Emerging Conservative

Welcome to all those who are stopping by because they are checking out the “big” announcement from church yesterday. There’s a decent amount of info involved so I decided to go blog style so here it is….

When we started The Shepherd’s Fellowship, I felt led not to be part of a denomination. There were many benefits to this but also some downfalls including a lack of financial and resource support. However, the toughest part for me was not having the relational support. Not having other pastors and churches around our ministry to work together, have accountability, and to encourage one another. I looked at church networks and pastor coaching possibilities and could not find anything that seemed to be a match to the relational ministry we felt called to. I also looked for years for sister churches and pastors that I felt a close connection to. While I found many that I love and cherish, I found only one church and only a couple of pastors that I felt a partnership with even close to what I was looking for.

During this time, a vision of a new, relational church network was laid on my heart. One that I was passionate about but God did not seem to be saying it was time for yet. Looking back I see several things I had to learn and experience myself before taking on the role of a mentor and partner in this way. However, about 6 months ago… God started to move.

First, I was approached by a gentleman that I knew through our store. I had known his wife for years and was enjoying getting to know him better. From being on the outside and watching them both go through life, I was aware that they were deeply committed Christians with great faith and integrity. I got together for lunch with he and his wife and was pumped at what I heard. He had on his heart a relational style church in Delaware for the past couple years. During that time, he had my name on his heart to come speak to but as an almost 50-year-old guy with no pastoral training or experience, he just didn’t know how it would work out and kept putting it off. One day, he spoke to his wife and she shared that God had on her heart to tell him to go talk to me as well before he brought it up to her. At lunch, I shared with him the vision of the church network and that I had already prepared a pastor training program to train, equip and mentor those looking into going into relational ministry where one could be licensed and eventually ordained through the network.

Since this lunch, we have been working together. He has started the program and I have simply fallen in love with these guys and pumped about where it all is headed. His family is transplanting themselves to The Shepherd’s Fellowship within the next couple months for mentorship as we continue the training. I fully expect the Delaware church to be up and running in the next one to two years.

Then, not long after this first meeting with them, an old friend from my camping days visited our church with his wife. He had been trained through the same program that I had to be a pastor and has several years of church leadership experience as a church leader. However, after many tough experiences at a previous church due to different (let’s say) visions, was turned off of church as he knew it and stepped off for a period of time. After his visit at The Fellowship, he touched base with me on a dream he has of a home church in Sunbury. He had said the feel of what he is looking for, he finally felt by visiting the Fellowship and was wondering if we would partner with him and help him get up and running. After many talks and prayer, it looks like we are moving forward to working with him within this network as well!

Now, after talking to this gentleman, I was approached by a friend who has been feeling led to start a relational church in Columbus and  is not really feeling the support in his current enviroment that he needs. He is looking for where God is leading him during this time and we have gotten together and talked about the church network as well. He is still searching where God is leading him but if he does feel led this way, I am ready to start the relational assessment process with him and see what God is doing there too!

So the big news? This church network, The Fellowship Tree, seems to be moving and will be a separate entity from the church but operating under its umbrella for now. Through this network, we will have sister churches and fellow pastors with similar visions working together and building relationships that spur each other forward to holiness.

The Shepherd’s Fellowship, as the flagship church, will become a training church (much like the hospital on “ER” was a training hospital) for those who are looking for training and mentorship. We will be building relationships with those being called into the mission field of church planting and becoming pastors.

The only area that The Fellowship Tree has not moved into yet as God moves is being a resource for churches and church leaders who are wanting to make a change towards relational ministry. That will come when God desires it to.

So, that was the big announcement! The Fellowship Tree is up and running and we will see what God does as he continues to move. The people involved so far or are considering being involved have great hearts for doing ministry, getting involved in people’s lives, and reaching out to the lost! Please keep them and this ministry in prayer as we see what God has planned!