Lancaster City’s Missional BIC Church

I have been blessed with outstanding denominational leaders, elders and pastors in the Brethren in Christ Church. Together we will be planting an emerging-missional church in Lancaster City aka Inner Metro Green. Yes, we are an emerging church; we are missional minded too. You can find us enjoying life, culture, coffee, church and God in our city. Feel free to join us!

Now, a little back story concerning this emerging ministry to Lancaster City …

I am a serious “Type A” sort of guy. In fact, I may be pushing the limits of this “Type” well into the red line. I’ll “go off,” and expect those closest to me to hang on for dear life. I have always been this way. I jumped on a Greyhound, for example, with $200.00 and moved to Los Angeles when I was 19 years old. No problem. It turned out less than disastrous; I lived in Los Angeles for three and a half years. This character trait o’ mine is a blessing and a detriment. I’m sure I’m not alone. I think we all find blessing and detriment in our reflections concerning our strongest gifts. We all should remain cognizant of the two-sided nature of these specific gift(s). I am very much aware of my own. I’m aware God can do more with me and my gifts than I can on my own. So, I’m learning to step out of my own way, so to speak. I’m learning …

So, with a mere two weeks left in my seminary career, and rent running out on the seminary housing in which my family and me comfortably squat, I needed a bit of information with which I could make some serious decisions. This was surprisingly difficult! Why? Well, because I think these decisions need to be made in concert with my denominational leaders and elders. I also realize that these decisions will affect my wife and children. Yes, the anxiety was growing, but for the first time in my life, I let my red-lining “Type A” carry me toward denomination leaders and elders, instead of away from them. I’m most comfortable when I take control of my own destiny; I lean toward anxiety when something like time is running out and life decisions that affect me and my family are somewhat out of my hands. I needed more information, so I could start trekking normally. I don’t sit well when there is serious work to do. I needed to plan, organize, strategize, and start moving, but in concert with leaders and elders. I’m doing it right this time. I’m not going anywhere. I am going to sit and watch what God does for me. I think I’m having some sort of epiphany … or something.

At any rate, I met my Bishop today for coffee and I articulated my growing need for some basic information with which we could begin to properly transition from seminary. Basically, I needed to know if I should lease an apartment for a year, purchase a home (cheaper than renting!), apply for church positions (which I did), find secular employment, find secular employment with health care, drop $800.00 dollars to squat in our comfy seminary housing beyond May and into June, etc. Seriously, there is a lot to consider as one’s final semester of campus living ticks toward zero. Too, any of these decisions, which I felt had to be made soon, could totally wreck any plans the denomination had for me. I did not want to do anything of the sort! So, I thought it through: Could the denomination ask me to plant a church in a different location this year? Not if I signed a lease for an apartment for a year! Could the denomination ask me to hang here for a bit longer? Well, then I’ll move in May, so I can avoid dropping $800.00 on seminary housing through June. Should I apply for a non-planting church position? Maybe, but I’ll be dedicated to that position for many, many years to come. This may not be the most effective thing I could do for the BIC, especially if I was pegged to plant a church. Too, I was concerned with the number of times my family would have to move, after leaving seminary. I don’t want to move my family two or three more times. So, I had a lot of questions, and I needed some information, especially as seminary time continued to run out. Tick-tock.

As if the above was not enough to wrestle with, I too had to wrestle with the fact that my family loves our home church and the Lancaster area. They really would prefer to not leave them. Truth be told, I’m not too big into wandering anymore either. Nomads we are no longer! I take my family’s desires, needs, and wants seriously. I am floored daily by the responsibility God has given me in my wife and children.

The bishop was awesome and gracious. I needed a bit of guidance, and was offered it. I was not given the complete picture today (it’s still forming). I never asked for it. I just needed one little piece of info, with which I could then tip over some of my dominoes. I needed to know where my family would be ministering. I have that information, tonight. I can start making some very, very important adjustments and moves. I don’t have the full details, but that’s cool. I don’t need them right now; they will be coming later this week. Right now, I know this: I’m doing what is best for my family; I’m in the middle of God’s will; I’m in concert with my denomination leaders and elders. I’m home! I’m physically, denominationally, and spiritually … home! I’m not going anywhere!

So, work on Inner Metro Green will start asap. I started this project a few months back, but put it into a very low gear because I wasn’t sure if I would be asked to relocate by my denomination. It would be quite improper to start something exciting only to tell those who joined and invested in you that you would be leaving in a few weeks. So, it went into low gear. We are not going anywhere! I’ll be planting a Missional BIC Church right here, in Lancaster City. Again, I’m not sure of the complete details as they are still developing. I’m waiting to hear more from my leaders, elders, and God! I should have a clear picture by the week’s end! Stay tuned!