I am a church planter. I was first assessed as a church planter by the SBC some ten years ago. Actually it was through Gary Odom at the state office of Southern Baptists in Columbus, OH that assessed me at the highest level that a church planter could get. But, being afraid to take a risk I decided to stay the least risky path of pastoring. It wasn’t until six and a half years ago that I decided it was now or never and we moved to the Cleveland area to re-start a church. From there it was clear to me that the call on my life at the time was to plant churches.

Here I am today, having help re-start one church, lead the sponsorship of a cowboy church and then the launch of Bridge Church and now looking at launching a daughter church from Bridge. Bridge Church has had it’s share of God stories, such as yesterday. We baptized 14 people in Lake Erie on a crowded beach for all the beachgoers to see, but most importantly, for God to see. There was a Dad, a Mom and their daughter being baptized. A husband and his expectant wife. Another Dad and his son who recently came from the Catholic faith. There was a Dad and his step-daughter. A husband helped baptize his wife. An then there were several singles. It is days like this that I live for. It is days like this that make the bad days seem goofy.

Over the past week I have had my share of bad days. I knew it would happen. I just didn’t know when. It wasn’t one day or just one person, but a series of days and a few people. People who are wonderful and who I count as friends, but they are unhappy. Unhappy about  our leadership. Unhappy about the direction our church is going. I love these people and it hurts to hear the words that describe their feelings. I understand. I really do. Hopefully we have worked through some of these issues, but time will tell.

Satan is not happy. He is trying to destroy the work that God is doing at Bridge Church. Marriages are struggling greatly. I am hurting with for a few couples in our church that need God’s intervention. Satan is trying to infiltrate Julie and mines marriage. I will not let him. I cannot let him.

God is on the move in Perry, OH. Continue to pray.