Where Do We Go From Here?

It was September, 2008.

The Gate had started with a handful of people. Literally, like five of us gathered in our living room. And that had gone on for a few months, but now, it was clear, we needed to go public. A couple weeks before we wanted to start, we still had no place to meet when Hurricane Harry's called us back. The rest of that is history. Then, Hurricane Ike hit, and evacuees staying at Reed Arena kept Breakaway from meeting there- and Breakaway was the venue we chose to tell the world (or, well, Texas A&M and Blinn students) about us. We were postponed 2 or 3 times before that first night at Harry's, but when it finally got set in stone we were meeting that Sunday late in September, we realized we still needed a worship leader. We got one the Friday before that Launch Sunday.

The big night came, and nothing went right during set-up. The sound system at Harry's was incompatible with our stuff. The video wouldn't work. We began to panic. That first night we had 19 people. Some were friends coming to support us, but over half would become regular Gate people. Over the next three years, people came and went, we built a core group, and leaders were forged. Our style changed, we've had four sets of regular worship leaders, we've moved our spot in Harry's at least four times. But some of the people had been there up from the start.

Now, as 2012 is about to kick off, we have graduated the last of the original members of the Gate. The only originals are Kristin and I (and our kids). Essentially, we have had a 100% turnover rate.

Just like we planned.

In the last few weeks, I've been hearing from some our current members, curious about our direction and sudden leadership vacuum. When talking with other ministers and other Christian friends, I am often asked- either inherently or implicitly- the same question: Where does the Gate go from here?

My response has been to smile, and lean back just a little, and say: Now, we experiment.

From the start, one of the exciting things about The Gate has been that we have a chance to start fresh every semester, and about every four years we have a whole new church. It keeps us fresh, it keeps us expectant, and it keeps us busy. We cannot afford to rest and let the people come to us, we must now, more than ever, go to the people. Meeting in a bar is not enough- we must be proactive in sharing Christ. But more than that, we must offer the message of Christ in a unique way that stays true to the TRUTH of Christ, but is able to connect with a generation more than a little cynical about all things Christian.

I've been reading a book, called "You Lost Me" by David Kinnaman. It's a book about 18-29 year olds and the way they are mass-exodusing the church these days. He talks about three types of groups that these folks break down in to. Prodigals no longer call themselves Christians and pursue other faiths. Nomads still call themselves Christians, but are disconnected from faith communities and active lives for Christ. The last group is Exiles, and they are the ones who are still devoted to Christ- as much or more than most regular church-goers. But, they find that the human institution of church is failing and at points hindering them. They are scientists, artists, creatives, and new-thinkers, and the church (in their view) has stifled and downright ignored their passions. Even when those passions are attempting to reach those who need Christ.

I share this little book review because these Prodigals, Nomads, and Exiles are who the Gate has come to College Station for. But now, we need to be the Exiles. We need to be artists, creators, innovators, scientists. We need to learn not how to be good Christians at church, but how to be good Christians in the lab, the class, the law firm, and the dump truck. We need to learn how to share Christ with more than just our memorized verses and hollow platitudes. In fact, to reach this generation, we need to forget the platitudes and bumper sticker theology altogether. And Scripture- which is still sharper than a double edged sword- has no meaning to the masses if we don't provide living examples of it. They want to see it in action, not just hear it repeated to them again.

So, how does that new vision coincide with what has gone on on the road so far?

God provides.

It will probably be last minute. It will probably come from an unexpected source. It most likely won't look exactly like we expect.

But it will be undeniably God.

I've heard that trying to closely follow God is like trying to ride a wild stallion or hang onto the tail of a comet. It's dangerous, it's exhilarating , and it is scary. But to succeed in it is amazing. So where does the Gate go from here?

We're gonna find out what its like to ride the tail of a comet.

Being Miserable at Your Job for God's Glory

The other day, I was having lunch with Craig, a local pastor, and we were talking about ministry and "the call." We both agreed that a calling to full time ministry means that you will be miserable doing anything else- because if God calls you to serve, that's where He wants you.

I thought a lot about this over the last few days, in the midst of being miserable at my day job, and decided it is so true. Yet, there is, as always, an exception. What if God calls you to a ministry, but that ministry can't pay you?

When we started the Gate, I knew that I would have to become bi-vocational, and I was OK with that. In the early days, it was pretty easy to balance the two, especially since my day job offered a great flexibility. I could work through lunch and be able to meet people for coffee in the afternoon and still have time for family in the evenings. The job was low stress (other than the fact that being a legal assistant in delinquent tax law means all I do is research, and I hate research) and the pay was good. On the Gate side, we were still in high single digits to barely teens, so there wasn't as much time needed for that.

Over three years later, much of that has changed. The Gate is running in the mid-twenties with great potential to grow this spring- despite there being NO advertising at all this last semester aside from word of mouth. I'm scheduled to be meeting with three guys one-on-one on a weekly to semi-weekly schedule, plus I'll be meeting with the worship leader, when we find them. (They're not lost, we just need a new one due to graduation.) With Wally stepping back from the church, there are many things he did that I now have to do- they're small, but they are things like setting up slides for the messages. Also, with growth, there is a need growing to put our church in action like it never has been before- we need to be going, and going hard to the community around us. With the Wellborns gone, as well as our biggest graduating class ever, we are at a point where we have to take risks, and we have to spend time growing leaders to fill gaps.

I've not been this excited about the Gate since we started her. The possibilities are keeping me filled with hope and expectation and vision.

But my day job, that thing I keep so I can pay the bills, is killing me. I still have that freedom part, but with the increased needs of the Gate, it's not enough. The pay has stayed about the same as when I started, so that's no good. And the stress part? Let's just say there are certain elements in play that necessitated an early Christmas present punching bag for relief.

I'm not doing the Gate full-time, and I'm miserable.

I've looked at getting another job, but I realize now that nothing will allow me the freedom to do the Gate and the salary to pay the bills. Nothing, that is, aside from working for the Gate. The problem is, the Gate has about enough money to pay rent at the bar and handle a few miscellaneous needs that arise here and there. The Gate has never asked for money outside of itself, and so far, God has provided for the needs we have. But now, we sit at a point where we need God to up the provision.

I'd love to have someone donate the money to pay me full time and have enough left over to fulfill some of the needs we have like paying the rent and upgrading equipment that is growing old and funding mission opportunities. I want the Gate to grow, and reach people and be light to the campus of A&M and the cities of BCS. I need more time to devote to that, and the funds to support the ideas God is growing in me and in the people of our church.

And so, we're back to the start of this blog- that a person called to serve God full-time will be miserable if they do anything else. I am called to the Gate, yet I must work in tax law to be able to serve the Gate and reach people for Christ. I'm a "tentmaker" like Paul.

This is my trial.

But this, this is my hope:

"In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls." ----1 Peter 1:6-9

If I must be miserable as a legal assistant so that I may know the joy of seeing God work in the lives of the people the Gate reaches, then so be it.

I need more time to devote to the Gate, but until I have it, I will take your prayers. Because with them, it is not just the Gate and I who reaps their blessing, it is you as well. For your prayers are what give the Gate and I support. Support when we are stressed, support when we are down, support when things don't go well. But you will also rejoice with us when God brings victory, salvation, and hope.

And though we might have trouble seeing Him now, I believe in Him- and that gives me joy.

Things, They Are A-Changin'

Every semester means we lose some people.

Graduation is all at once joyous and sad for us at the Gate- and most churches with college students in them. We're excited to see the future unfold for the students graduating, and anxious to see where God takes them and to what He takes them. But, it means our time with them is done. Sure, they may come back and visit, but they are now off to join another body of believers, or perhaps, begin their own church.

Being a church that is north of ninety percent college student brings its own set of issues with graduation. While we have always said that the cool thing about it is we get to start over ever semester with fresh faces, the truth is there is always a bit of concern:
"What if we can't replace those we lose?"

Not just their numbers, but their impact. When a church is small, each member leaves more impact than they realize. We've lost impact members before- but at a trickle.

This December, it's coming as a flood.

We say goodbye to Chris Hill. Chris is about as close to an original member as we get these days. He's been vital to us in running sound and helping with set up. He offered his heart so often, willing to help and provide advice on so much. He liked us so much he stuck around for grad school! He was also instrumental in bringing people to the Gate. Which leads us to...

...Katherine Metz. She started coming because of Chris, and she grew into our planner. Without her, the Gate would have no student organization. She took that initiative on herself and ran with it. She kept us organized more than we'd like to admit.

Daniel Hall walked in on a Sunday we weren't expecting anyone to show up. Before long, he was in the worship leader rotation. That will teach someone to randomly show up to our church on a low attendance day. Daniel brought heart and sincerity with him each time he came.

Jared Egli and Maddie McBrayer get joint mention because, well they came together. They got involved in everything very quickly, and soon became leaders before we had time to recognize and try to equip them to be leaders. They spent their last semester with us leading worship, and doing great. Now, they are getting married in a month or so. (Disclaimer: the Gate can take no credit for that, they were already getting married when we met them.)

These folks were blessings to us while they were with us- perhaps more than they know. But this year, they are not the only loss to the Gate.

Wally and Christine Wellborn are stepping aside from leadership at the Gate. The Wellborns have been friends of Kristin and I since college, and our co-leaders of the Gate since inception. Wally served as small group coordinator, Gate Crashers coordinator, worship-leader-as-needed, sound guy, and tech guy, among many other things. Christine worked with the women, helped with children's activities when needed, and was often the voice of reason when ideas grew a bit outlandish.

God is calling them on from us, though they will still be around in the background, and I am sure, still praying for us. As we will for them, and all the graduates. Where ever God may take them, I know they will be a blessing to that ministry.

So the big question is, what is next? The small answer is: Change. The Gate has always viewed itself as a place of transition- a gate is not a place so much as a space between places, just like college is a space between childhood and adulthood- and this is no different. Bigger change, definitely, but change nonetheless.

With slightly more elaboration, the change coming means this: Students no have NO choice but to step up and lead. If the Gate is to remain, students will be the leaders of it. Yeah, Kristin and I will still be around in our usual roles, but the students we've always told they were vital to our church are all the more so now. We need your commitment, your vision, your passion, your time, your friends, your tithe, your ideas, your missions, and your leadership.

As I believed in Chris, Katherine, Daniel, Jared, Maddie, Wally and Christine- and all those others gone before them, I believe in you. Many of you are already leading, and you don't know it yet. The Gate has always been and will always continue to be the church for college students where you don't just "do" church, you ARE the church.

There is risk in the future for the Gate.

But it is a risk that is worth taking for all of us who already belong to the Gate, and for those yet to find us.

Let's take this transition together.