The Crash Update

So here we are.  A little over a year into the journey here in Eugene and it feels like we are on the cusp of something awesome.  Tonight I am meeting with a group of trustees from a church that may let us use their building on Sunday nights to begin the church plant called The Beautiful Mess.  Our team here on the ground is looking to partner with a couple of amazing men who have been doing ministry in this area for quite some time.  The partnership would look like a group of people setting up a mission outpost in the middle of the most unbelieving are of Eugene, The Whittaker District.  The guys are Ethan Hollub and you can check out stuff he is doing here.  He has been an associate pastor and missionary in several countries.  More than anything he has a heart to see the Gospel change Eugene.  The other guy is Ken Harvey.  Ken is currently the director of Hosea Youth Services which works with homeless youth.  He was also a youth minister in this area for many years.  It is amazing how God drew us together along with the teams of people who work with us to serve a community that is struggling.

So what does The Beautiful Mess look like?  Like church, but not really.  Church one day may be going and cleaning up people's yards in the community.  It may be cooking out in the park and playing some jazz music.  It may mean serving at the Egan Warming Center or Eugene Mission.  It could mean we cover the tab for an hour at Sweet Life and just hang out with people as they snack.  It could mean buying some groceries at The Red Apple and distributing them to the community.  Somedays it will be worship and prayer and teaching and others it will be serving and ministry.  We really are not looking at this as a traditional plant, but as a group intentionally showing the amazing love and grace of Jesus to the community around them.  As people connect we hope to disciple them and lead them to participate in their own expressions of Christ's love.  The team God has put together has people from the Mission, from the Crash, from Prayer Houses, from Hosea and so on.  Local churches such as The Shift and University Fellowship are advising and partnering with the mission.

I'm excited about what the days ahead hold.  Pray that tonight goes exactly the way God wants it.  If he longs for us to proceed that he will open the door and if we are getting ahead of ourselves that he will slam it shut.  I'm okay with whatever God wants.  It's all for His Glory anyway.

I will keep you all posted.

Comments

  1. Replies
    1. thanks man, we've got to get together for coffee again some time

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  2. I LIKE THE WAY THAT SOUNDS!!!
    WE WILL ALL BE PRAYING THAT IS SUCCESSFUL!

    ReplyDelete

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