provide. 
We are blessed to have so many people that love us, coach us, and support us.  Thank you to Pat, Peyton, Kellen, and Kevin, that have taken time out of their lives to pour into mine.  I cannot say enough about these men. 
So I see that I do have a brand in my heart.  First and foremost the cross of Christ, but that needs to be a given for any that love Jesus.  I am talking about the method, and kind of church that God has placed on my heart.  So the dove is there, and has been since He called me to preach, and New Breed as a Network. 
This is not to promote or pull back from any network.  Just to say, loyalty matters.  Our word matters.

In Him,
Cam

It's the deep breath before the plunge...

On the eve of battle Gandalf said of the silence, "It's the deep breath before the plunge."  almost immediately afterward a startling fire shoots into the sky as the armies of Sauron are marching against the people of middle earth.  His words resonate within me.  We are about two months out from our move to Lakewood.  It seems that all is quiet, all is still.  My children are in anticipation of moving, but do not understand the war that we are stepping into.  My amazing and supportive wife gently encourages me as so many things still have to happen, by the hand of God, for us to move.  All is quiet, all are still.
Yet in the distance, in my soul, I see the armies of Satan preparing for war, beating their drums, howling hideous screams of discouragement at me.  All this, and in my flesh, I cower.  It's a hard thing to admit, that you are scared.  That you have fear, as a man.  I should have the Holy Spirit fill me like an adrenaline surge, in defiance to all those that would oppose the mighty work of God.  Yet, I can't help but wonder, who am I?  Who am I that I should do battle for the Lord?  I'm not David, standing in defiance before the mighty Goliath.  I'm not Elijah, mocking the enemies of God, with the steadfast confidence in the power of the Lord God.  I am certainly not Paul, preaching before great men of power, opposing Peter to his face, ready to suffer, ready to be humiliated, stoned, and shipwrecked, all for the glory of Jesus.  I feel more like Periguin Took, who says that he does not want to be in a battle.  The shame of disbelief runs through my veins.
In the Bible, the number one command is, "fear not."  Fear not, because He is with me.  I wish that there was some sore of ruckus happening, some noise, something to distract me from this command.  Fear not, Jesus tells me, for I am with you.

No Fear, the power of the Living God, is with me.

In Him,

Cam