Less than a week.

That's right. Less than a week before Refuge Community Church kicks off. It has seemed like such a long build up, from the embryonic stages in Brownwood, to the serious planning in Waco, to the hours of mentoring preparing paperwork, to the seven months of meeting as a home church, to now.

I honestly wish I had more time, there are so many more things I would like to do. But I also know that all the necessities are taken care of. We have a wonderful core of people. We started with a very trustworthy, faithful friend handling the finances (something that is absolutely essential), added a hard-working friend with the heart of a true servant leading up our small groups, and then we added an extremely talented musician who wants to learn. And those are just the guys in official roles. There are too many wonderful traits in our people to list or mention, but needless to say I'm excited.

But at the same time, I am anxious. How will we respond to difficult situations? Will our leadership rise to the occasion, or will we let pressure implode us? How will I respond when things happen that I don't want to deal with, or what if I do want to deal with it, but feel like it is wisdom to let it play out? Can I trust God to take my mistakes and make a beautiful mosaic from them? What happens if no one comes? Will I be satisfied ministering to those we already have, or will I fall prey to the awful numbers game? Will we include new people, will we lovingly rebuke those who need it?

It comes back to call for me. I have to trust my call to Refuge, and I have to trust that God called our leadership team. It is easy to trust God on those that have already stepped to the plate, but not so easy to trust those that have struck out a few times. I have to trust that the Spirit that moves in me also moves in the people I seek to serve. And if that is the truth, he may be speaking to them in ways that I'll never understand. I love our church as it is, but I know that God calls church to grow, to change, to be like a living organism. My hope is that God will give me wisdom to lead in that way, that he will give our people patience to bear with me while I learn, and most of all that he will fill us all with love for one another and for our community.