dreams

Mr. Porter in English asked us what we see ourselves doing in the future.

A friend of mine told me that I need to dream big, because only big dreamers really make it big. Most of my high school career has been marked by one dream: the dream to plant a church. This is a calling that runs thicker than the blood in my veins.

I have been privileged to be a close friend to someone who has actually planted two churches in the southwest Ohio area, both of which are running strong. While I have read many books on starting churches, on relevant churches, books on how to keep focus through the trials of church building, nothing serves me better than my conversations with this friend. He has shown me firsthand the difficulties and joys of starting a church, and he has revealed the mistakes and errors one can hopefully avoid in beginning a new church.

I wish to start a postmodern church that is open-minded, accepting, and willing to dive into spiritual issues. I want to start a church that accepts the social pariahs, the homosexuals, the worst of the worst, and accept them with genuine love and a desire for spiritual friendship. I want to start a church that isn’t bigoted, brainwashing, condemning or judgmental.

I am fortunate in the fact that I belong to a church that, while it isn't postmodern, is very open-minded, accepting and loving. The leaders are bare and naked with their passion for God and His Kingdom, and we all do a pretty good job of not excluding anyone. There is always a warm air of love and acceptance, even though it's held in a YMCA gymnasium :-), and those at Southwest are on a journey into the wild and wonderful world of postmodernism as well. I am also fortunate to have experienced New Life, a small, New Testament-style, postmodern church, where the leaders are passionate and loving, as is the congregation. Both of these churches have driven me closer to God in so many ways, and I wish to model aspects of both when I begin my own church. Southwest and New Life are the biggest families I have :-).

Jesus’ message of hope, life, love, and peace is the driving force and single passion of my life.