Each day The Well is transformed as we continue to discover what it really means to be the Church. While The Well’s journey is far from over, we have learned some invaluable lessons along the way.
And they began from day one. It was my first Sunday away from home after The Well had left its building. I nervously kept checking my phone, just waiting for some panicked voice on the other end to tell me that everything had fallen apart in my absence. But a call never came.
At the first chance I had, I my wife, Ali, a ring to see what disasters awaited my return. But if disaster was what I had been hoping for, I was to be severely disappointed.
Her voice full of passion and excitement, Ali energetically recalled to me that they had had the best Sunday yet! Someone even accepted Jesus Christ right there in the house. They did not need me at all.
Ouch. I have to admit that initial heart prick did not feel good. But it opened my eyes to realizing that even though I was a “titled” member of The Well, the church was not about me, my presence, or my planning. I was no longer the head guy; Jesus had become the head guy.
So what do I do now as “pastor” of The Well? Since our beginnings in 2005, my part has transitioned from spiritual guru to church planter. As new branches of The Well form throughout homes in Orange County, I will typically stay for a couple months until the gathering has a solid foundation, and then let go.
But not every church plant is the same. In fact, there is one gathering whose door I have not even darkened, because I have a sense that my presence might actually snuff out what God is doing there. The Church is certainly not about me.
Maybe you, too are a leader of a church—with or without a building—and you’ve also come to the realization that it isn’t “your church” at all. Do you have any advice for the rest of us who must continue to re-learn this lesson? Or maybe you’re a member of a house church who has some important insights into what Christians in this setting really need from their pastors. If so, join in the conversation! Like I said…We still have a lot to learn!
