The Journey to Redemption Hill

It was probably around two years ago when I became interested in church planting. Up until that point I  wouldn't have dreamed of leaving Lifegate Church. As I heard the news of new Sovereign Grace churches being planted one-by-one, I began to ask myself if I could ever see myself being part of a church plant team. Later I began to pray about it, and after some time it became a real desire... a dream, if you will. So just like every other dream, I gave it a timeline. "Perhaps when I'm married" I told myself. "And perhaps somewhere nice... like New Zealand or Australia"

I am a visionary person. Right now I could tell you every major life event that will happen to me for the next ten years... according to me, anyway. But nothing ever seems to go as planned. It causes me to think about this verse in Proverbs:

The heart of man plans his way,
but the Lord establishes his steps. (Proverbs 16:9)

This is the story of how God led me to join a church plant. This is my journey to Redemption Hill.

A forced change in occupation, September of 2012, caused me to re-prioritize my life. All that I knew for sure was that God was calling me to serve the local Church and that building my career wasn't as important as I thought it was. I began to work in my family's business taking time off when needed to work at Lifegate. As business slowly increased, I began to work in Austin and eventually signed a lease on an apartment in Round Rock so that I could work five days a week in the city.    

One day as we met for lunch, Pastor Josh told me the exciting news about a team from the Phoenix area led by Jon Payne, that planned to plant a church in the Austin area sometime in 2013. Apparently, Sovereign Grace had not yet made the news public, so he made me promise to keep my mouth shut about it for a couple of months. During that time we both grew in anticipation and waited eagerly for any morsel of news concerning the new church plant. 

I had met Jon Payne several times over the years at conferences, and really looked up to him as a very accomplished pianist, songwriter, and preacher. Jon had also served as a sort of "regional worship leader" providing help and resources to the worship teams in his region of churches.

After the news had gone public and most of the church plant families had made the move from Arizona to Texas, people from my church began to ask if I was going to leave Lifegate and Join the new church plant. People that I don't even talk to were asking me this. At first I was quick to answer. My responsibilities at Lifegate were increasing, I was beginning to step up as a congregational worship leader, and I was comfortable there. I would quickly answer them "NO! I'm called to serve here". But as each week passed it became harder and harder to answer that question. The work demand in Austin had doubled, and I became weary of the hour and a half drive home every week.

One Sunday morning, a friend took me aside and said "Let's look at this logically. God has already provided work for you in the Austin area. He's provided a place for you to stay in Round Rock, minutes away from the church plant. He's given you gifts and talents which you can use to serve a new and growing church. And because of the distance, you're spending a lot of money and time to drive back to Seguin every weekend". 

   "You're right" I told him. "But I can't make a decision based on logic". 

   "Okay. Then maybe maybe God's just calling you to a greater level of sacrifice as you serve Lifegate" he responded. But something deep inside told me that this was not so.

This is when God began to call me away from Lifegate. I wasn't ready. I had once dreamed of joining a church plant team, but my dream was coming true too quickly. I had started new projects in the music ministry at Lifegate. And for the first time, I had led the congregation in song on a Sunday morning. I loved the people at Lifegate, I loved my pastors at Lifegate, and I loved my duties at Lifegate... Perhaps I loved my duties too much. God began to cause me to think about not being at Lifegate. And as I was honest with myself, I began to see areas of pride in my life. 

I had been at Lifegate for eight years. I had been serving in the music ministry for six. And over the years, I had grown comfortable with where I was serving. I had also gotten to the point where I couldn't see God's ministry at Lifegate at work without me. God, in his kindness, was showing me where I was wrong. He used a dear friend to communicate this to me in a very humbling way. "We would really miss you if you left. But God was working in Lifegate before you came here, and he'll continue to work in Lifegate if you leave. You see, he doesn't need you". From that day forward I knew that I couldn't stay where I was nor go somewhere else with the presumption that I was needed by God. I was now open to the possibility of leaving Lifegate.

Shortly thereafter, I attended an interest meeting/picnic for the new church plant. Around forty people were there. I met those families who had been called to leave their church, their job, their house, to go to Austin and build something out of nothing. I could feel the faith and joy as I spoke with each member. Some people had not found a house, and some were still looking for jobs. However, the faith and joy was no less evident. As families ate, played, and laughed together, I watched from the outside and witnessed a miracle... the birth of a new church. By this time they had already settled on a name. They were calling themselves "Redemption Hill Church".

A few days later I met Jon Payne at a coffee shop in downtown Round Rock. He knew very little about me, and nothing about my interest in church planting. I started to tell my story. I think that I talked for thirty minutes straight without letting him get a word in edgewise. When I finally ran out of air, he told me of his desire for a close partnership between Redemption Hill and other Sovereign Grace churches in Texas. He told me that he had prayed for a long time that people from other Texas churches would join his team. We talked some more and then he prayed with me. I felt as if I had spent the last four months avoiding a question that was all but answered in one hour over coffee.

By the end of the weekend there was no doubt in my mind that God was calling me to this. Everyone at Lifegate that I had spoken to helped to confirm this calling. The pastors and worship leaders were very supportive of this decision as were my parents. There was such a peace of mind that came from knowing that this was the will of God.

As I began to tie up loose ends at Lifegate, the Pastors and I thought about ways to corporately announce my leaving. The story of Barnabas and Saul kept coming to mind:

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. (Acts 13:2-3)

By no means would I assume that I am anything like Barnabas or Saul. They had great spiritual maturity, I don't. They had years of rich ministry experience. Me, not so much. But what's interesting to see is that they didn't leave. They were sent. Their church participated in the mission that God called them to by affirming the call and sending them out. It seemed evident that this was the way to send me out. I was so honored last week as Lifegate responded in agreement to send me out while Joshua Lee and Joshua Jordan, my two very best friends, prayed for me. 

To calculate the significance of that moment, I would have to take you back to when I first started attending Lifegate eight years ago. You would have to add up all of the times over the years that someone prayed for me, gently corrected me, taught me the Bible, or just taught by example. Then you would have to multiply that number by one hundred for anyone who showed me patience, kindness, or love during those years. The number is in incalculable! Lifegate has been everything to me. It's where I became a christian. It's where I've learned everything that I know now about God and the Bible. Leaving this place has not been easy. 

I am so grateful for the relationships that I have had in Lifegate. They have been a crucial part of the foundation of my faith. Without this influence, I would have never been interested in church planting, or missions, or the Gospel at all for that matter! As I make the transition from one church to another, I like to think of myself as an investment. Any fruit in my life, however great or small, is the result of a seed that was planted by one of you at some point. 

   I can remember the first time that I ever really heard the term "church plant". One of our pastors was preaching about it on a Sunday morning. We continued to talk about it later that week during care group. It was other people's passion for church planting that caused me to be passionate about it as well. And so it is with most things that I am passionate about. You have made me who I am in Christ! Thank you! 

Those that I have gotten to know from the church plant team have been so encouraging to me. I can't wait to start serving with these people. I can't quite see everything that the future holds but I couldn't be more excited to start a new season of life.

INFORMATION:

Lifegate Church is located in Seguin, Texas. You can visit their website at: www.lifegateseguin.com

Redemption Hill Church is scheduled to kickoff September 15th, 2013. For more information, please visit: www.rhchurch.com

Lifegate Church and Redemption Hill Church are affiliated through Sovereign Grace Ministries, a ministry committed to planting churches, training pastors, and providing resources to the local church. Learn more about Sovereign Grace here: http://www.sovereigngraceministries.org

Jon Payne authors a blog where you can learn more about him and his calling to church planting. Visit it here: http://www.gospelsight.blogspot.com