The rain is gone and people are coming out from their long winter hibernation. Portland really begins to come alive about this time of year and only gets better from here.
Family Life
I must say (without bias) we have the two most amazing kids in the world. True is growing up to be an amazing little boy. He is learning to talk every day adding little words here and there to his vocabulary. Selah has learned to laugh at True and in turn True laughs back at Selah. They are going to be great friends. Ashley has been busy with them going to play groups, running errands, and teaching them the ways of life. Ashley and I are doing well. We recently began playing tennis again and are sharpening our skills in order to enter into a mixed doubles tournament here in a few months. We don’t presume to win, but do look forward to meeting some new friends!
Church Life
The Church has undergone a face lift this January. We changed our name officially from “Antioch Community Church” to “The Door Community of Faith”. People have responded well to the name change and it has created some opportunities within the city that we otherwise might not have had. People who don’t know Jesus can relate better to our current name, and recently more are willing to see what we are really about. We have also been focusing heavily this year on reaching our neighborhoods. We really want our church to impact our communities and we feel like that is beginning to happen. Lastly, the Great Commission Training School (our church planting school) is in full swing. We have six students in the school and they are doing an amazing job. Every student has risen to the challenge and is responding amazingly to the things God is putting on their hearts. We believe that out of this class several churches are going to be planted both in the US and around the world.
Ways to Pray
1. Pray that we would find a new location to meet on Sundays. We are currently outgrowing our facility, but we really want to remain downtown.
2. Pray for our leaders. We shifted recently to an elder model and it has really worked well. Pray that they would have wisdom to lead our church further than ever before.
3. Pray for our family that we would hear the Lord for the next five years. We are taking some time in the month of March to fast and pray about these next 5 years.
4. Pray for our neighborhood. We believe that God is going to move in a powerful way among our neighbors. Pray for an opening into our neighbor's lives so that we might be able to build a friendship and serve those around us!
Family Life
I must say (without bias) we have the two most amazing kids in the world. True is growing up to be an amazing little boy. He is learning to talk every day adding little words here and there to his vocabulary. Selah has learned to laugh at True and in turn True laughs back at Selah. They are going to be great friends. Ashley has been busy with them going to play groups, running errands, and teaching them the ways of life. Ashley and I are doing well. We recently began playing tennis again and are sharpening our skills in order to enter into a mixed doubles tournament here in a few months. We don’t presume to win, but do look forward to meeting some new friends!
Church Life
The Church has undergone a face lift this January. We changed our name officially from “Antioch Community Church” to “The Door Community of Faith”. People have responded well to the name change and it has created some opportunities within the city that we otherwise might not have had. People who don’t know Jesus can relate better to our current name, and recently more are willing to see what we are really about. We have also been focusing heavily this year on reaching our neighborhoods. We really want our church to impact our communities and we feel like that is beginning to happen. Lastly, the Great Commission Training School (our church planting school) is in full swing. We have six students in the school and they are doing an amazing job. Every student has risen to the challenge and is responding amazingly to the things God is putting on their hearts. We believe that out of this class several churches are going to be planted both in the US and around the world.
Ways to Pray
1. Pray that we would find a new location to meet on Sundays. We are currently outgrowing our facility, but we really want to remain downtown.
2. Pray for our leaders. We shifted recently to an elder model and it has really worked well. Pray that they would have wisdom to lead our church further than ever before.
3. Pray for our family that we would hear the Lord for the next five years. We are taking some time in the month of March to fast and pray about these next 5 years.
4. Pray for our neighborhood. We believe that God is going to move in a powerful way among our neighbors. Pray for an opening into our neighbor's lives so that we might be able to build a friendship and serve those around us!
Hello read your blog and enjoyed it! Would your church planting group have any interest in leasing a Trek Neighborhood Center in Portland as your home base of operations? It would be installed on the campus of a local school or park and be a 24-7 venue for reaching the neighborhood of your choice. I can send you a flyer if you will email me- Joe@wowjoe.com
ReplyDeleteBless you guys at The Door!
Your family is beautiful!!!! We miss you guys. We will continue to pray for your ministry and share it with our small group. We are currently going through On Mission With God by Blackaby and always looking for new minisries to lift up in prayer. Keep us posted! Love, Brandon, Kelley, Emma Grace and Noah
ReplyDelete