ShaneCraven.com

(cartoonized)

Sung by Miranda Lambert

Written by our friend Allen Shamblin

Snapshot from my view:

1. A large crew showed up Saturday for a practice set-up.  Thrilled Jeff and me!
2. “Sometimes portable church can feel like a suicide mission.”-JD Pearring.  I concur, and it is worth it!  We press on, press in, and trust God!
3. It still amazes me how God brings a group of people together to launch a new church…it’s stunning!  It’s so much work, little reward (it seems, not true), and just plain hard, YET, God has a way of putting this on the hearts of a people to do it……..so good!
4. The Y staff team feel like family to us…….they are over the top!  Can’t believe all God has used this team to do in the life of Origin church already.  Wow!
5. The Y building just helped us tremendously improve our kids ministry.
6. ALL  our volunteer team did a tenacious job!
7. We couldn’t be happier with all that is developing and the potential that lies in wait for the Kingdom through Origin Church.
8. Outstanding environments created…….it is a WOW factor, for sure! Parents, don’t bring your kids unless you want to come back every week!
9. Great to see some first-timers today; really refreshing…..and it was mainly an open house kind of introduction day….we didn’t even have a worship band today.
10. We feel a new wind blowing, a new spirit, and a new hope for the fact that God is up to something big.  “Lord, let me stay out of the way.”
11. Enjoyed meeting new people and making new friends.
12. Now, let’s get the word out that we are at the YMCA, Hamilton Place Mall, Chattanooga, TN, 10AM EVERY Sunday!  It’s not about US!

• As a pastor & leader of people I feel a great burden to give life my best shot and to model this behavior before others, but I am afraid that in the name of modeling for the world what a “good pastor” looks like, I most often do as other pastors do and just tell you most of the good stuff; The highs; The awards; The victories.
• Consequently, when a new church planter or a leader that’s been around for a while sees ALL OF THIS SUCCESS, they wonder WTH is wrong with them because their life doesn’t look like that, so…let me just take a few seconds out to confess some things to you so that you see my life is hard. Very hard. High highs w/ lows low.
• My wife and I have been in a bit of a rut this week (and last). I have been SUPER BUSY and have not been fully present with her, kids, house.
• I am a terrible grad student. Period. Aptitude is not my problem. I find it boring. I’m busy and it often seems like a major waste of time.
• I am in terrible physical condition. I use some lingering injuries as an excuse not to work out. Although I have pain – I hate working out.
• I’m broke. Church planting is the opposite of lucrative and I spent all I had to launch Courageous Church. Proud of that, but it’s tough.
• Our church is growing in every way possible, but will have to have some very tough layoffs soon. This breaks my heart. Epitome of suck.
• Found out a friend of mine whose family I love has been divorced for a few weeks.
• I say all of that to say that my life has ups and downs and takes a ton of hard work. On Twitter, etc. we sometimes make things look…. Easy with words when in reality things were really hard. I hope you see a more balanced me and appreciate it. Much love.   -Shaun King, pastor, Courageous Church

Thanks Shaun.  You described it well on behalf of all of us as church planters!