Hey!
Today has been a very “weighty” day for me—a day that has been somewhat somber. I am not totally sure why it has been this way. Perhaps it’s that some of The Axis Church friends and family are struggling and I am feeling that weight. Maybe it’s because God really worked in my heart earlier today. I guess it could be a combination of several things.
Whatever the reason for my heaviness of spirit, I do appreciate it because it has drawn me close to the words of God.
Here are a few personal things I am thinking through and working on from today…
This is a quote shared from Scott Thomas (Acts29 Network President) regarding church planting:
Work on creating a united gospel community on mission and focus on making disciples not building a church. If you focus on building a church, people will feel used. If you make disciples of those God has gathered together, they will multiply the disciples. Be a united gospel community on mission first.
This quote has been ringing in my ears for the past several weeks. I believe that what we at The Axis Church must be about is simply understanding the gospel together as a community, being on mission with the same vision/goals and then making disciples of Christ. The church will be fine and will grow, as God wants it to as long as we focus on these three things.
Of course there are several things that we must be concerned with but none nearly as important as these three—gospel, mission, disciples.
I see The Axis Church being a missional community that is theological conservative and culturally liberal. Meaning that we effectively engage an increasingly secular culture with the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ. We must learn how to better take the gospel (that we ourselves are being changed by—daily) to the city of Nashville—rendering it renewed, transformed thus ultimately satisfied.
We must pray for God’s agenda for The Axis Church to become our agenda for The Axis Church.
On that, I have several things that I would like to see happen one day with The Axis Church.
- Host conferences
- Plant several other churches (10+)
- See our facility gather our community like a magnet via after school tutoring, venue for shows & concerts, etc.
- Perhaps start a business in Germantown that is open for community from 7pm-midnight
- I would like to write a few books
- Change the city of Nashville for Jesus
- Train up other pastors
These are just a few of the things that I am praying for The Axis Church to be able to accomplish. These are some of the things that I have been thinking today.
Today I have also been praying through these different things…
- Praying for Christ’s agenda to be my agenda—thus our agenda
- Praying for deacons
- Praying for elders/pastors to help care for the future converts
- Praying for community group concepts/ dreams to become a reality
- Praying that I would spend more time in God’s Word and in prayer with Him
- Praying for God to allow me to become a missiologist of Nashville—investigating the city then leading The Axis Church to mission in reaching the city. Basically that I would listen and listen well to the city of Nashville.
- Praying for more families to join us on mission
- Praying for help with the PowerPoint on Sundays (creating and running)
- Praying for children volunteers (both male & female)
- Praying for a projector, screen & sound system
- Pray for those far from Christ to be brought near only by the sheer grace of God
Anyhow, I just wanted you to have a glimpse into my life today. Let’s pray together regarding these things. Would you?
Grace to you,
Pastor Jeremy
admin Christian Life, Missions, The Gospel, church planting Acts29, church planting, Jesus, Missions, Prayer, The Gospel, vision
heart has been wrecked for that struggling country. There have been several times this week that I talked with Jill about trying to fly or take a boat into the shredded, discouraged country simply to move large rock and stone off of bodies for a week or two. I pray that things get in order soon so that many can make their way to Haiti to offer them aid.