Email I sent to our Summerlake Prayer Team

Hey folks-

You read it right—Summerlake Baptist Church is about to begin with it’s first Bible study. Etta and I went Sunday afternoon and rented the apartment in Summerwood. A very generous donor has supplied us with the finances to sign a 3 month lease. We are planning an intense three months of outreach to try build up membership and raise enough funding to keep the apartment. Obviously, anything you can give would be a tremendous help. Etta does not have a job yet, but we were compelled to make this step of faith and trust God for the rest.

Pray that we add to our Bible study. We have a few prospects already and we hope to have many more. We have begun some Servant Evangelism by going through the drive-thru at McDonald’s in Summerwood, paying for the food for the people behind us, and leaving them a Summerlake card. We are also looking at some outreach activities at the complex. Pray that people respond, not just to grow our fellowship, but to grow the Kingdom through salvations.

We also have some physical needs some of you may be able to help with. Following is a list of things we need (some we would just like) for the apartment. If you have any spares of these lying around, we would love to take them off your hands for you. We want the apartment to have a cozy, homey feel. It will also serve as my study. That explains the things we are looking to procure.

Coffee pot (12 cup)
Coffee urn (20-30 cup)
Couches
Love seats
Chairs (the cushy type you have in your living room, not folding or straight-back)
Book cases (3-4, I have a lot of books)
Lamps
End-tables
TV & DVD player (for nursery)
Laptop computer
Video projector

There may be other things we need that we haven’t thought about. We will keep you posted.

The most important thing, however, is prayer. I tell Etta that every time I think about what is happening, I want to throw up. (Not really, but you know what I mean) It’s real now. Summerlake Baptist Church is no longer a theory, concept, or idea. It’s a place with (a few) people and all the responsibilities that follow. And let me explain the responsibilities. Have you ever looked at the sky at night, and, as your eyes adjust to the darkness, you see more and more stars? That’s how I feel right now. As I look deeper and deeper at planting the church and the fact that we are picking up steam, and my eyes become more used to seeing it, the job seems infinite. And it probably is. So please pray. I’m not overwhelmed, yet. Just realistic. And as excited as all get out.