DECEMBER 2008

 Mission: Serve our community with the authentic love of Christ one person at a time

STORY OF THE MONTH

WELL UPDATED – SERVING

WELL UPDATED – RELATIONSHIPS

 I’m thankful that we have developed relationships with close to 400 people in our community.  Originally our goal was to get over 1000 to 1500 names on the wall.  I think it became clear to us early on that there’s no way we could truly develop authentic relationships with that many people.  We’ve chose to invest in the ones that we have and invite them to The Well on Feb 22.  

Christmas Parties

Some of our team is involved in different organizations in the community.  We were represented for the Big Brothers Big Sister’s Christmas Party, as well as Rogers County Young Professionals.

WELL UPDATED – FINANCES

1. We’ve also set up online giving on our website for anyone wanting to give toward our start up costs.  
2. We’ve currently raised over $67,000.  We still lack $3,000 that we need to raise over the next two months.  Anyone wanting to help can give online or send a check to:  The Well / P.O. Box 266 / Claremore, OK  74018
3. Thank you to all of you that have given to make this endeavor possible.

WELL UPDATED – TEAM WELL

This past semester some of our team has consistently week in and week out supported the Campus Crusade for Christ group at RSU.  Our goal was to do nothing but love, serve, and encourage these college students.  I’m thrilled to say in return they will be partnering with us to get The Well off the ground.  We have nearly 10 students that have showed up at some point and have expressed their interest to serve with us.  I can’t stand statistics but we can’t ignore reality.  Most churches that don’t have 40 or more on a team to launch a church have a hard time making it.  Stats also say that 2-3 churches don’t make it past their first year.  I know God orchestrates all of our steps and I’m pumped to say we have over 25 people that are committed to be apart of The Well.  We still have a couple of months to go and I’m expecting that number to inch closer to 40.

WELL UPDATED – BUZZ

Although we are more about word of mouth to create a buzz, a very cool opportunity presented itself at the Rec Center.  They allowed us to put up a billboard for a very low cost over the next 3 months.  We have already received emails asking about The Well and when our launch date is.  Many college students work out there and it is the largest social hub in Claremore.

Well Signage

 I’m quite excited about our signage coming in and will arrive before our next preview.  It looks incredible and I’ve got to give a shout out to Drew Witt, a friend from Texas that has worked hard to make it happen for us!  Follow this link to see the rest of our banners.  One of our core values is excellence and we believe everything we do represents Christ.

WELL UPDATED – PRAYER REQUESTS

1. Please pray against all attacks from the enemy of discouragement and fear for the unknown
2. Pray that our team would continue to grow spiritually and numerically
3. Pray for our Preview #2 that our vision would continue to move forward and others would be apart.
4. Pray for our band.  We are still needing musicians that will become apart.
5. Pray for continued favor for our finances, wisdom in every decision, and passion for the name of Christ and for the names on “The Wall”

UPCOMING EVENTS

January 4                 Recon to Owasso / Team Gathering “Serving Strategy”

January 11               Preview Gathering #2 / Creative Team Mtg

January 15               Sponsored Dinner for RCYPO

January 18              Team Gathering “Groups Strategy”

February 1                Preview Gathering #3

 THE WELL MONTHLY

 November 2008

Mission: Serve our community with the authentic love of Christ one person at a time

STORY OF THE MONTH

 Team Well Retreat

 Our team bonded together more so than any other time.  We spent an entire weekend together getting naked.  What?  Yeah you can read about it here.  I’m humbled that God has continued to bring his team together.  He does a far better job creating a team than I can – that’s obvious.  We are inching closer to having 20 committed people on Team Well – praise Christ!

WELL UPDATED – SERVING

Parade Cleaning Crew

We once again knocked out a parade together.  I’m so thrilled that our team isn’t above getting their hands dirty.  People have taken notice of our servant acts of love and it is creating a buzz within our community.  

Spaghetti Dinner for Team Claremore

We were given a special opportunity to host a dinner for over 30 runners that had entered the Route 66 Marathon.  We partnered with Rogers County Young Prof Organization and it was a fun night of conversations with those of my same interest.  Each person left with a Well water bottle.  Thank you to all of those on our team that served – you guys rock!

Dickens on the Blvd

A highlight for me was knowing that as my family was away on vacation in Texas during Thanksgiving there wasn’t any worries that our team could handle serving without us.  Many huddled together in 38 degree weather as they served food for Claremore’s annual Dickens on the Blvd event.  They passed out brochures and little did they know a few weeks later a family would show up to unload our trailers and looking to be involved on Team Well.  Because they endured some cold weather – we may have our sound man!  

WELL UPDATED – GATHERINGS

This past month we met regularly in the Van Pay garage.  It has begun to get a little colder and we’ve had to bring in a heater.  It throws off a mean flame but reminds us that we are raw and nothing can stop us from gathering together as Christ followers.  We continue to write names on our wall and pray, worship, and tell stories of life change.  It is what we are about and what we will always be about.

WELL UPDATED – RELATIONSHIPS

Almost 350 names are listed on “The Wall” in our garage.  We are challenging each other to invest, invest, invest, and invest in one person at a time through serving them, loving them, and encouraging them.  We pray that one day an invite to a gathering could change their perception of church and cause transformation in their lives.

WELL UPDATED – FINANCES

1. We’ve also set up online giving on our website for anyone wanting to give toward our start up costs.  
2. We’ve currently raised over $30,000 and with the grant will be at 60,000.  We still lack $10,000 that we need to raise over the next three months.  Anyone wanting to help can give online or send a check to:  The Well / P.O. Box 266 / Claremore, OK  74018
3. Thank you to Gateway Fellowship Church for giving us an offering of over $2000

WELL UPDATED – TEAM WELL

 Like mentioned above we are adding to the team one by one.  We just brought on someone to handle sound for us, as well as a young guy to do video editing for us.  We have someone that is going to handle Children’s Church temporarily until we find someone permanent.   

WELL UPDATED – BUZZ

A pretty cool suprise occurred a week ago Sunday.  We opened up the paper to discover an ad on a church meeting in a theater in Ohio.  Our Claremore Daily Progress decided to write an article about it and took it a step further – they went ahead and did a promo for The Well and placed our website as a link.  I’m so thankful for God’s incredible favor.  I’m sure glad he’s orchestrated this and doesn’t need much of our help.

WELL UPDATED – PRAYER REQUESTS

1. Please pray against all spiritual warfare for our team and pray we would have the strength and endurance to fight through
2. Pray that our team would continue to expand and each one would take ownership
3. Pray for us that all purchases would be made and everything would come together over the next month so we can be ready for our next preview gathering.
4. Pray for our band.  We are still needing musicians that will become apart.
5. Pray for continued favor for our finances, wisdom in every decision, and passion for the name of Christ and for the names on “The Wall”

UPCOMING EVENTS

December 13          Christmas Caroling at Wood Manor

December 14           The Well Preview #1

December 18-20    Teaching Team Retreat

December 25           Christmas lunch at the prison

January 11               Preview Gathering #2

 THE WELL MONTHLY

 October 2008

Mission: Serve our community with the authentic love of Christ one person at a time

STORY OF THE MONTH

 Free Garage Sale 

 Last Saturday our underground church gave ourselves away and couldn’t have possibly fulfilled our mission any better!  I truly believe that this expression of complete unselfishness by our team planted seeds in more lives than we’ll ever know.  My favorite question all morning was,  ”How much is this?  Free?  Why?  You can read more about it by clicking here.

WELL UPDATED – SERVING

Parade Cleaning Crew

This past month our team followed up two different parades in our community.  We decided that we could better serve, not by a float or passing out candy, but to clean up after everyone.  It was an honor for us to help out our city.  We also handed out over 100 water bottles with survey cards.  You read about it here or here.

Citizen’s Academy

One of the highlights of mine over the past six weeks has been to be apart of the first ever Claremore Citizen’s Academy.  More than anything it has given me a huge inside view of how our city’s run and has given me a gigantic appreciation for our city worker’s!  I’m more than pumped after taking a tour of our county prison to hear bout an opportunity for The Well to partner with them to feed inmates during lunch on Christmas day!  Here is a few other things that the academy has given me a chance to do representing The Well:

• visited our electric company and change a 30,000 watt electrical cord
• got to fulfill a boyhood dream of operating a back hoe  
• visited the water treatment plant & got to engulf the stench of our sewer plant
• got an overview of city planning & budgeting
• heard all about our parks and recreation

WELL UPDATED – GATHERINGS

This past month we decided to meet on Sunday nights at 6pm.  Every week it seems as though we add one more to the team.  We’ve now got around 15 players that are committed to the vision of The Well.  You can read about a recent gathering here and read past recaps here.  We also implemented groups at 5pm.  We are striving to create a band of brothers and sisters that will love each other more than we love ourselves.  Last week we talked about salvation and this week will be on lordship.  Our ultimate goal is that we would help people take steps from drinking from the fountain (gatherings), drink from a faucet (groups), and then help them find the cup (personal prayer, worship, and bible) where true relationship with Christ occurs.

WELL UPDATED – RELATIONSHIPS

Almost 350 names are listed on “The Wall” in our garage.  We are challenging each other to invest, invest, invest, and invest in one person at a time through serving them, loving them, and encouraging them.  We pray that one day an invite to a gathering could change their perception of church and cause transformation in their lives.

WELL UPDATED – FINANCES

1. After months of moving through a process within our district and denomination I’ve been informed recently that our MX9 grant should be on its way within the next few weeks.  This couldn’t come at a better time as we will be headed down to Texas sometime in the next week to fork over the majority of our budget for two trailers and sound equipment.  
2. We also received our tax exempt status which should have taken 3 months!!  
3. We’ve also set up online giving on our website for anyone wanting to give toward our start up costs.  
4. We’ve currently raised over $25,000 and with the grant will be at 55,000.  We still lack $20,000 that we need to raise over the next four months.  Anyone wanting to help can give online or send a check to:  The Well / P.O. Box 266 / Claremore, OK  74018
5. Thank you to Claremore A/G for taking a special offering for us on October 12.  We also can’t thank all of you that are giving and have pledged monthly.  There’s no way we could be doing all of what we are doing right now without your support!  
6. We also received a $1000 copy machine donated to us by a local business!

WELL UPDATED – TEAM WELL

 The ball is truly moving and momentum is building as we’ve doubled in the amount of players on the team.  We’ve added a communications/graphic designer, as well as looking at a potential Children’s Pastor.  This group of authentic Christ followers is blowing me away with their passion and servant hearts.  Last week we read in Exodus 18 about Moses being confronted by his FNL.  We also hit on a book called, “Me to We”.  I recognized that I was doing way too much and was choking my team from truly having ownership.  Since that time they have truly grabbed a hold and I couldn’t be prouder.  We never want pew sitters but people that will truly BE THE CHUCH!  We recently purchased our online database, Community Church Builder, and are looking forward to implementing this.  

This coming weekend we are planning our leadership retreat.  We will be spending the day on Saturday at the ropes and challenge course at RSU.  I’m excited to see how much this brings our team together. I can’t wait to pray, play, and plan together.  We will be discussing the following at our retreat:

• Specific roles & job descriptions
• Feb 22 overview & expectations
• Calendar & Event Planning
• Budget & Supply List

WELL UPDATED – CINEMA 8 THEATER

 Last night some of our team had a meeting with our location manager.  It continued to thank God for the favor we have as we asked questions and looked for an incredible future partnership.  Everything is lining up as we are looking to do some major space usage plans and go into detail about how we will work out our portable church.

WELL UPDATED – BUZZ

We are making connections by word of mouth that can’t get us more excited.  The garage sale got back to our local paper and they might be writing a story on us.  I’m also hearing alot of feedback and we are experiencing many hits on our website.  We’ve had quite a few take part in our online survey and we’ve been able to pass out hundreds of Well first touch pieces, and pass out tons of water bottles as well.  I hope that our buzz isn’t created by a door hanger or billboard, but more by the serving we do in our community.

WELL UPDATED – PRAYER REQUESTS

1. Please pray against all spiritual warfare for our team and pray we would have the strength and endurance to fight through
2. Pray that our team would continue to expand and each one would take ownership
3. Pray for our upcoming retreat that are team would become a family
4. Pray for continued favor for our finances, wisdom in every decision, and passion for the name of Christ and for the names on “The Wall”

UPCOMING EVENTS

November 8-9        Team Well Leadership Retreat

November 15           Spaghetti Dinner for Team Claremore

November 21           Dickens on the Blvd

December 7             Team Well Christmas Party

December 14           The Well Preview #1

December 13           Wood Manor Christmas Caroling

STORY OF THE MONTH

Last Tuesday late afternoon I was able to attend a “Chamber Connection” for any business owners and those that wanted to promote themselves to others in the community.  I didn’t know anyone in the room as I approached the podium.  I just felt Holy Spirit led as I held nothing back.  I let everyone know I was a passionate follower of Jesus Christ and was starting a different kind of church that would be meeting in the local movie theater.  I could sense eyebrows raising as this young shaved head guy spoke unshamedly of The Well. 

Afterwards I spoke with several people.  One guy named Steve asked me question after question.  He couldn’t believe that his relationship with Christ wasn’t determined by his church attendance or the way he dressed.  I could sense that there was freedom in our conversation and perhaps he felt liberated of years of legalism!

WINS TO CELEBRATE   

LEADERSHIP ROGERS COUNTY & CITIZEN’S ACADEMY

Several months ago I came upon an incredible opportunity to put in an application to be apart of a program that would truly allow me to get a big picture scope of Claremore, as well as build relationships with others that truly want to see this community move forward.  I am excited to say that I was accepted into the program and will be starting this weekend.  Another opportunity came up recently that I couldn’t pass up.  God opened a really cool door to be apart of the first ever Citizen’s Academy here in Claremore.  I am completely humbled that I will be able to serve along with others from all walks of life.

SERVING CLAREMORE

Wood Manor

This past month some of our team continued saturating this place with God’s love.  Over 85%, if not more, of these elderly people never have anyone come to visit them – including family.  They have accepted us as family, and we consider them adopted grandparents.  Yesterday I was able to sit down and play cards with Rick and Frank and absolutely loved giving myself away!

CRU Gathering

Since the beginning of the semester Amy and I have been attending the Tuesday night gathering for Campus Crusade for Christ.  It started out with 20 students and has since doubled.  I am enjoying serving them and building a partnership with these students.  I am praying that one day some of the students will feel more than welcomed at a church called The Well.  We are praying for creative ways we can serve this campus apart from just weekly gatherings with those that already know Christ. 

This past Wednesday I was humbled to be apart of SYATP.  It was incredible to see these college students go public with their faith and pray unushamedly over their campus.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Please pray for us as we are continuing to believe God will speak to hearts to be apart of Team Well.  As we are serving together in the community we are believing for more hands and feet to be available.  We are also praying that God would send us a Kids Pastor, as well as someone in the area of graphic design / website upkeep. 

This coming Wednesday we will be attending an ORU Career Day and believing that God would allow us to meet some potentials.  I am also in contact with RSU’s media department in locating some students to be involved in our media area.

UPCOMING OCTOBER EVENTS 

4                     Dickens Bike Ride @ 1pm

5                     T3 Triathlon @ 8am

                       Team Gathering “Shape” @ 10am-12pm

7                     CRU Gathering RSU @ 7pm

 

10                   Homecoming Parade @ 4pm (bottled waters / candy – brochures)

11                   Wood Manor @ 9am

12                   Commissing Service @ 1030am

                       Team Gathering “Boot Camp” @ 5pm-7pm

 

14                    CRU Gathering RSU @ 7pm

17-18               Guys Camping Venture

19                    Team Gathering “SOAP” @ 10am-12pm

                        BnB Theater Space Usage / Prayer @ 4pm

                        Team Movie Night @ BNB – TBA

 

21                    CRU Gathering RSU @ 7pm

24                    Halloween Extravaganza (pumpkins) @ 6pm

25                    Free Garage Sale @ Springbrook – TBA (ideas – survey cards / door 2 door)

26                    Team Gathering @ 10am-12pm                     

28                    CRU Gathering RSU @ 7pm

STORY OF THE MONTH 

This past week as rain came down I digested my spiritual breakfast by reading Romans 11.  My favorite verse is 13:  “Behind and underneath all this there is a holy, God-planted, God-tended root.  If the primary root of the tree is holy there’s bound to be some holy root”

It made me think of our endeavor of The Well.  From the very beginning nearly a year ago my prayer is that God would orchestrate every step and that he would receive all the glory.  My desire is that we would not plant a weed that grows quickly but without much foundation and when swayed by the winds it blows over or can easily be yanked out.  When a seedling oak is only a year old, a child can tear it out by the roots, but once it’s had some time to become firmly established, even a hurricane can’t knock it down.  My desire is that we would plant on oak tree that takes longer to grow but the roots are strong and deep.  It will happen one relationship at a time, kind of like Chris:

I’ve jogged by this certain house several times near my neighborhood to see this guy sitting on his porch.  A few days ago I felt a check in my spirit to go talk to him.  I decided to take the plunge and introduced myself.  We briefly met and chatted about how he recently moved from Mississippi.  His little girls came out looking like my boys after eating spaghetti.  Immediately my heart went out to this family.  As I jogged away I immediately lifted him up in prayer and long for the day as it approaches to invite them to a gathering in which people will welcome them open-armed and a safe place for his girls to play next to my boys and learn about Jesus.  He and his family deserve that opportunity!

WINS TO CELEBRATE 

Themed TnT Nights

Over the past several months we’ve developed many relationships with people.  We decided to start linking them up with each other.  Amy sent out evites and we held theme nights every Tuesday and Thursday night such as: couples with olders kids, couples with young kids, couples with no kids, college/single.  This month we took in a Driller’s game, card night, and a carnival night.   

Equipment Donation

Amy went and picked up a sound board and amplifier – given to us by the Worship Pastor of our partnering church! 

Fellow Church Planters

Amy and I were able to have dinner recently with a neighboring church planter – Darren Rice.  He has recently started a new church in Verdegris and we are looking forward to a long-term relationship of prayer and encouragement as we are on the same team reaching our community!

LOGO & WEBSITE

A friend and graphic designer, Drew Witt, has finalized our logo for The Well and is currently working on our website that will be completed this coming month.  He has been incredible to help us until we can nail down a graphic designer of our own.

SERVING CLAREMORE

         

Manor Nursing Home

It was an absolute highlight for me this past Saturday to invite some of the Well team and partner with some RSU students to grill and serve over 150 hotdogs for the elderly of Wood Manor.  I had one of 76 year old friends Frank request saurcraut on his dog and another man asked if I could grill some brats – he hadn’t had one in over two years! 

CRU LUNCHEON

Last Wednesday we had the honor of opening our home all afternoon to a dozen RSU students.  It was the core group for CRU (campus crusade for christ).  Amy expressed her gift of hospitality by baking up 6 dozen oatmeal raisin cookies, which I didn’t eat one by chance.  It was a blast hearing these students pray, strategize, and plan to serve the campus this semester.  I was humbled that they would ask me to be a guest speaker in a couple of weeks.  We will partner with them and help them reach their campus as we continue to lay the foundation for Chi Alpha.  I love being around hillcats!

COALITION LUNCHEON

This past Thursday I was able to attend the Rogers County Coalition meeting during lunch.  It was pretty cool to represent the only church present – especially since we are still underground.  It is a pleasure to be getting to know these committed servants in our community.  Some of these people have the biggest hearts of anyone I know and love to be surrounded by others that are so committed to make a difference in our county.

“you can do no great things only small things with great love not how much you do but how much love you put into doing it”  Mother Teresa

 

PRAYER NEEDS

Finances

Over the next eights months we are needing to raise over $75,000 for start up expenses.  Pray that God would begin opening up the hearts of Pastors, churches, businesses, family, and friends that would partner with us in raising the funds needed to begin The Well.  Amy and I are going to begin attempting to itinerate at other churches to help raise this budget as soon as the district approves.  We are sending out over 200 partnering packets to churches & over 200 partnering letters this week to friends and family.  We’ve raised $4,000 so far and are in need of over $70,000 just in start-up costs

 

 

 

 

 

We are challenging our team to begin tithing as well as anyone that feels led to begin supporting us monthly to send checks payable to:

The Well / P.O. Box 266 / Claremore OK 74018

If you are wanting tax reduction send to our partnering church and designate The Well:

Claremore Assembly of God / 2100 W. Blue Starr Dr / Claremore OK 74017

 Well Team Chemistry

First weekly team gathering is on Sept 7th.  Pray that the team won’t just make a difference but that they will be the difference!  I want to specifically thank Michelle Brogdon and Amy for spending countless hours over the past two Sundays putting together all the packets to be mailed out.  I also want to thank Brad Robinson for all the hours he spent calling and emailing churches as we have finalized our system for follow up.

Patience: Upcoming meeting with the OK District to finalize our affiliation process

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

Aug 27 thru Sept 2 - Van Pay Louisville Vacation

Sept 6 - Chili Festival (chili contest & parking volunteers)

Sept 7 - Launch Service in Tulsa / Well Team Gathering

Sept 9 - CRU Gathering at RSU

Sept 14 - Well Team Gathering

Sept 15 – A/G Sectional Window

Sept 16 – CRU Gathering at RSU

Sept 18 -  Government Academy with City

Sept 19 – Rogers County Ldshp Council Mtg

Sept 21 – Well Team Gathering

Sept 23 – CRU Gathering at RSU

Sept 25 – Government Academy with City

Sept 27 – Reunion Barbecue w/ former students

Sept 28 – Well Team Gathering

Sept 30 – CRU Gathering at RSU

 

 

STORY OF THE MONTH 

For the past several months I have been apart of the Claremore weekly bike ride.  I met a lady named Joy, who is a writer for the Daily Progress.  She interviewed me several weeks ago about doing an article focusing entirely on my ironman training.  She called me today to let me know that her supervisor doesn’t want to just use this for a paper article.  Claremore is going to be publishing a first ever full-color magazine starting in September to reach out to a more progressive audience.  They are wanting to cover all sorts of topics but are wanting to highlight a story regarding fitness. 

She told me that they chose my story!  She wanted information about my part-time personal training at the rec center, amy’s triathlon experience, my surgery, and wants to help promote a pastor starting a new church!  She’s going to talk about The Well!  She informed me that this magazine would be of cost in the future, but the first issue will be free and will be mailed out to the community!!  This is God’s favor and he continues to orchestrate every step of the way!  I praise him for opening doors that we can never open ourselves.  They are going to post several pictures of my family as well!  Free advertising already!!

WINS TO CELEBRATE

PNO (young couples will not be forgotten)

A few weeks ago we once again invited any couples that we know to drop their kids off for a parent night out.  We ordered pizza, played wiffle ball in the backyard, and it was our pleasure to meet a need amongst friends!

Themed TnT Nights

Over the past several months we’ve developed many relationships with people.  We decided to start linking them up with each other.  Amy sent out evites and we held theme nights every Tuesday and Thursday night such as: couples with olders kids, couples with young kids, couples with no kids, college/single.  It has been a blast seeing our friends come together and become new friends with each other!  It has been even more of an honor to serve them in our home and allow Amy to flow in her area of hospitality and cooking!  Lets just say cornhole has been a huge hit and is creating a buzz in Springbrook neighborhood

Finances

1.  A close friend and soldier in Iraq sent us our $894 deposit for The Well website. 

2.  A former personal training client and good friend called to tell me he would be supporting us $500 monthly

3.  We received a suprise check last week for nearly $500 from someone wanting to support with their tithes

4.  We were able to attend a creative funds forum in Dallas a few weeks ago and are currently researching some non-profit ideas to raise some financial support for the future.  I believe God is wanting me to use my personal training certification, weight loss story, and triathlon experience in some way or another.

Equipment Donation

One of our team players, Michelle Brogdon, was able to send out quite a few emails and make some calls to some clients from portablechurch.  This is a very expensive company that sets up sound equipment for churches without permanent facilities.  Michelle linked up with a church out of state that is moving into a facility in two months and is wanting to donate some equipment to us.  We need to continue to pray that others will do the same as this is huge in the area of finances.  I have to give it up to Michelle for volunteering time on Mondays to help us administratively!

One of my close friends and running partners Matt donated several speakers to us as well! 

SERVING CLAREMORE

Wood Manor Nursing Home (the elderly will not be forgotten)

Rogers County Youth Shelter (the youth will not be forgotten)

This past week I got to hang out with three teenage guys at the shelter.  I absolutely loved teaching these young pups how to play some pool.  Yeah right!  Many of these young guys are sent there because of trouble or neglect.  It makes me feel like a Youth Pastor again.  It was an honor for Amy and I to have dinner with the RCY Services Director, Herb McSpadden, and his wife and share our story.  He’s got a serving heart and I’m looking forward to years of partnering together to believe in the potential of youth.

Postman Delivery

A few days ago on a very hot summer day, my wife Amy left some water bottles out by our mailbox.  She received a thank you note from our postman a few hours later.  When she told me about this the other night it reminded me of what we are all about – serving our community with the authentic love of Christ – one person at a time!

PRAYER NEEDS

FAMILY

We finally re-roofed our house.  The boys and I spent a week camping in our backyard with our new tent!  Amy continues to cook meals for our theme nights.  Cale eats all the left-overs!  We are extremely busy, but our family is doing very well.  We need continued prayer that we would have wisdom in our family time and that I don’t neglect my greatest ministry – THEM!

District Affiliation / Claremore A/G Partnership

Earlier this month our partnering church, Claremore Assembly of God, brought us into a board meeting and ask us questions about The Well.  They decided to support us monthly and are currently looking at a date to schedule us for a commissioning service.

I was also able to have lunch with my former Pastor (of Claremore A/G), Curtis Owens who is presently the executive presbyter of our district, and he is 100% supportive and gave me great advice in the months ahead.  This probably doesn’t mean much too many of you, but in the long run I believe God will honor our submissive heart and willingness to partner with others.

Friends

Please continue to lift up the 300 plus names of people in our community that are apart of our contact list.  Each one represents a soul.  God has called us to pursue them and make it hard for them to go to hell.  If they are going there, they have to come through us and we are not going to let them get there.  God’s called us to love them more then they love themselves.

Finances

Over the next eights months we are needing to raise over $75,000 for start up expenses.  Pray that God would begin opening up the hearts of Pastors, churches, businesses, family, and friends that would partner with us in raising the funds needed to begin The Well.  Amy and I are going to begin attempting to itinerate at other churches to help raise this budget as soon as the district approves.

We are challenging our team to begin tithing as well as anyone that feels led to begin supporting us monthly to send checks payable to The Well.  We’ve opened a business account at 1st bank and have obtained a EIN number.  We are currently working toward getting a 5013c and hope to obtain this once affiliated with the A/G.

The Well / P.O. Box 266 / Claremore OK 74017

Well Team

Although I got replies of quite a few being out of town this past past gathering - it turned out being the 30 and unders.  Everyone that showed up was different than last month.  We spent time eating, talking triathlon, team building, praying, worshipping, casting vision, and talking about our roles.  We currently have several team players that are serving in the following:

Michelle Brogdon – administrative support

Brad Robinson – follow up / assimilation research & systems development

Mark Peaden – RSU campus ministry / set-up & tear-down

Amy Van Pay – worship band & musicians recruitment

Davy Rumsey – serving at wood manor / rsu campus ministry / band

Last week amy and I were able have lunch with one of my closest all-time friends from bible college.  They are currently praying about being apart of what god is doing in claremore oklahoma.  We need to pray for them and other friends that are currently seeking god’s plans for their involvement in The Well.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.  Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” Margaret mead

 

 

Personal

1.  Passion – for the name of Jesus and for the unchurched in my community

2.  Patience – in waiting for the affiliation process

3.  Favor – with everyone i meet in the community and with god

4.  Wisdom – in time management and in every daily decision

5.  Injury-Free Training – endurance as i tackle my hardest training sessions, recovery during my taper weeks, and to go into Louisville ready to cross the finish line

ANSWERED PRAYER

1.  Theater location and incredible favor

2. Financial blessings

3. Favor with Claremore A/G board

4. Well Team additions

5.  Equipment Donation

Advisory Council

As many of you know I called upon many close friends to help me come up with a modesto manifesto to guard areas of financial, sexual, relational, family, and spiritual integrity.  You can click on the link below to view:

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

Aug 6 - Interview w/ Scott Bruegman from Red Rocks

Aug 7 - Meeting w/ David Merriman from State Farm

Aug 9 - Spin Your Wheels Century Ride in Bethany

Aug 10 - Well Informational / Strategic Gathering

Aug 13 – CRU (campus crusade for christ) Leadership Meeting

Aug 16 – Springbrook Block Party

Aug 20 – RSU Big Tent Day

Aug 23 – Wood Manor Cookout

Aug 26 – 2 - Van Pay family vacation to Kentucky

Aug 31 – Ironman Louisville

STORY OF THE MONTH 

Team Well

I still remember back in August sitting in my living room telling Amy, “Alright it’s you and me when do you want to meet to begin praying & strategizing”.  It was so exciting but yet so overwhelming.  I’ll admit that the hardest part and most suprising has been putting together a team.  Satan has tried to remind me how easy it came as a Student Pastor to recruit adult leaders and now as a Church Planter at times I have felt like I have been failing.  Nevertheless I’ve persevered and prayed and kept praying. 

Back in December God woke me up in the middle of the night and had me write a dream list of people to do this with.  I’ve been praying for those names ever since.  I began emailing, calling, and praying non stop for those people to jump aboard something incredible that God is going to do here in Claremore.  It has been a long process.  Yesterday has made much of that worth it.  I learned one of the most important lessons thus far in this endeavor.

I asked someone several months ago to join the team.  I’ve sent emails to no avail.  I felt like I was doing everything I possibly could.  I beat myself up saying, “Ricky you’re not loving them enough, you’re not pursuing them enough, you’re not praying enough, you’re not……..”  I came into the house yesterday and received an email from this person saying, “I’m still contemplating my decision”.  I wanted to respond but I didn’t.  I left to go on a bike ride and left it in God’s hands.  I expressed my frustration and told God, “You said you would speak to hearts long before I would.  What’s going on?  I can’t do anything more than what I have.”  I got home and saw another email saying, “I’m in….. what do i need to do to help?  when’s the next meeting?”  After I wiped tears from my eyes I praised Christ!  I called that individual today and asked what brough them to that decision.  They said, “It didn’t have anything to do with you.  I just felt like there’s a change coming.  I felt like a train is boarding and about to take off and I don’t want to miss out.” 

I learned this: “God wants to use me to speak into ears, but he is ultimately going to speak to hearts“.  I can’t make anyone join the team.  It’s not my responsibility.  My job is to simply obey and keep doing what I’m doing.  I’m going to keep lifting up the name of Christ and when I do – he said out of that he would draw all men unto him!

HUGE WINS TO CELEBRATE

PNO (young couples will not be forgotten)

One of the major needs we’ve noticed as we’ve talked with young couples is the need for a date night.  Many don’t have relatives nearby or have finances to hire a babysitter.  Do we ever know that need with two little boys.  We decided to host a pno “parent night out” last week.  We made a list of many of our friends that have kids and invited them to drop their kids off for 5 hours.  We turned our house into a full fledge daycare center. 

After the pizza was gone, the cookies were put away, bags of chips were out of sight, corn hole was put up, kiddie pool emptied, puzzles put back together, and toys put away – the look of appreciation from our friends after they spent an evening loving their spouse made it all worth the short amount of hell we experienced – no just kidding – the kids were great!  One unchurched couple emailed me the next day saying, “we never let anyone watch our boys but they didn’t stop talking about how much fun they’ve had – we knew we could drop them off because we trust you”.  What a compliment!  I hope people will say that after they after they pick their kids up from kids church.

Chi Alpha (college students will not be forgotten)

After meeting last month with a regional rep for Campus Crusade for Christ and meeting with our state director for Chi Alpha I’ve made a decision to support CRU (Campus Crusade) but take the reigns of leadership and begin laying a foundation for Chi Alpha on the RSU campus.  My vision is to lay a strong foundation this year and hopefully pass the baton onto a couple that will partner with Amy and I.  I was able to speak with the RSU President and he asked me to also consider being the Campus Chaplain.  I can’t express how big this is in the long term!  God is truly opening up doors and orchestrating our presence on this campus.

SERVING CLAREMORE

Wood Manor Nursing Home (the elderly will not be forgotten)

Last thursday I was able to spend time with a young man i’m truly beginning to love in Davey.  He’s got a huge heart and has a passion to be used in worship and at rsu as he enters his first year.  I love having transparent conversations that cause me to be challenged and grow in my walk with christ!  Davey was introduced to james bond and jerry springer this afternoon as we spent time loving the forgotten elderly of wood manor.  I’m looking forward to planning a hotdog grillout with some of our team in the future.

Rotary Club Meeting

My friend Herb from rogers county youth shelter called me up to go to a rotary club luncheon this afternoon.   I really enjoyed my time with herb and i got to meet some very influential people in our community.  these really are good guys and i hope to serve in anyway i can!   

COMMUNITY NETWORKING

This month I was able to sit down with five key people.  I am truly loving getting out there and meeting people from all different areas of our community.  My desire is to continue to meet with atleast one new person long after we launch The Well.  It is truly allowing me to keep a pulse on how people view the church.  One spent 10 minutes going off about how churches just want money.  Another told me the future changes community to Claremore.  One told me how he wishes he could be apart of a church that serves.  Another guy told me he grew up in the A/G and left it years ago.  My favorite was the one who said, “I am so tired of the Six Flags over Jesus churches.  Why don’t they take some of that money and give back.  I would start tithing if I knew the church was actually doing something in the community”.  I love it – straight up honesty.

FAMILY

Saturday the 14th the house was full as we celebrated amy’s 30th birthday.  Although we absolutely loved having our house filled with neighbors, friends, and family – it was exhausting.  When everyone left we were so tired.  I felt bad for amy because she worked so hard to be hospitable for everyone and watch kids etc.  We learned a lesson – from here on out – we’re heading out to eat for birthdays.  

This past month i was able to meet with an awesome guy with a/g financial and get material for Amy and I to work through our will.  Most couples our age probably don’t do this – but I just don’t want time to get away without making it a priority before it gets off our radar.  The man I met with was our superintendent’s cousin and his son helps lead worship at Newspring Church in South Carolina. 

We currently are using Monday nights as a family night and all day Friday as a family day.

PRAYER NEEDS

District Affiliation / Claremore A/G Partnership

Next Wednesday we will be meeting with the church board from Claremore Assembly to discuss our partnership.  They will then make their decision on how much they will support us monthly and for how long.  Sometime in the next month or so they are going to bring us before the church and give us a “missionary window” to share our vision.

The district will then bring us into OKC to meet with the presbytery for the final stamp of approval to become an official affiliated Assemblies of God church in Oklahoma. 

Friends

Please continue to lift up the 300 plus names of people in our community that are apart of our contact list.  Each one represents a soul.  God has called us to pursue them and make it hard for them to go to hell.  If they are going there, they have to come through us and we are not going to let them get there.  God’s called us to love them more then they love themselves.

Advisory Council

I’ve recently called very close friends and family to keep me accountable in all areas of my life.  I’ve decided to create a Modesto Manifesto.  This is something that Billy Graham formed as an evangelist to set up personal boundaries.  I’m currently working through these.  Apart from weekly phone meetings with a church planting coach, I’ve also asked area Pastors to be apart of a team that I can call or email to give me advice or direction as a young minister.  So far this team consists of:

• Bob Brock (former associate pastor / mentor from church in ft worth)
• Dave Mewbourne (Pastor of Claremore A/G)
• Rodney Fouts (Northchurch in OKC)
• Scottie Titsworth (Pastor of Trinity Baptist – Claremore)
• Glen Schaeffar (Pastor of DestinyLife Church – Claremore)
• Ray Crawford (First United Methodist – Claremore)

Chi Alpha

The Well Team coming together one by one

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

July 1 -  After Ember Band (playing at King of Clubs)

July 3 – Meeting with Mitch Louderback (Manager of Rec Center)

July 4 – Claremore Community Fireworks Display at the Lake (volunteer clean-up)

July 9 – Young Prof Lunch / Meeting with Claremore Assembly board

July 13 - Well Social Gathering

July 17/18 – Church Planter Financial Round-table (Dallas TX)

July 24 – PNO “Parents Nigh Out”

July 26 – Springbrook Block Party

July 31 – Claremore area Reunion (old students that no longer attend church)

Aug 10 - Well Informational / Strategic Gathering

Aug 15 – Rogers County Leadership Council

Aug 31 – Ironman Louisville

STORY OF THE MONTH 

Care More for Claremore (single moms & h-capped will not be forgotten)

“We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give“. Winston Churchill

WINS TO CELEBRATE 

Playin Pool in a Pub (drunks will not be forgotten)

God has been placing a pub called “dusty’s” on my heart for sometime now.  Besides going in a bar in Ireland during a missions trip when I was 19 i’ve never been in this kind of environment.   I was surrounded by more welcome than I’ve received in most churches that i’ve been in.  Two guys around my age played pool with me and offered to buy me a drink.  I declined and said i was there to just hang out and stay focused on my pool game – couldn’t think of anything else to say.  When I beat them both - I thought they were going to beat me in return!  I felt like I made two new friends tonight.  The owner told me to come back anytime and hang out – didn’t have to drink.  I feel like god called me to this place.  I feel like jesus would have been in there if he was in claremore oklahoma on this night. 

Springbrook Barbecue (neighbors will not be forgotten)

 Three weeks ago was by far the most memorable night I’ve had in our home.  We invited neighbors all around us to a barbecue.  We had four families that showed up that ate dogs, played ping pong, and played cornhole. 

One of our neighbors told us he never enjoys being around crowds and wasn’t going to stay long.  He was the last one to leave!  At one time I had to chase a ping pong ball down the street and a neighbor asked, “are you the one throwing the party?”.  Amy and I honestly feel like we live in our house to reach our neighbors for Christ.  It is literally becoming Springbrook Community Church.  I’m having the time of my life and it saddens me to think I only new one of my neighbors while living in Ft. Worth

Starbucked (gas attendants will not be forgotten)

Over a year’s time I’ve been pumping my gas at the same Kum & Go.  I’ve been able to get to know some of the employees.  One in particular is named Teresa.  She is a smiling face everytime I go in and if it wasn’t for her there would be no Diet Mt Dew available within the fountain drink selection!  My heart has truly gone out for her as she hasn’t had a day off since early February!  I don’t care who you are – that is rough! 

I’m not her boss and can’t neccessarily make that happen, but really wanted her to know how much she means to our community.  Amy went out and bought a chili’s giftcard for her.  I wrote in a thank you card and let her know that she gets thousand’s of people off on the right track every morning as people start their workday.  I let her know how much I appreciated her hard work and that I considered her my friend.  I told her that she mattered.  She wasn’t there when I dropped it off last week.  A few days later I was in line behind five other people, Teresa left her register and came around to the line.  She gave me the biggest hug and with the most sincere thank you!  When I went to check out – she told her fellow employee, “This is him….. This is the one that gave me the gift card!” 

SERVING CLAREMORE

Rogers County Youth Services (teenagers will not be forgotten)

 Over the past month I have been able to serve on the RCY public relations committee.  I’m so glad I get to be apart of building a new shelter for these troubled teens.  This past week I got to hang out for over an hour with four teens.  We threw around a baseball and I got to encourage them about life!

Wood Manor Nursing Home (the elderly will not be forgotten)

 

Last week I spent time praying for my friend Jerry’s daughter.  She lives in Tulsa and has never been to visit him in Claremore, due to some past resentment.  Jerry and I prayed together, with tears for his relationship with his little girl.  I’ve been talked to the head activity director and she is going to allow us to plan a lake day to take some residents to have a picnic this summer.  My family is also planning on taking two residents to the zoo with us in the next few weeks – we can’t wait!

 

COMMUNITY NETWORKING

For the past four months I’ve been scheduling my Thursday mornings to interview with community leaders with the efforts of networking and finding out the biggest needs of our community.  Several Pastors prayed over me and expressed support.  We’ve received incredible favor due to Amy’s family reputation.  The city planner literally told me to come back to him and he would take care of us when we need approval of a location.  The insurance agent let me know to come back to him and he would work with us as a church.  One pastor expressed to me he’s been wanting to go into the local pub for six years and never did.  He told me never stop and that it has inspired him to do the same.  We will be looking to partner with Red Cross and the Afterschool Mentoring Program in the near future!

Here’s who I talked with in May:

• Glen Schaeffer – Pastor of Church at Claremore
• Ray Crawford – Pastor of First United Methodist
• Todd Bergman – Pastor of St Andrews Methodist
• Scott Elias – Bank Consultant at Grand Bank
• Mark Ogle – Red Cross Coordinator
• Melinda Stone – Afterschool Mentoring / PAL & Blast Programs
• Ted Tedford – Tedford Insurance Agent
• Gene Edwards – City Planner
• Julie Adams – 1st Bank

PARTNERSHIPS

Interview with Scott Bruegman from Red Rocks Church in Denver Colorado / I feel like this church’s model is more like ours than any other.  They have agreed to help support us and are willing to help with equipment as well.  I praise God for Scott and his friendship.  He moved to Denver and for 2-3 years did nothing but build relationships with people before they started Red Rocks.

FAMILY

Amy recently started her own blog and has written several entries.  I wish she would just write my entries for me – she’s the better writer.  I  love her site name because that is how we truly feel being pastors.  here’s the links:

notjustthewife - “my quest for authenticity” mine is “a daily pursuit“

PRAYER NEEDS

Meeting with Pastor Dave from Claremore A/G

This Thursday I will be meeting with him to discuss their role in The Well.  We’ve been praying and keeping in communication since this past December.  This is a vital partnership for us as an infant church.  Please pray that Dave and I come together with one heart for our community and that an incredible team would be established to reach Claremore Oklahoma.

Friends

Please pray for the friends that are attached to this email.  They have a huge chunk of my heart and push me toward the vision of a new church.  They need community.  They need relationships.  They need a place to go where they will feel 100% acceptance.  These same people (perhaps with different names and faces) are your fellow employees, neighbors, and people in your arena of influence.  Pray that God would send you people you can become friends with.  Our goal is to build relationships as a team with close to 1500 people in this community.

The Well Team

This coming Sunday, June 8th, we have invited friends and some family to come together for an informational gathering.  This is a huge time for us to come together and discuss the vision, strategy, timeline, roles, and answer many questions that are perhaps floating around.  Please pray that God would tug on hearts that have been eye-balling this as cheerleaders – pray he would move them toward becoming players!  Our desire is to begin putting together a team of 50+ that would help us iron out the nuts and bolts to this church.  This past week we begin making calls to friends from out of state, people from our past, and people close by to join in this endeavor with the vision of serving our community with the authentic love of Christ!

Finances

Over the next eights months we are needing to raise over $75,000 for start up expenses.  Pray that God would begin opening up the hearts of Pastors, churches, businesses, family, and friends that would partner with us in raising the funds needed to begin The Well.  Amy and I are going to begin attempting to itinerate at other churches to help raise this budget.

RSU Campus Ministry

This past semester I began attending different organizational groups on campus.  I volunteered with the baseball team and am looking to do so again this next semester.  Both christian ministries (Chi Alpha & Campus Crusade for Christ) have had their leaders step down.  This has opened an incredible door for us to step in and establish a thriving campus ministry on the RSU campus.  I’m torn with supporting the Campus Crusade students or starting Chi Alpha again from scratch.  Please pray that God would speak to our hearts for the long-term in which area to move forward in.

ANSWERED PRAYER

Church Planter Assessment & Boot Camp

Amy and I spent an entire week down in the Dallas area this past month.  We met with two district officials and for eight hours they grilled us with a billion questions.  This was a crucial step for us getting approved within our denomination.  Afterwards we had one of the guys tell us he gave us the highest assessment rating of anyone he’s previously interviewed!  Praise God for that kind of favor.

We also spent the week at the North Tx Campgrounds soaking up the in’s and out’s of starting a new church.  We also got to know many other couples that are doing the same thing.  It was an incredible week of gaining clarity and focus in what God has called us to do in the Claremore area.

Claremore Super Rec Center

For the past two years I’ve been a part-time personal trainer at The Platinum Center in Tulsa.  About a month ago I stepped out to pursue personal training here in Claremore at the largest social hub with over 4,000 members (1000 being college students).  I talked to the Assistant City Manager and Manager of The Rec (both friends of mine) to being having outside trainers.  It was a rather big ask and it went before the city council with some reservations.  With the prayers of many of you it has been passed!  I can begin training on July 1st (already have several I’ll be training).  Pray that God would allow this unique certification I have to reach people like me.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

June 5 -  Meeting with Pastor Dave at Claremore A/G / Interview with Tony Mullenger

June 7 - Springbrook Block Party

June 8 - Well Information Gathering 5pm-7pm

June 10 - Meeting with Larry Rice (RSU President)

June 14 - Amy’s 30th B-day Party

June 15 - Tulsa Triathlon

June 19 - Meeting with Troy Powell (City Manager)

July 13 - Well Informational / Strategic Gathering

Aug 10 - Well Informational / Strategic Gathering