Trading Places...

This month Tim Holman (Pastor of New Hope Ashland), Tim Broughton (Pastor of New Hope Wooster), Dave Pound (Pastor of Berean Baptist Mansfield), and I spent time visiting and teaching at each others venue.

(Bethany, Christopher & I visited and spoke at New Hope Ashland & Wooster)

Here are the main reasons we did this and why I believe we should keep doing it...

1.  Fresh Voices - I have heard of churches where people take a Sunday off if they learn the primary communicator is out of town.  To me this is not a sign of how much people like the main voice, but commentary on how the people at those places love and follow a person significantly more than Jesus.

While I want to make sure that we are hearing from good skilled voices, I have noticed an important reality over the past two decades of ministry.  No matter how good a teacher is, over time the audience begins to tune certain things out.  I love that we heard three other excellent voices this month...it helps us all wake up and tune in!

2.  Family - While every church who lifts the name of Jesus is family...there is something significant about the fact that the church I pastor would not exist in the same way if it wasn't for Dave Pound & Berean Baptist (aka - Mom).  If it wasn't for the catalytic presence of Charles Hill, the founding pastor of New Hope Loudonville pushing to see more campuses birthed, these vibrant ministries in Wooster and Ashland would not exist like they currently do.

We are all connected as different expressions of the bride of Christ, but we are also more immediately and intimately family in that if not for each other much of what we have today would never have had life.

3.  The Future - One of the top three things on my todo list after arriving in Loudonville last July was to contact and connect with Tim, Tim, & Dave.  After 14 months on the ground I love these guys and appreciate their heart for Jesus and their partnership in ministry.  While it is great that we could share this series and that the New Hopes are having a huge family reunion/baptsim celebration this Sunday afternoon at Round Lake, my main concern was not for this series or the coming event.

It excites me to think of how much more multiple churches working together can accomplish for God's Kingdom than any of us could alone!  As we plant new churches and fresh expressions of the Kingdom throughout our communities and region, the accelerated pace we see these things happen will only be possible because of what God has done, what God is doing, and our willingness to join in His work together as a larger family!