Stories from the Revolution - Denver

A Drive By

I had ignored Jason’s questions about our church. I had completely blown him off. I left him that night thinking something was missing. It seemed that the Spirit of God was trying to do something and I was not paying attention.

The next day I decided to drive by the rental. I also wanted to connect with Jason again to follow up. As I drove by I saw Jason inside working on the house. I stopped and went in. I immediately said, “I’m glad to see you today. I felt like the Spirit was trying to say something to us last night and I was not being attentive. What was your sense?” Jason affirmed that his question about our church was being prompted by the Spirit.

We continued to dialogue while I helped him move a few things, which he said my help was an answered prayer from a short moment prior.

We set up a time to sit down together and talk about our vision for church. The next day I came back and sat down to the coffee table with Jason and his wife Mandy. We talked for 45 minutes about our sense of where we were headed in church planting.

The irony of this story is that Jason’s sister had recently been praying that they would find a house church to be a part of. He did not know that we were looking to be a house church movement. He had also been praying that the rental would be a place used for God’s glory. Both of those prayers were answered. It is amazing how God draws people together through prayer.

An observation: God’s calling and answer to prayer provide the glue for relationships within His church and mission.

Up On the Rooftop

Two of my close friends from college were coming to town to plant churches with us. We had been dreaming about church planting for a couple of years. It was exciting how God was drawing us together. As the time drew near for them to arrive, I was busy scouting out a place for them to live as they transitioned to our community.

I had recently been asked by a local friend if I knew anyone who was looking to rent. Surely if they were my friends, they would be reliable and good stewards of their living environment.

So, I was pursuing an acquaintance to check on the availability of his new rental. One night, we were walking around Downtown Brighton during some festivities. People were dancing to some music out in the parking lot, a stunt bike team was playing on a half-pipe, and the fireworks crew was shoring up last minute details for the upcoming show.

I found out my target was on the roof and was given permission to go ask him about the rental property. I climbed the ladder and started the conversation with a “How’s it going?” quickly transitioning to a “Tell me about your rental property.” His obsession revolved around “How is your church going?”

My responses to his questions were brief. “Church is going great. Tell me more about this house you are renting.” He kept asking about church, I kept blowing him off. I left his presence thinking I missed something there.

Isaac Released

I sat by the bunk bed and wrote a song about my experience with Isaac. I related to Abraham and how he must have felt trying to make sense of how God honors his promises when the things he asks you to do are so counter-intuitive.

I decided in my heart that in order to sacrifice Isaac I had to completely release him with no expectation of returning to the church I shared mission with.

The next day I went to our house church and after I took a book over to Isaac’s house that I had bought for him. I knocked on the door. No answer. I called. Know answer. I knocked again. No answer. I got back in my car and saw a shadow walk by. I thought, “Are they ignoring me on purpose?” I stubbornly went to the door to say hi and share my gift.

Isaac welcomed me in with a big smile and sat me down at his table. He started, “Yesterday as I was driving home I felt like I needed to think a little bit more about our decision.” At that point his wife Lesley walked in and said, “Yeah. I realize I was being selfish. My family is dying at the Catholic church. I’m the only one getting anything out of it.” Isaac indicated, “We are staying with you at Higher Point.”

My mind raced back to Genesis 22. I sacrificed Isaac and the Lord let me have him back. I was struck by the Spirit working on me in the basement while simultaneously working on Isaac and Lesley.

I called several friends on the drive home rejoicing. That was one of the greatest days of my life.

Sacrificing Isaac

Isaac and his wife Lesley joined Higher Point. A couple of months into their participation I received a call from Isaac. “Lesley had made a decision as an adult to attend the Catholic church and she is feeling more comfortable there. I want to honor her decision. We will not be attending Higher Point any more.”

At this point we had had several families come and go. It was expected. But, Isaac was not just any relationship. Our relationship was given to us as an answer to prayer. That had so much weight to me.

I told Isaac that if that is what they needed to do that was fine, but I reminded him that our relationship was an answer to prayer. After we got off the phone I went down stairs into the basement feeling numb. I spend an hour sitting on the floor by the bunk bed asking the Lord what was going on. It wasn’t a common practice to ask until God answered, but I was not going to move until he answered me.

I lamented cries in my head, “Isaac, Isaac” and the Lord brought a vision of Abraham and Isaac from Genesis 22. I immediately recognized a similarity in the story. I believed God had given Isaac to me as a gift and that there was a promise from God for our relationship. God said, “Sacrifice Isaac to me.”

What??? I don’t know what that means! I asked again, “What does that mean?” The Lord said, “Let me be in control of Isaac’s spiritual formation and you be his friend.” For the next hour I committed in prayer to turn Isaac over to God.

Isaac

I was new to town. I had come with a few companions. We were looking for people to join with us in our new missionary endeavor—the planting of Higher Point Christ Fellowship. My ministry partner and I joined the local rec center.

One day I was playing racquetball with two other new friends—we were playing cutthroat. A knock came on the glass. “Can I play?” The other court was open so I left my two friends and played with the new guy. After the game we stepped out of the court and entered into casual conversation exchanging names and professions.

This guy started saying yeah, we’ve been going to the catholic church but we’re kind of dying there. I’m sick of the politics. I’m thinking about adult immersion.

I’m thinking, “Who are you?” Nobody just comes up to me and enters with all of that. He expressed interest in a Bible study and I was thrilled. We were instant friends. A couple of weeks into our Bible study he said, “The night before I met you, my wife and I were praying that we could find someone to teach us the Bible.”

I was floored. To my knowledge God had never orchestrated a relationship like that with me.