When Kate and I decided that we were going to step out in faith and pioneer the church the Lord had placed in our hearts, we had no guarantees. We could have never imagined that we would have been: 1.) Released favorably by our former church, 2.) Sent and supported by Redeemer Lubbock, and 3.) Given a team of leaders that would follow us into this adventure. Even more we could have never dreamed that we would be given a multimillion-dollar, debt-free facility in the best area in our city, along with several precious families who needed a pastor with a vision.
But that is exactly what happened.
This long and miraculous chapter of our story goes back a few years ago, when I decided I wanted to read Greek. After I began teaching on a regular basis, I felt like delving into the biblical languages to further develop my competency as a preacher. Amarillo College was offering classes for New Testament Greek, and I gathered a few other guys and convinced them to take this class with me as a group. During this the course of this study, I became good friends with Jon Kohler, the professor. Even after I finished my studies with Jon, we kept up our friendship by going to lunch on a semi-regular basis. He has been a constant source of encouragement and counsel in my ministry, and he is man I admire greatly.
After his spring semester was concluded, I met with Jon for lunch and gave him the update about our upcoming transition. I told him the vision that I felt the Lord had given me, and I told him about feeling that I was called to Amarillo. Really, all I wanted him to do was be in prayer for my family and me. But through this conversation, God initiated a radical change in my well-laid plans.
Jon immediately asked if I would be interested in a replanting a church, as opposed to planting a church. He happened to know of a church that had suffered years of decline, and needed a new pastor.
A replant is essentially a church revitalization effort. It happens when a church is in decline and is headed toward death, but then boldly decides to commit to new leadership and vision. Replanting is taking an entrepreneurial vision, and implementing it into an existing church. When a replant happens well, it is miraculous sign of redemption. When a replant happens poorly, it is a train wreck. It takes profound humility and trust on the part of the church’s existing leadership to submit to a radically new vision, and it takes profound wisdom and patience on the part of the pastor make necessary change, while caring for the people of the church.
I told Jon, “No.”
I wasn’t leaving my former job just to acquire the title “Senior Pastor.” I had a very specific vision in my heart, and I doubted that any church would seriously commit to following a vision that would require such fundamental change.
But, my friend Jon then asked me if I would at least allow him to give my number to an elder of a local church that needed a new pastor with a new vision. I told him I would trust him with my number, but I seriously I doubted anything would ever come from it.
But then months passed, and fall arrived. As I was preparing to transition from my college ministry, meet with my core team, and plant a church. The elder Jon had told me about gave me a call. The elder’s name was Kevin Mitchell, and his church’s name was West Amarillo Christian Church.
Kevin and I hit it off right from our first conversation. I was very candid with him from the very beginning about what I felt God was asking me to do, and he was very understanding. He asked if I would be willing to at least meet and share my vision with him, the elders, and the pastoral search committee of West Amarillo. I thought about telling him no, because it just wasn’t my plan. But I felt like this was an odd door that God might be opening, and I needed to see where it would lead. So I said yes.
That next week, I spent several long hours praying for this meeting. To my surprise, my heart filled with vision and strategy of how this church might be replanted. I opened up Microsoft Word and began to type. 10,000 words later, I had a visionary proposal ready to submit to this group of people that I had never met and who were part of a church I had never attended. Essentially, I applied the same vision God had given me earlier in the year—for the gospel, community, and church planting—and put it into the context of a replant. Included were detailed statements on doctrine, membership, church government, and a list of major changes that I would intend on making. I felt like I needed to be brutally honest about everything. And honestly, I made it very easy for these nice folks to never want to talk to me again.
But when I met with them and presented my vision, something unique happened in the room. Several of those present began to well up with tears, until one woman interrupted the meeting asked the entire room get on our knees and pray together for the future of this church (which we did). It was then that I sensed that this church really might have the courage and humility to it would take replant.
Several weeks past, and to my astonishment, I was asked to preach a Sunday at West Amarillo and to meet with the elders. After I preached, the elders met with me to clarify some of the issues I raised in the proposal I gave them. We thoroughly talked about strategy and vision, as well as a lot of doctrinal issues (everything from “predestination” to “spiritual gifts”).
After many more meetings, and the eldership of West Amarillo interviewing many more candidates, they finally chose me as the man they felt that should pastor their church. But there were still two catches: I hadn’t said “yes” to the job, and according to West Amarillo’s by-laws, I needed to be confirmed by 75% or more vote of the whole congregation.
So I preached two more times for West Amarillo, and even held a congregational open question and answer time. Also, as a fleece of confirmation, I again met with the elders to present an eighteen-month strategic plan that I needed them to commit to prior to me committing to take the job. They backed me unanimously, and consequently, I truly felt God was calling me to this church. As the time for the vote came near, I was already meeting with my core team, and I began to coach them on how to come into a new church with a posture of service, graciousness, and humility. Among us all was a sense that God was about to do something big.
Then on November 6, 2011, the existing congregation of West Amarillo Christian Church voted by a margin of 96% to call me as their pastor. This is a margin unheard of in the church world.
That next week, I was handed keys to the church and went immediately to work. It was an overwhelming task, but the team who came, as well as the leaders of West Amarillo, with me rose to the occasion. We mowed the lawn, removed dead trees, re-routed the sound system, reorganized the weekend service, implemented new musicians, and cleaned the facility to prepare for our first weekend. It’s kind of a blur now, but somewhere along the way, I managed to write a sermon as well. Then we prayed and waited for Sunday to come.
On my first Sunday, the people of West Amarillo came to worship Jesus. Our core team came to worship Jesus. And then a lot more people came to worship Jesus. In one week, the church tripled in attendance. As I took the pulpit for the first time as pastor, I asked for all the members of West Amarillo to stand and look around. They stood, with tears in their eyes, and the room erupted in applause. It was inspiring to see their courage and sacrifice so overwhelmingly rewarded. The atmosphere of the room was electric. And every week since, God has continued to bless us.
There is still a long way to go. We now have the daunting task of laying the foundation of a new church family that is united under one identity. We have to build systems and budgets that will one day allow us to grow and reproduce through church planting. It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it. God has brought us this far. I have no doubt he will continue to be our provider, protector, and promoter.
I tell this crazy story with no shame, because I really can’t take a shred of credit for any of it. Either I am the luckiest church-planter alive, or God sovereignly brought this new church into existence. I tend to be persuaded by the latter option, and believe Jesus has big plans for Amarillo, Texas.
And, because of this, Jesus gets all the glory.
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For two great books on replanting, check out Church Planting is For Wimps: How God Uses Messed-up People to Plant Ordinary Churches That Do Extraordinary Things, by Mike McKinney, as well as Jesus + Nothing = Everything,
By Tullian Tchividjian.
