Weekend Three Report

We had another tremendous weekend...

Big Student Ministries started with a bang Saturday with their first house party! It was so exciting to hear the stories from the gathering. Luke is building the student ministry from the ground up. He has an amazing group of students as the foundation. He also has a great team of adult leaders. They are going to make a difference quickly!

Sunday morning was another powerful moment for Journey Church. I continue to be amazed at how smooth the team works to make it all happen. This weekend we faced some new challenges. It started with some pretty heavy rainfall just about the time the set up crew was unpacking the trailer. The wind did a number on our road signs. Speaking of the road signs, we failed to cover one small detail and the township picked them up about 9 a.m. because we didn't have a permit. It's a long story and I'll spare the details. We'll have the necessary paperwork processed before this Sunday. The weather broke loose about 10:05 a.m. with very heavy rain and hail. Yes, you read that correctly, hail. It was beyond weird for a late January day in Ohio. Being a portable church will continue to presents us with weekly challenges. I am confident we'll overcome each one. It already feels like we are finding a groove and that feels good.

I was pumped to hear that three more people made commitments on Sunday (20 in three weeks). We are in the church planting "game" to help people find Christ. It is clear that is happening and that makes all the hard work even more worth it!

The weekend was brought to a close with an open house at my place. It was fun to open our home to provide some relational space. There were moments when it was difficult to even move in a couple rooms. The volume so high at one point, I was having trouble hearing the person I was speaking to. It was awesome to hear the stories of how people found their way to Journey Church. It is clear people are enjoying what is happening and have made a church connection. I look forward to helping each of them advance in their spiritual journey and empowering them to make a difference in West Chester and beyond.

It is becoming more and more evident that launching with the Desperate Households series was a great choice. It has been so encouraging to hear the stories of how our weekend gatherings are impacting people.

Monday is officially my day off and I laid low most of the day. I am gearing up for a busy week. I hope to write more as the week progresses.

Amazed!

I have spent a great deal of time this week reflecting on the happenings of the past two weeks. If I had been given the opportunity to write the story of how our first two weeks would unfold, I would not have changed a thing. It truly has been an amazing ride. It has simply been impossible to step outside the excitement that is present. We truly have found ourselves in sync with something God was already doing. I am still amazed!

This weekend is packed full of gatherings. Our student ministry will kick off Saturday night with its first house party. Weekend gathering number three is only a two days away. Sunday evening my family will be hosting an open house to provide some space for relational connections.

It should be fun...

Sophomore Sunday!

The buzz continued in the lobby of Lakota East High School as people gathered for our second weekend gathering. We had 280 people experience our sophomore Sunday and another 2 people made commitments to Christ (total of 17 in two weekends!). We continue to be amazed with the story that God is authoring in this new community.

I want to share a word of thanks to the long list of volunteers who have worked beyond hard the past several months to ensure that God had every opportunity to work as Journey Church launched. Our staff, leaders, band, and launch team have been unbelievable. It has been completely thrilling to watch our entire team embrace the mission and vision of Journey Church. Our team is a living testimony of what God can do when followers choose to be outward focused. You guys are the best!

I really do hope to post often on this blog. The inbox has been popping like crazy. My phone is ringing often and the schedule is full. I am loving it! Eventually, I will find a groove and work blogging into my daily routine. I thank you for reading and hope you will continue to do so. Feel free to take a moment and drop me a comment. I would love to have a feel for who is reading.

We have begun one of the most exciting adventures anyone can take. The Church really is the hope of the world and I am honored to be a part of what God is doing.

Launch Day Images

The week is nearly over and I have only posted once. Please accept my sincere apology. I will get into the blogging groove eventually. Please be patient.

I do have a few images I would like to share from Journey's grand opening. The first picture captures the buzz that was present in the lobby as people were gathering. The second image captures the powerful moment at the close of our first weekend service. We lifted this prayer together as we closed, "You're all I want...You're all I every needed...You're all I want...Help me know You are near." It really was a special day.

The weekend is almost upon us. I have a talk to finish writing, a few appointments, and several phone calls to make. Our second Sunday is almost here. I am excited about continuing the journey. I am pumped about God continuing to raise up a church community in West Chester, Ohio that will inspire people to live big!

Journey Launch Day (Part 2)

The launch of Journey Church took place on Sunday January 15th. It was truly a special moment. Lakota East High School was buzzing with energy. We had 347 people experience our first Sunday morning gathering. The moment was truly electric! God moved in a big way and 15 people made commitments to Christ!

I wish there was some way that I could capture all the stories that have been told in the past twenty-four hours. I really would love to share them. There is simply no way to do that. Know this, some amazing stories have and are being written. God is at work.

One thing continues to be very apparent in this journey, God is positioning Journey Church to make a difference in West Chester and beyond. My hope and prayer is that we can faithfully steward that responsibility and calling. It is going to be a fun ride and I am going to enjoy every moment. It is truly an honor to lead at a place like Journey.

There is no question there will be challenges along the way. I suppose it wouldn't be any fun without them. We'll continue to be flexible. We'll also continue to listen for the Spirit's voice. As we are, God will continue to move. He promises that and He will be faithful. I have my seat belt fastened and my helmet is secure. I am ready for the ride.

I really am looking forward to capturing that story here. I hope you enjoy reading.

Journey Launch Day!

God continued to author an amazing story yesterday as Journey Church officially launched. I have some amazing stories to tell and will get to that later this week. Today we are working hard to follow up with sixty plus families that filled out connect cards. I will write more, I promise.

Control...Alt...Delete

If you are finding this blog for the first time you won't notice anything different. If you are a seasoned reader of tomplanck.com then you might be wondering what happen to the old stuff. Well, I deleted it. There were simply too many cobwebs to overcome. I decided that if I was going to make a new go of this blog gig then I needed a fresh start.

A fresh start of my blog seems very appropriate because that has been the theme of my life the past year and a half. This Sunday (January 15th) Journey Church will be officially born. There is an "all in" team of Christ followers in West Chester who are passionate about "inspiring people to live big!" It is this passion that is driving us to open the doors of West Chester's newest church. Prepping for launch day has been an amazing ride. We have prayed, dreamed, and worked very hard. We are ready. There is great anticipation of what the coming days and months will hold.

This week I have spent a lot of time reflecting on the road I have traveled in the past eighteen months. The part that amazes me the most is where this road has taken us. I firmly believe we have gotten in sync with something that God was doing. The first time I am asked about how Journey Church did what it is about to do I already know my answer. It will be a very sincere, "I have no idea." There is no doubt I could share some wisdom, but I honestly believe what is happening is way beyond good leadership, a solid marketing plan, and strategic outreach. It is a God thing and that cannot be manufactured. One can only hope to be in sync with what God is already doing. I am simply trying to stay out of the way and let God work. Isn't that what good leaders do?

After much consideration, I think I will make a go of this blog deal again. I only have one regret about the past several months. I wished I had more faithfully chronicled our story.