A CTK Wedding

Last night, Ruthie and Jason from our church got married. It was a lot of fun as far as weddings go. The best thing was that it was our first wedding for CTK in Durango. The whole crew was there and it was pretty cool to be part of their story. We are so excited for Jason, Ruthie, Annie, and Jackson--oh, and Eddie too!

How Honest Do We Have To Be?

One of my favorite things about CTK Durango is our honesty and transparency. We "let it all hang out" with each other. I've heard people talking in our worship services saying, "I feel pretty crappy. In fact, I didn't feel like coming today, but I figured, what the hell!" We've shared the good and the bad. It's a cultural reality for us that has shaped the kind of church we've become.

Recently, however, I was confiding in a friend about some of the difficulties we are having as a family and he mentioned that he was surprised to hear about the struggles because everything seems so positive and upbeat on this blog. Part of this is that there are really so many things going well here. The church is thriving in it's own unique and earthy way. We are reaching the people that no one else seems too interested in. On the other hand, I am feeling pretty convicted that I would showcase these amazing things without also being willing to share less attractive and more difficult happenings.

So, here goes...

While the church is thriving and people are connecting in ways I never thought possible, Jennifer and I are struggling to make it financially. This year, Jenn went to work teaching. We have been living off her income along with a $500 monthly stipend from the church. I guess I don't need to put our budget here, but suffice it to say that we are living on a shoe string. We do not have any form of entertainment or clothing or extra-curricular activities in our personal budget. We don't have cable and I just shut down my final luxury--an account with Nexflix. Our housing costs are low for this area. Our mortgage is less than what it would cost us to rent a house. We have done everything we can to cut costs but we are still not able to quite make ends meet. Right now we are running on about a three hundred dollar deficit each month. As far as debt goes, we have one $240 car payment and about $5000 left to pay on debt we accrued over the first year moving to and settling in Durango. On a positive note, in two months, my income from the church will go from $500 to $1000/month which will be helpful.

I'm not sharing any of this to generate sympathy (or donations for that matter). I am fully aware that there are people all around us who are in far worse condition. My goal here is simply to be as honest and authentic as the faith community that has risen around our efforts here in Durango. I feel no sense of entitlement to any level of income or standard of living. I do, however, have some very real concerns about our financial reality--it is a struggle for us, to say the least. If you're still reading, I will close with this: God has been good to us. He has often affirmed what we are doing here and is moving in fantastic ways in this community. I am having some great moments with my wife, and both my kids--almost daily. I am building on new friendships that challenge and inspire me, and I am looking forward to many things in the coming months. It would be less than honest of me, however, keep such close accounts of all these things and not also share the struggles and costs of working for God in such an unorthodox context as this.

Fishing with the Boy

Yesterday I took Oscar fishing for the first time. He's been with me before when I've been fishing, but this was his first time casting and reeling himself. We didn't catch anything, but he learned how to cast (with a real rod and reel) and reel in a spinning lure. We're going out again today. This spring and summer are going to be a lot of fun--Oscar can do so many things now that we will be able to do things together instead of him watching me have fun. If you know me at all, you know that this time of life has been one of my greatest aspirations. To run down to the river in the afternoon with my son casting lines and laughing when he has to poop in a plastic bag because we are too far from the bathroom! This is going to be one of those summers I will wish I could just wrap up and freeze in time.

Easter

We had a fun Easter service this week. The band was huge (for us) with two guitars, a bass player, a drummer and three vocalists! It sounded great. Stephen, who played bass just started showing up with his wife, Amanda--what a great addition they have been to our group.

My grandma is here visiting. It's pretty fascinating to see her responses to what we're doing here. This is a woman who has been going to church for many, many years. She seemed to enjoy herself, although there were times during the teaching when I could see that her eyes were following the tattoos on my arms as they moved around!

Even though we had a good time, every week that goes by is one week closer to Steve leaving. For two guys who don't know how to express emotion very well, we've grown really close over the last couple years. I'm going to miss his friendship, for sure, but what's really going to get to me is losing my partner in audacious church experimentation. I'm not sure I can live without those conversations that start with some random idea and end with, "why not, let's do it". So much of what has turned out to be an amazing movement of God in our community was birthed from a couple of guys who really didn't have much to lose and couldn't be more in love with the idea of Jesus making great things out of our poverty.

Shared Space (update)

Yesterday we had our first gathering in the new building at Matthew's House. There was a great energy there in the new space with everyone there. I'm sure I will eventually get over my aversion to meeting on Sunday mornings...the benefits will outweigh my hesitations, I'm sure.

After our meeting, a group of us met at my house with some of the people from Patrick Crossing for lunch. We talked about the prospect of looking at what it would be like for us to work together as a team in ministry. It was exciting to see people respond to the concept of biblical unity--especially since there aren't many examples of it working well around us. I can't wait to see what this looks like six months from now!

Let's Brag on the Wife!

I talk a lot about what we have going on at CTK, but the truth is, none of what I am doing in shepherding this church would be possible outside the example and hard work of my wife, Jenn.

This year, Jenn took a job at a local "experimental" high school to support our family so we can continue in our work with the church. It's been a tough year, mostly because the school that hired her has been plagued with poor leadership and serves as sort of a dumping ground for Durango's undesirables (not to mention leaving her babies in the care of a guy who only teaches them about cars and cooks mac'n'cheese). In spite of the difficulties, Jenn has proved her worth on the staff and has become one of the most respected and valued teachers there. She has not held back from the kids and has actually been able to speak into their lives in creative and profound ways.

The other thing Jenn is really into this year is coaching cheerleading. She has been coaching since her teaching days at Watsonville High School in California. What's amazing about her efforts here is that when she started coaching the cheerleaders at Durango High a year ago, the team was small and mostly known for their lack of character and poise (to say the least). I just went to the banquet they have at the end of the season and I was blown away by how she has invested in and shaped these girls. She has produced a team of girls who are being recognized by the school leadership as examples of character, integrity, and charisma. They are attending camps and are now starting to enter the realm of competition. This year, in particular, they had an experience where one girl's health struggles had the potential of jeopardizing a homecoming routine they had been working on for months. The team decided to put aside the routine in order to support their teammate. In the end, the team came together, this girl was able to pull through, and they nailed the routine anyway.

I'll spend my life trying to teach people about the value of serving God by serving people. My wife just does it for a living. Who's the pastor now?!?

Shared Space

This coming Sunday, we will be changing venues for our worship service at CTK Durango. This is not too shocking...it was about a year ago that we moved from Pickles Restaurant to the Community Rec Center. Two things are significant about this transition. One is that we will now be meeting on Sunday mornings. Our goal is make ourselves more accessible to people. We want our central worship experience (which we refer to as the "front door") to be as easy to find and safe for people exploring Jesus. The second reason for the move is that we get to share space with other churches. We are moving into the building currently leased by Matthew's House. Joe Beckler (the pastor) and I have become good friends in the past couple years and through that relationship he has extended an invitation for us to share their space. They meet on Sunday nights, so the mornings are wide open. Patrick Crossing (another church--another good friend) will also begin using the space as they meet on Thursday nights. Before long, three churches will be using the same facility. Not only will we be sharing space, but we are constantly exploring new ways for the churches to share in ministry as well. I am intrigued and excited about the prospect of churches doing life together as well as what it communicates to the community about the unity of God's Church (did that all rhyme?)when we can share resources instead of hoarding them.

Lord, Save Us From Your Followers

On Monday night, we teamed up with Patrick Crossing (another church in town) and screened a movie called, "Lord, Save Us From Your Followers" at the Abbey Theatre--picture a small little independent theater with couches in the balcony and a full bar.

The movie basically brings up some of the disparities between Christian culture in America and the life Jesus taught us to live. It was very well done and it sparked some good dialog between Christians and people who would normally too angry at Christians to talk.

The best part for me was a conversation I had with a woman afterward who said she had stopped going to church because it seemed like people were more concerned with being right than actually helping the poor and oppressed. She was really excited about the prospect of finding community with people who worship God and consequently long to reach out to the abandoned people groups with love, acceptance, and forgiveness.

I'm looking forward to where these conversations lead. The movie is supposed to hit theaters this summer, so look for it. It will definitely create some great inroads to conversations about Jesus.

Last night was one of those nights that reminds you of why you're here. I got to kind of cast vision for where we're headed in the coming months. It is an exciting time for us and I can't wait to elaborate in the coming weeks. Suffice it to say that we have a great group of people in this community who are bursting with potential to uncover the Kingdom all over the place!

More to come!

101 Reasons Not To Leave Durango In Winter

This past weekend, Steve, my Dad, and I flew to Seattle for the annual Arrows Out conference for CTK. Once a year, everyone from all the campuses get together in one place. It was so good to catch up with people who I've only been talking to on the phone for the last twelve months. Some highlights were great conversations about the future and focus of CTK Durango/Farmington and a private beer tasting with our supervising pastor, Rick Snodgrass.

Some low-lights were getting bumped from our flight from Seattle to Phoenix, being re-routed to Denver, sitting around the airport watching flights being canceled, spending the night in a hotel only to discover our flight was rescheduled for 24 hours later, renting a car and stretching the six hour drive from Denver to ten hours.

It was a long trip.

We got a ton of snow in Durango while we were gone (hence the travel issues). I finally caught up with the shoveling this morning, so it'll probably snow again tomorrow!

It's good to be home!