Do you remember the old Whitesnake song “Here I Go Again”? It was a #1 hit song. Originally released on their 1982 album, Saints & Sinners, the song was re-recorded for their 1987 album Whitesnake. In 2006, the 1987 version was named the 17th Greatest Song of the 1980s by VH1.
The Lyrics resonate with me as I venture into what will be my 2nd Church plant. Some of the Lyrics go like this…my comments are in parenthesis.
I don’t know where I’m going, but I sure know where I’ve been. (Steve Jobs said, we cannot connect the dots looking forward, only looking back.)
Hanging on the promises in the songs of yesterday (Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Amazing Grace, How great thou art, The Old Rugged Cross.)
And I’ve made up my mind (I’m planting a church again. The first one was amazing, I have no idea how this 2nd one will turn out.)
I ain’t wasting no more time (I’ve been side-lined for more than a year now. Its time to do what God has created me to do, plant a Church)
Here I go again, here I go again (Yep…but the “I” should be a “we.” I can’t do this on my own. Its not mine, its the Lord’s. I want to include people from all around the world who will invest their time, talent and treasure in this church plant. What do you have that you would like to invest in this specific work of the Lord’s?)
There are so many unknowns in the future. I know this Church plant will come with some criticism, but we must move forward. There are thousands…no… millions of people who are far from God that if any Christ centered church out there doesn’t reach them, they will spend eternity is the most formidable and tormenting place ever in existence, Hell. The Church shouldn’t criticize each other. We shouldn’t compete against each other, we should celebrate our differences and march together as the body of Christ. We should complete each other.
So many people think the church is the most segregated organism on the planet. Some would “prove” this by saying that whites go to one church, blacks to another, hispanics go one way, Asians another and right on down the skin color chart….and then they’ll prove their segregation comments further by saying, the youth go to one place, the children to another, men this way, women that way, divorcees here, young couples there, senior somewhere else. This “glass half-empty” mentality says that these facts show that the current church is all a great tragedy.
I’m a “glass half full” mentality kind of guy. I agree with the description above, but I do not see it as segregation. I see it as the body of Christ and just as a heart goes one place, the lungs go to another, the toes, the head, the fingers, the kidneys, the eyeballs, the elbows, the knees….
I think the church is the most strategically located entity in the world. It has diversity that reaches to the ends of the earth. IT TAKES ALL KINDS TO REACH ALL KINDS! “Birds of a feather, flock together! Every color, race, tribe and misfit has a place in the body of Christ. A.K.A…THE CHURCH! If it is an organism that believes that Jesus Christ is THE way, THE truth, THE life…then it is a unified, universal, un-defeatable body that is a giant, beautiful, imperfect, spectacular….CHURCH! It isn’t tragic that we are spread out all over the world in like groups…its miraculous and beautiful.
I love the Church…even when her dirty laundry is hanging out for all the world to see. I love the Church. Even in it’s worst form…its beautiful!
That’s why I’m starting a brand new one in Orlando Florida…in a suburb called Oviedo.
I don’t know how it will turn out, but I give this one promise…
I’m going to love joining with a group of people who want to make a dent in this crazy world…where we team together complimenting each other with our different strengths, talents, and spiritual gifts. My greatest passion in life is helping you be successful by leading you to understand your purpose by helping you understand your giftedness that the Lord has blessed you with and then challenging you to storm the gates of Hell at all costs! I’ll storm them with you!
Its going to be an unforgettable, eternal journey.
To God Be The Glory…Great Things He Hath Done…
Here we are Lord…Use us!
TR
Just want to say that I wish you were planting a church here in Houston! Also, that I’m very happy for you and Kelli. I’ll be praying for you guys 🙂
Thank you for sharing your heart, for being open, honest… REAL! It is refreshing! I am so excited to hear more about the church plant… in OVIEDO!!! Yes!
So proud of you man! You can do it. You are going to do great. I know that we weren’t able to get too close in AZ, but I want you to know that if you ever need a friend or an ear… I’m here. If you ever need some help… I’m here. If you ever need some encouragement… I’m here. Keep shining ~ You are destined for greatness! GP
Cant wait to see what God does next!
Gosh we attended a meeting for a church plant 15 years ago that changed ours lives! Best of luck and wish we were there again!!!
We Wish All the Best! You will Reach people that need God! I agree with Nachtigall family! My family will always be firmly planted in the Faith because Parkway gave us a Very Good Jump start on what we should be doing with our life! We will keep praying for God to lead Yall were everything fails into place and all the right people will be in your path for the new Church.
I hope you pay Metro back. Some of us sacrificed and paid to have you move here and you quit in 6 weeks. So much for I plan to stay here for the next 25 years. Oh and thank you for opening one right here in Oviedo. You have alot of nerve. You should be ashamed of yourself. The damage you have caused does not do any glory to God.
Praying that the church in Central FL can stop competing with each other and start focusing on doing kingdom work . . . together. We’ve done a very poor job of demonstrating the love of Christ to the world because we can’t get past our internal bickering. As long as there are thousands of people in our community who are lost and without a church home, there’s room for one more church plant. I dream of a day when Metro, RiverRun, the new church plant in Altamonte and the potential new church plants in Oviedo/Winter Springs are all healthy, thriving and working together. It’s never a bad thing when another door opens and people are invited to experience God’s love and redemption. If that is what we are called to do and we are obedient to that call, then God is glorified.
Best of luck to the new Church Plant. You will always have hateful people like BlastFromPast around but those of us from Parkway who know you, wish you the best of luck out there in Florida. Surprise Arizona lost big time when you left. My comfort in losing you to FL is that other people that need someone like you, Trent, will now have the opportunity to find Jesus. God be with you and your family always.
Donna: I don’t think he’s hateful; I think he’s hurt. Dean: Good thoughts, I hope it happens. Missy: I wish he were planting a church in Houston too… or somewhere else where there isn’t a church on every corner.
BlastFromPast is just hurt similarly to how I was after the parkway/ccv thing took my church away. I have prayed a lot and moved on (well mostly….I still get sad when I see a parkway church sticker on a car). You have to just realize that God has a plan for Trent and his family that may not fit your personal comfort.
May God be with Trent and his family as they continue to do his work.
I agree that Blast from the Past is hurt. I must say that the 7 weeks that you preached at Metro you were very inspirational, impactful, refreshing, and touched many of us! We were surprised to come to church to find out that you were no longer there. Shift happens!
I must say that WE are excited for your church planting in Oviedo! We look forward to supporting you in your church planting efforts in the Oviedo area! Keep us informed! God Bless!