Update for Sunday....

This Sunday, we'll be meeting at our South Campus, and going through these passages in Acts:

1:4-8
2:40-47
4:32-35
5:12-16
6:1-7

Come prepared to discuss the implications for the church in general, as well as the new work in Versailles.

And remember, it's gonna be a Mexican fiesta...so prepare accordingly.

Welcome to those of you who have discovered this blog via the new church planting weblog "Planting With Passion" by Larry Baker of the KBC.

The books that have shaped my thinking....

Over the past three or four years, several books have shaped my thinking about the church, our mission, engaging the culture, etc. These books have, in many ways, been used by God to confirm what He was already instilling in me...my passion, my burden, and my calling.

*Note*...although I'd recommend these books to anyone, that does not mean that I'm in 100 percent agreement with everything espoused in these books. In fact, some of them have made me pretty frustrated. But in each of these books, God has used something to bring me to the point where I currently stand.

-"A New Kind of Christian" by Brian McLaren. The book that started it all, in a way. Read this in the days leading up to and following the birth of our daughter. This is the book that began to confirm some of the things milling around in my head and heart.
-"Blue Like Jazz" by Donald Miller. The book that CONFIRMED it all. Miller nailed the thinking that I've had for a while about church, culture, and where we've lost our way. Required reading for anyone really seeking to move the church into the 21st century, in my opinion.
-"Purpose Driven Church" by Rick Warren
-"Velvet Elvis" by Rob Bell
-"An Unstoppable Force" by Erwin McManus
-"Flashbang" by Mark Steele
-"Present Future" by Reggie McNeal
-"Emerging Church" and "Emerging Worship" by Dan Kimball
-"Dear Church" by Sarah Cunningham

There are probably more, but that's enough of a list for now...

Update...

Just an update on what's going on....

1. A small group of us are meeting on a weekly basis for bible study(through Luke, and eventually Acts), prayer, a meal, and visioncasting for the new church. This is not really *open* to anyone yet, but once we're finished with this series, we will open it up and begin to build the core group of the new church.
2. Those in the group are prayerfully considering how we can build relationships with those in our community who are unchurched and/or disconnected.
3. Kelly and I continue to go through training provided by the Kentucky Baptist Convention.
4. We are working on a letter to be sent to potential prayer partners.
5. We will, at some point this Spring, work on a presentation to be made to possible partner churches.

We continue to get positive feedback on an almost-daily level from people who are praying for us, and people who feel God may be leading them to join us in our mission. We're really excited about what God is up to!