I am doing something a bit different with Dwell & Cultivate this week. The people who are my "family" at Stone Ridge Church will soon face a big decision about our future. We are becoming increasingly overcrowded and must decide if it is time to build the next phase of our campus. Regardless of the decision we make, I think it is time to tell a bit of the story of how we got where we are. The vast majority of our attenders don't know that history...
It was the Spring of 2005. The heavy equipment was completing the earliest stages of construction on this Land God gave us. We were excited and a bit nervous about moving onto our campus.
The excitement was obvious. How could we not look forward to our own brand new buildings after eight years of "church in a box"? That we could set everything up and leave it during the week was a heady thought after all those years. Add to it that we could gradually shape it the way we saw fit in order to be more effective -- we were thrilled!
Our nervousness stemmed from the awareness that we were taking on a huge responsibility. If our church continued to grow, we would be ready to face larger financial obligations. If not...
One thing concerned us. We had reached younger families over the previous few years, but we weren't sure that we were ready to fully reach out to children with the Gospel.
Not long before that, a series of circumstances brought Kathie and Marty Schotten to us. I knew her reputation. She had served as a Children's Minister for 18 years. Her ministry had grown consistently during that time. Could it be that God had sent her to us "for such a time as this?"
After prayer, our Elders took a leap of faith. We had enough money to hire Kathie for the last six months of 2005, but were we ready to take the risk of adding her to the staff? The answer was, "Yes!"
Even during those months before we moved onto the campus, our Children's Ministry was beginning to grow. By the time we actually opened -- on Christmas Eve that year -- Kathie and a great team of volunteers was ready. Our ministry to children grew over 50% that first year.
Isaiah 11:6 is a prophetic verse about the coming of Messiah -- Jesus -- into the world as a baby. However, much of our grow at Stone Ridge has been because of our ministry to and with children. Now, our Student (Youth) Ministry is also growing rapidly. Young families pour through our doors and we constantly receive feedback that goes something like this: "We (adults) like it at Stone Ridge, but our children love it!"
No wonder our most pressing need for space is for...
Kids!
Friday, August 14, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
"Lift up your eyes and look..." (John 4:35)
I am doing something a bit different with Dwell & Cultivate this week. The people who are my "family" at Stone Ridge Church will soon face a big decision about our future. We are becoming increasingly overcrowded and must decide if it is time to build the next phase of our campus. Regardless of the decision we make, I think it is time to tell a bit of the story of how we got where we are. The vast majority of our attenders don't know that history...
By the time we moved into our new "digs", we were concluding eight years of what we had come to call "church in a box." During that time, we learned what it meant to live simply. Every piece of equipment needed for Sunday services had to be carted in and out each week.
During most of those years, the only building we owned was our church office -- the same office we have today. My office has a table that can comfortably seat eight to ten people. At times, meetings or Bible Studies were held in there with far more people.
At the same time, we were learning to have Small Groups in homes. Occasionally, we found another meeting place for larger gatherings during the week. We were well received by businesses and other churches.
More important than what we were learning about meeting spaces was what we were learning about being the Body of Christ. God kept (and still does!) gracing us with people who have a heart to serve. As He literally transformed us from a church of obligated workers to a church of heart-felt servants, we saw more and more people outside the church develop an openness to what was going on inside.
In fact, we discovered that our neighborhoods were filled with people whose heart is open to the love of Christ. We encountered little out-right resistance as we determined to love people no matter what their background or circumstances. If Jesus Christ didn't come to be served, but to serve, what better example for us to live by?
The more Christ's attitude became ours, the more the church grew. We were still in rented facilities. We still had limitations. We still needed to raise money. We could have used all these reasons to not reach out. But that would have meant we weren't like Christ!
Our leaders kept careful track of our numerical growth during those days (still do!). We heard horror stories about churches that weren't growing who thought that a new building would make them grow. Big mistake! Buildings are but tools to help growing churches take care of the people God is sending them.
God blessed us with growth when were didn't have buildings. He was about to bless us even more when we moved into our campus.
.......
To be continued...
By the time we moved into our new "digs", we were concluding eight years of what we had come to call "church in a box." During that time, we learned what it meant to live simply. Every piece of equipment needed for Sunday services had to be carted in and out each week.
During most of those years, the only building we owned was our church office -- the same office we have today. My office has a table that can comfortably seat eight to ten people. At times, meetings or Bible Studies were held in there with far more people.
At the same time, we were learning to have Small Groups in homes. Occasionally, we found another meeting place for larger gatherings during the week. We were well received by businesses and other churches.
More important than what we were learning about meeting spaces was what we were learning about being the Body of Christ. God kept (and still does!) gracing us with people who have a heart to serve. As He literally transformed us from a church of obligated workers to a church of heart-felt servants, we saw more and more people outside the church develop an openness to what was going on inside.
In fact, we discovered that our neighborhoods were filled with people whose heart is open to the love of Christ. We encountered little out-right resistance as we determined to love people no matter what their background or circumstances. If Jesus Christ didn't come to be served, but to serve, what better example for us to live by?
The more Christ's attitude became ours, the more the church grew. We were still in rented facilities. We still had limitations. We still needed to raise money. We could have used all these reasons to not reach out. But that would have meant we weren't like Christ!
Our leaders kept careful track of our numerical growth during those days (still do!). We heard horror stories about churches that weren't growing who thought that a new building would make them grow. Big mistake! Buildings are but tools to help growing churches take care of the people God is sending them.
God blessed us with growth when were didn't have buildings. He was about to bless us even more when we moved into our campus.
.......
To be continued...
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
"First, sit down and calculate the cost..." (Luke 14:28)
I am doing something a bit different with Dwell & Cultivate this week. The people who are my "family" at Stone Ridge Church will soon face a big decision about our future. We are becoming increasingly overcrowded and must decide if it is time to build the next phase of our campus. Regardless of the decision we make, I think it is time to tell a bit of the story of how we got where we are. The vast majority of our attenders don't know that history...
When we found our land in 1999, we made a significant change in the way we identified ourselves to the community. Some of our church leaders had quietly questioned the effectiveness of our church name -- "First Southern Baptist Church." That questioning -- over a span of about ten years -- wasn't meant to disrespect our heritage. Instead, it came from the observation that many people chose to attend (or NOT to attend) a church based solely on its name.
In our case, because we are in the West and far from the "Bible Belt", we discovered that the name closed far more doors than it opened. We began to discuss and pray about this as a church and made the decision to change our name to Stone Ridge Church. One reason for our timing was that we didn't want to put our old name on a "Future Home of..." sign, only to change the name down the road.
Our move to Otondo School was a blessing in numerous ways. The cost was reasonable, we were welcomed by the administration, we had room to grow and we were now in the neighborhood near our new campus. Even when people drive some miles to the church, it helps them to know that the trip won't be much different when the church moves into a permanent home.
One lesson we had learned early in our move was that people respond negatively to any sort of pressure. This is especially true when it comes to money. Therefore, we came up with a plan to make our people aware of our financial needs as we looked forward to construction, but to do it in a non-threatening way. This plan was something we called "Celebration Sunday."
Once each quarter, we took time out from what we were doing and used an entire worship service to hear about what God was doing among us. On that week, we would collect an offering, asking everyone to give what they could and what God was laying on their hearts. We counted those offerings and brought back a report to the people.
We also came up with a simple measurement tool that would help us know when it was time to actually begin construction. We measured several things, including attendance and total gifts to the building fund. This method helped us see each quarter how God was preparing us for the future.
As we neared the date to break ground and go to work, our Elders spent much time in prayer and discussion. We didn't want to move ahead too quickly, but we didn't want to lag behind, either. We saw ourselves as on a highway with two "guard rails." On the one side was the promise that it takes faith to please God (Hebrews 11). On the other side was the verse in today's title.
The night came when we finally, in a very long session, concluded that it was God's time for us to launch the project.
.......
To be continued...
When we found our land in 1999, we made a significant change in the way we identified ourselves to the community. Some of our church leaders had quietly questioned the effectiveness of our church name -- "First Southern Baptist Church." That questioning -- over a span of about ten years -- wasn't meant to disrespect our heritage. Instead, it came from the observation that many people chose to attend (or NOT to attend) a church based solely on its name.
In our case, because we are in the West and far from the "Bible Belt", we discovered that the name closed far more doors than it opened. We began to discuss and pray about this as a church and made the decision to change our name to Stone Ridge Church. One reason for our timing was that we didn't want to put our old name on a "Future Home of..." sign, only to change the name down the road.
Our move to Otondo School was a blessing in numerous ways. The cost was reasonable, we were welcomed by the administration, we had room to grow and we were now in the neighborhood near our new campus. Even when people drive some miles to the church, it helps them to know that the trip won't be much different when the church moves into a permanent home.
One lesson we had learned early in our move was that people respond negatively to any sort of pressure. This is especially true when it comes to money. Therefore, we came up with a plan to make our people aware of our financial needs as we looked forward to construction, but to do it in a non-threatening way. This plan was something we called "Celebration Sunday."
Once each quarter, we took time out from what we were doing and used an entire worship service to hear about what God was doing among us. On that week, we would collect an offering, asking everyone to give what they could and what God was laying on their hearts. We counted those offerings and brought back a report to the people.
We also came up with a simple measurement tool that would help us know when it was time to actually begin construction. We measured several things, including attendance and total gifts to the building fund. This method helped us see each quarter how God was preparing us for the future.
As we neared the date to break ground and go to work, our Elders spent much time in prayer and discussion. We didn't want to move ahead too quickly, but we didn't want to lag behind, either. We saw ourselves as on a highway with two "guard rails." On the one side was the promise that it takes faith to please God (Hebrews 11). On the other side was the verse in today's title.
The night came when we finally, in a very long session, concluded that it was God's time for us to launch the project.
.......
To be continued...
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
"Cultivate faithfulness..." (Psalm 37:3)
I am doing something a bit different with Dwell & Cultivate this week. The people who are my "family" at Stone Ridge Church will soon face a big decision about our future. We are becoming increasingly overcrowded and must decide if it is time to build the next phase of our campus. Regardless of the decision we make, I think it is time to tell a bit of the story of how we got where we are. The vast majority of our attenders don't know that history...
It was the end of 1997. That year, our church had begun giving to help pay for our future relocation. We didn't yet know where we would move, nor could we accurately calculate the cost. But our people gave.
Foreseeing the need to spend time in rented facilities, we began to research what was available for a church our size. "Not much," was the answer. Consequently, when we discovered that the Shiloh Inn Conference Center was available, we jumped at the opportunity.
As we said goodbye to 1997, we also bid farewell to the place our church called "home" for the previous 45 years. With joy, some fear, and many tears, people in our church celebrated life in a building where many had given their lives to Christ. A large number of our families had grieved at the funerals of their loved ones in that building. They and others had rejoiced at the wedding vows that were spoken there.
Still, we leaped into 1998 in rented space (our campus would not be sold for about a year) and the hope that comes from knowing that God was leading us on this journey. We had no idea the pitfalls we would face before long.
By the end of 1998, we went through one of our great challenges as a church and my greatest challenge as a pastor. A key leader left us and many of our families followed him. We quickly found ourselves much smaller in size and income than just a few months before. Here we were, in rented facilities, taking steps into our future, and it seemed like we were falling apart.
In the midst of the questioning and pain, God amazed us with the faithfulness of the families who stayed. People rolled up their sleeves to work. We prayed, we cried out to God to provide for us and protect us. You know what? He answered!
Our attendance was depressingly low, yet we were learning not to look so much on the outward appearance. We began to study the difference between healthy and unhealthy churches. We then went to work on becoming healthy.
At the end of 1999, our land was purchased -- debt-free -- and God opened the door for us to move into the auditorium at Otondo Elementary School, about 1 1/2 miles from our future campus.
We weren't really growing yet, but we were stabile and healthy.
.......
On a personal note, let me say that I now consider our "train wreck" to be one of God's greatest gifts to me in ministry. I learned lessons that continue to serve me as I seek to honorably serve Him.
Today's blog post is entitled, "Cultivate faithfulness." If you can, you might take a moment to read the story behind this blog. It's in the margin on the right. Psalm 37 -- especially verses 3-6 -- have become my "life passage." I began to learn these lessons in the dark days of 1999.
.......
To be continued...
It was the end of 1997. That year, our church had begun giving to help pay for our future relocation. We didn't yet know where we would move, nor could we accurately calculate the cost. But our people gave.
Foreseeing the need to spend time in rented facilities, we began to research what was available for a church our size. "Not much," was the answer. Consequently, when we discovered that the Shiloh Inn Conference Center was available, we jumped at the opportunity.
As we said goodbye to 1997, we also bid farewell to the place our church called "home" for the previous 45 years. With joy, some fear, and many tears, people in our church celebrated life in a building where many had given their lives to Christ. A large number of our families had grieved at the funerals of their loved ones in that building. They and others had rejoiced at the wedding vows that were spoken there.
Still, we leaped into 1998 in rented space (our campus would not be sold for about a year) and the hope that comes from knowing that God was leading us on this journey. We had no idea the pitfalls we would face before long.
By the end of 1998, we went through one of our great challenges as a church and my greatest challenge as a pastor. A key leader left us and many of our families followed him. We quickly found ourselves much smaller in size and income than just a few months before. Here we were, in rented facilities, taking steps into our future, and it seemed like we were falling apart.
In the midst of the questioning and pain, God amazed us with the faithfulness of the families who stayed. People rolled up their sleeves to work. We prayed, we cried out to God to provide for us and protect us. You know what? He answered!
Our attendance was depressingly low, yet we were learning not to look so much on the outward appearance. We began to study the difference between healthy and unhealthy churches. We then went to work on becoming healthy.
At the end of 1999, our land was purchased -- debt-free -- and God opened the door for us to move into the auditorium at Otondo Elementary School, about 1 1/2 miles from our future campus.
We weren't really growing yet, but we were stabile and healthy.
.......
On a personal note, let me say that I now consider our "train wreck" to be one of God's greatest gifts to me in ministry. I learned lessons that continue to serve me as I seek to honorably serve Him.
Today's blog post is entitled, "Cultivate faithfulness." If you can, you might take a moment to read the story behind this blog. It's in the margin on the right. Psalm 37 -- especially verses 3-6 -- have become my "life passage." I began to learn these lessons in the dark days of 1999.
.......
To be continued...
Monday, August 10, 2009
"Go to the land that I promised..." (Exodus 33:1)
I am doing something a bit different with Dwell & Cultivate this week. The people who are my "family" at Stone Ridge Church will soon face a big decision about our future. We are becoming increasingly overcrowded and must decide if it is time to build the next phase of our campus. Regardless of the decision we make, I think it is time to tell a bit of the story of how we got where we are. The vast majority of our attenders don't know that history...
As our church prayed, we believed that the wisest choice for our future was relocation. In 1996, the City of Yuma was mostly centered from Avenue 3E on the east to Avenue D on the west. The northern boundary was (and is) the Colorado River and 32nd Street marked the southern boundary.
But it was changing! The Foothills had been steadily growing as Mesa Del Sol became an increasingly desirable place to live. More and more homes were being built in the area between the city proper and the Foothills. Neighborhoods with names like Tamarack, Desert Ridge, and College Park were expanding rapidly and new schools nearby aided the decision of many to locate there.
Looking at the map of the region, we heard from those who studied the growth that the future center of the Yuma area would be approximately Araby Road and Interstate 8. As we considered this, we realized that we had long been a regional church. Neighborhood churches often draw people from the dwelling places right around them. As a regional church, we already had people traveling many miles from all directions to attend. That led us to believe that we should seek a place in the center of Yuma's future.
A team of our leaders who understood the ins and outs of land acquisition began the formal search for property. We wanted at least 20 acres -- more if possible -- and we hoped to be near the Interstate. Our "bullseye" on the map was -- you guessed it -- Araby and I-8.
Over the next several months, we looked at many possible locations. Some were near the freeway, but a good distance from Araby. One place was a very large parcel with an attractive price, but we shied away because of potential development costs.
One by one, the doors would close. The property had hidden challenges or the price was too high. We kept praying that God would show us what to do.
I was attending a lunch meeting one day about that time, when a local businessman (not a member of our church) asked to speak with me. "Are you guys still looking for land?" he asked.
"Yes," I replied. "We haven't yet found anything that works for us."
"There is a piece of land you might be interested in," he said. "It's not for sale, even though people have made offers for it. I told the owner about it and he said he might consider selling to your church."
"How many acres?" I inquired.
"About twenty-five."
"Where is it located?" I wondered.
"Araby and the freeway."
It took about six months to work through the details, but we knew immediately that this must be the place God had for us.
It is the site of our campus today.
............
To be continued...
As our church prayed, we believed that the wisest choice for our future was relocation. In 1996, the City of Yuma was mostly centered from Avenue 3E on the east to Avenue D on the west. The northern boundary was (and is) the Colorado River and 32nd Street marked the southern boundary.
But it was changing! The Foothills had been steadily growing as Mesa Del Sol became an increasingly desirable place to live. More and more homes were being built in the area between the city proper and the Foothills. Neighborhoods with names like Tamarack, Desert Ridge, and College Park were expanding rapidly and new schools nearby aided the decision of many to locate there.
Looking at the map of the region, we heard from those who studied the growth that the future center of the Yuma area would be approximately Araby Road and Interstate 8. As we considered this, we realized that we had long been a regional church. Neighborhood churches often draw people from the dwelling places right around them. As a regional church, we already had people traveling many miles from all directions to attend. That led us to believe that we should seek a place in the center of Yuma's future.
A team of our leaders who understood the ins and outs of land acquisition began the formal search for property. We wanted at least 20 acres -- more if possible -- and we hoped to be near the Interstate. Our "bullseye" on the map was -- you guessed it -- Araby and I-8.
Over the next several months, we looked at many possible locations. Some were near the freeway, but a good distance from Araby. One place was a very large parcel with an attractive price, but we shied away because of potential development costs.
One by one, the doors would close. The property had hidden challenges or the price was too high. We kept praying that God would show us what to do.
I was attending a lunch meeting one day about that time, when a local businessman (not a member of our church) asked to speak with me. "Are you guys still looking for land?" he asked.
"Yes," I replied. "We haven't yet found anything that works for us."
"There is a piece of land you might be interested in," he said. "It's not for sale, even though people have made offers for it. I told the owner about it and he said he might consider selling to your church."
"How many acres?" I inquired.
"About twenty-five."
"Where is it located?" I wondered.
"Araby and the freeway."
It took about six months to work through the details, but we knew immediately that this must be the place God had for us.
It is the site of our campus today.
............
To be continued...
Sunday, August 9, 2009
"Go to the Land I will show you." (Genesis 12:1)
I am doing something a bit different with Dwell & Cultivate this week. The people who are my "family" at Stone Ridge Church will soon face a big decision about our future. We are becoming increasingly overcrowded and must decide if it is time to build the next phase of our campus. Regardless of the decision we make, I think it is time to tell some of the story of how we got where we are. The vast majority of our attenders don't know that history...
It's a bit hard to imagine the pioneer spirit and the rugged faith that set the scene for the seven people who decided to plant a church in Yuma, Arizona. It was December, 1945, and World War II had finally reached its conclusion at the signing of an armistice with Japan just a few months earlier. The City of Yuma had become a part of military operations during that era with the establishment and growth of an airfield. The fertile Colorado River Valley and warm weather made farming a natural part of the economy. The city still held a vital role as a key River Crossing and Yuma was a good place for people to find jobs as our nation rebuilt.
One thing Yuma did not have -- with over 5,000 people and growing, it did not have a Southern Baptist church. It had at least two Baptist churches at the time, but they were a part of a different denomination. 1945 was a time in American life when loyalties ran deep. If you were a "Chevy man" you most likely drove nothing but Chevrolets; if you liked Kellogg's Corn Flakes, Post would never do; and if you were a Southern Baptist, you wanted to make sure the town had one of those. People had "reasons" for their loyalty and Southern Baptists were (and are) deeply committed to the cooperative way they do missions. That, and the strong belief in the Bible as the "inerrant Word of God", surely weighed into the decision those seven made.
That little group of people started "First Southern Baptist Church of Yuma", with the encouragement and help of First Southern Baptist Church of Wellton. The Wellton church was just a few months old itself, but that was part of their pioneer spirit. The new Yuma church started meeting for worship and Bible Studies and called their first pastor just a couple of months into 1946. He left -- we don't know the reason (maybe the heat?) -- and moved back to Texas after only six months. The church, undeterred by the setback, kept moving forward. They were growing and it wasn't long before they moved into their first building.
For the next fifty years, the church grew up in what became the heart of Yuma. They planted on their first long-term campus -- at 8th Avenue and 16th Street -- in the early 1950s. As the years went by, they built and remodeled buildings to accommodate growth. They purchased houses on the perimeter of the campus to add usable square footage and land. However, they found themselves landlocked and growth stunted by the 1980s.
I entered this story in 1986 and it became my privilege to see God lead the church in a new direction -- literally. Space problems persisted and one particularly nagging issue was the lack of bathroom space. In 1996 we decided to remodel a portion of an old building and put in spacious, beautiful new restrooms. A local contractor took charge of managing the project -- for free -- and started shopping for subcontractors. It took a few months for the work to be completed and it was an attractive blessing. But it cost us over $90,000!
We began to pray about the implications of that project. We needed more work done, but at what cost? And what would we do, given that we were landlocked on about 2 1/2 acres?
The more we prayed, the more we believed that God wanted us to relocate.
.......
To be continued...
It's a bit hard to imagine the pioneer spirit and the rugged faith that set the scene for the seven people who decided to plant a church in Yuma, Arizona. It was December, 1945, and World War II had finally reached its conclusion at the signing of an armistice with Japan just a few months earlier. The City of Yuma had become a part of military operations during that era with the establishment and growth of an airfield. The fertile Colorado River Valley and warm weather made farming a natural part of the economy. The city still held a vital role as a key River Crossing and Yuma was a good place for people to find jobs as our nation rebuilt.
One thing Yuma did not have -- with over 5,000 people and growing, it did not have a Southern Baptist church. It had at least two Baptist churches at the time, but they were a part of a different denomination. 1945 was a time in American life when loyalties ran deep. If you were a "Chevy man" you most likely drove nothing but Chevrolets; if you liked Kellogg's Corn Flakes, Post would never do; and if you were a Southern Baptist, you wanted to make sure the town had one of those. People had "reasons" for their loyalty and Southern Baptists were (and are) deeply committed to the cooperative way they do missions. That, and the strong belief in the Bible as the "inerrant Word of God", surely weighed into the decision those seven made.
That little group of people started "First Southern Baptist Church of Yuma", with the encouragement and help of First Southern Baptist Church of Wellton. The Wellton church was just a few months old itself, but that was part of their pioneer spirit. The new Yuma church started meeting for worship and Bible Studies and called their first pastor just a couple of months into 1946. He left -- we don't know the reason (maybe the heat?) -- and moved back to Texas after only six months. The church, undeterred by the setback, kept moving forward. They were growing and it wasn't long before they moved into their first building.
For the next fifty years, the church grew up in what became the heart of Yuma. They planted on their first long-term campus -- at 8th Avenue and 16th Street -- in the early 1950s. As the years went by, they built and remodeled buildings to accommodate growth. They purchased houses on the perimeter of the campus to add usable square footage and land. However, they found themselves landlocked and growth stunted by the 1980s.
I entered this story in 1986 and it became my privilege to see God lead the church in a new direction -- literally. Space problems persisted and one particularly nagging issue was the lack of bathroom space. In 1996 we decided to remodel a portion of an old building and put in spacious, beautiful new restrooms. A local contractor took charge of managing the project -- for free -- and started shopping for subcontractors. It took a few months for the work to be completed and it was an attractive blessing. But it cost us over $90,000!
We began to pray about the implications of that project. We needed more work done, but at what cost? And what would we do, given that we were landlocked on about 2 1/2 acres?
The more we prayed, the more we believed that God wanted us to relocate.
.......
To be continued...
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