Transitions: Reflections Before Launching Redeeming Life Church

August 25, 2014

Transitions are about gain and about loss.  I am in a season of transition.

A few months ago, a group of curious men, women, and their children sat in my living room to hear about church planting.  We were a small group seeking to understand how God might plant a church in the Salt Lake valley.  Many of us were wondering if God might be using us to plant a church.  Risen Life Church has desired to plant a church in another part of the valley and we were thinking it might be time.

From that first night in my living room, we've seen a number of good people come and go.  Some have said, "no, this is not for me."  Others have said, "yes, I'd like to do this."  And still others have said, "I'm not so sure about this, but I think God is calling me to do it."  It certainly has been an interesting journey.

For a while we grew into a larger group.  Then it seemed God whittled us down to a smaller but more committed group.   Then a family who moved away from Salt Lake six months prior came back, determined to be a part of our effort.  And our team started gelling like a new family.

We call the parsonage where I live (and where we were meeting) The Barnabas House.  We started calling our group of soon-to-be church planters The Barnabas House Fellowship.  Eventually we determined that we were called to plant a church out of Risen Life and we ended up with the name Redeeming Life Church.

Knowing that we'd start a Sunday night service, we determined that our Monday night meetings should be held in the fellowship hall of Risen Life Church, the location where we'd be holding our Sunday night church gathering.  So we moved across the parking lot.  And on September 7th at 6:30pm, we'll hold our first corporate church gathering as Redeeming Life Church.

We baptized a guy.  Upon hearing his confession, another woman wants to be baptized so we'll have a baptism service on the September 21.  We've got a Facebook page and we're working on a website.  Our sermons will be recorded and made available.  We cleaned up the fellowship hall.  It's been hard work, but fun.

Tonight we held our last Monday night group meeting.  Details were discussed.  We worshiped and
prayed.  We laughed.  As we were cleaning up, a homeless lady full of drama and complications walked in, and we did what we could to help her.  It was a great night, but it was clear that we are in transition.

As I examine where we started and I see where we're headed I feel the gains and losses.  I'm excited to see this team serving together, worshiping, praying, and reaching the lost.  I'm thrilled to see what God may do with this eclectic team.  But I also feel the loss.  I already miss those meetings in my living room.  I'm sure I will long for the simplicity of those living room meetings one day, yet at the same time, I can't wait to see what kind of gains God may bring.

If you're in the Salt Lake area and would like to know more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I would love to have you join us on Sunday nights at 6:30.  (2780 E. 3900 S. Salt Lake City, Utah, 84124).  And if you feel called to help plant the gospel in the Salt Lake valley, either in person, prayer, or by donating resources, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Soli Deo gloria!
Pastor Bryan