First to comment...WHOO HOO. Here we go Journey family, can't wait to see what God does through our trusting in Him. I'll be writing back as I fast this week. Can't wait to join you all as we look for God's direction.

Honestly throughout the service yesterday evening I felt very concerned and confused. This week I do plan to fast and pray for the Lord to ease my tension and apprehension. As many of you might know Danielle and I are facing a financial crisis due primarily to a house I bought two and a half years ago. I rushed into buying this property without prayer or permission from God. I see now how prideful and arrogant I was in my decision making. I will be searching my heart this week. I will also pray for God to calm the hearts of the church leadership so they may see truth.

Just started really praying on this decision specifically and want to continue...1st know that I am 100% invested in the Journey Church and the people here in the Summerville area (as are you and the other partners of the church). Risk for the sake of fun, new or even "good" is not cool concerning us or our church, it's too precious. I also am a chicken when it comes to spending money or moving when unnecessary. Saying that, I can tell you that God is moving us somehow and preparing us for a faith movement. I would say that if it all ends up making sense (and cents) to everyone - then we shouldn't do it...stepping out on faith is what God is calling us to. Is this building it?? Not sure, but God is laying on me to repent, be ready to obey and he will provide.

Praying and fasting for the Journey Church. Praying to be used by God from afar in your Journey.

Hey there! I fasted and prayed a lot today and was very encouraged by the peace that I feel and the excitement that I have. Our church does need a different place to meet due to the circumstances at hand. I think that the building in mind would be very blessed and provide opportunities to serve our community and welcome unbelievers in a way that we've not been able to up to this point. I trust the leadership of this church to keep Godly priorities at the top of the list - the partners of the Journey want to see God glorified above all other motives. If something begins to go awry or some of us begin to get distracted by "the building", I trust that there is enough accountability among us to put an end to worldy accomplishments quickly. I also have great confidence that if God has something else for us, He will clearly close this door. From what I understand, the door is open right now - with the concerns that have already been expressed, I feel that our motives our in check and that our focus is on doing what's necessary to see Jesus praised. I see and understand the risk, and I'm grateful for it. God never called us to stay in our comfort zones anyway. Should this work out, we just better be using the property in any and all ways possible to serve and love on people and praise our gracious God. Much love!!

Prayed and fasted on Wednesday. It was awesome. I don't have any answers, but I know that the Church leadership will make the right decisions for the right reasons.

IT is so GREAT that God is up at 5:30 am when I am beginning my drive to Orangeburg. Each morning I have prayed and prayed over this decision. So far this is what God has been showing me....

1) While home in Edgefield on Monday and Tuesday I had my family pray alongside me in this. As a family we discussed the multiple churches who plateau and "have done all there reaching."

also, While at home I had the opportunity to sit down with an 17 year old who has been kicked out of her home and all she kept saying was "Maeg, I can't even go to church." God simply reminded me of how "scary" the church seems to this group of teenagers. The church has a "judgmental stigma" Does our community feel this way too? Can we change that?

2) These past two daya at the bedside of a patient I am reminded what a hurt and broken world we are in. My generation is CRYING out. Will we respond?

3)Tonight as Lauren and I were mapping out Liberty Hall I felt God really softening my heart to this community in its own. Can't wait to see how he shows up on August 1st.

4)This is scary for our church. It is so EASY for us to want comfort and safety but what is God saying? Take the chance for Him? Seek out other locations?

5) I am honored to be part of a church with such a vision and mission in this community. Journey Church is hands down the #1 reason I stayed in Charleston. God is no where close to through with us. I just pray that he provides clarity over these next few days as we all seek His path in this decision.

6) Constantly God keeps reminding me not to make a building our purpose. I pray we strive to not drown visitors each Sunday with fears that we are becoming "that church." Lord, keep us centered around the ETERNAL things.

I will keep praying and seeking God in this. It is easy for the ME inside to scream out "YES, when do we move in." Can't wait to see what God reveals!

I'll will post again...

This week has been an awesome time with God seeking his direction and peace. I was reminded of the story in the Gospels where Jesus said to his disciples "Let's go over to the other side of the lake." During the move the horrible storm came up and the disciples thought they were going to drown. When they woke Jesus up the fear was obvious but after he calmed the storm he asked them "Where is your faith?"
I think the easiest part about taking this step is getting in the boat and agreeing with the move. I think the real storms will come later. I feel like anytime we are doing something to advance the Kingdom then God is in it. As long as we don't take more pride in our building and our efforts than in our mission God will be with us. I believe God is saying "Jump in the boat and ride out the storms!" Don't let me have to ask you "Where is your faith?"

I've never fasted before, so this seemed like an odd and somewhat embarrassing thing for me to do. But, I believe in our church and its leadership, so I decided to take a chance on it. I actually hadn't even planned on a particular day, but Monday morning when I woke, I didn't have breakfast, which I normally don't anyway, and when lunch time came around I was very hungry. It was as this moment that I realized that today would be the best day for me to fast since I was already hungry and honestly didn't want go without eating.

So, I set aside some time and tried my best to pray for God to give me some kind of guidance in this huge leap of faith that has befallen us, and if not to me, than at least to the leadership of our church. I continued to pray a few more times throughout that day, and then throughout the rest of the week as well. I can’t say that I’ve ever heard God give me clear direction in a decision, but I can tell you at lest two things that came to mind while I was praying. One, I am personally at a point in my life financially where I am paying off my debts, have learned to live within my means, and desire to become wiser in my use of money as far as saving, spending, and giving is concerned, just as the Lord would have us do. This thought just left me worried about our church taking on too much of a debt. However, my second thought was about how much I could help the church if we move forward with this. I’m not exactly a construction engineer, but I am very handy in basic construction, framing, concrete, etc. and would be more than willing to help with any projects, big or small, and give as much time as I could in making that new place our home.

Throughout my prayers I constantly tried to remind myself not to get excited about a new place, but rather on the opportunities that it would provide for our church in continuing to spread the glory of God to our much needed community. Again, I still consider myself to be so ignorant in the listening to God’s word to me, but I know our leadership at Journey can hear him and I know they will not make this decision if it is not God’s will for us.

I haven't heard clearly one way or the other. Still fasting and praying, but I am personally excited for the opportunity that it would give us to reach out to our community from our own home.

I have been fervently praying on this matter. God has brought some things to mind, which I will share.

I remember at the Creativity Meeting in June, cautioning about setting our (The Journey Church's) image up as a building, because we, the ekklesia - the called out group of blood-bought, Bible-believing Christ-followers who have covenanted together as The Journey Church, must be doing ministry indeed (regardless of a building). The church is a group of believers, not a building. Our growth will not come from a building, but from God Himself.

Matthew 9:36-38 we see Jesus' heart:

Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore, beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest."

The harvest of people coming to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is possible anywhere. We must humble ourselves in prayer, beseeching the Lord of the harvest that He would move in the hearts and minds of those in the Charleston area. We, the Journey Church partners, must renew ourselves to ministry - confessing that we must do more to reach the people of Charleston in accordance with the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20).

However, having confessed that a church's ministry is not in a building, I believe He is also encouraging us to move forward toward getting a place that will allow for growth. Journey Church cannot continue on in the current location due to both the desires of Pleasant Grove's leadership, and space issues due to growth. I believe that God has divinely placed us at this crossroads at the perfect moment. With the economic recession, any building is cheaper right now than it would have been 18 months ago. Moreover, He has upped the stakes to see how much we trust Him. While every partner at the Journey Church is suffering from the economy, there is a huge decision that must take place. I believe that God is impressing upon us to take that step of faith, trusting that He will provide. We know that He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. Jehovah-Jireh. My family is committed to seeing the Journey Church take the next step for allowing God to grow the Journey Church.

God also brought to mind one of His "I AMs":
"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. (v.5)" "My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My Disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. (vv.8-9)" John 15

I believe we have all acknowledged that without Him we can do nothing. Let us move forward in faith, trusting in Christ, committed to winning the lost to Christ, discipling the young believers toward maturity, and seeking to make His glory resound through Charleston.

Thank you to the leadership of Journey Church for being sensitive to the Holy Spirit's guidance so that in His perfect timing, you all began to investigate the options. I believe He has provided a great opportunity. Let us move forward in faith and with a call to action.

I believe everything we do in life for the Lord is a risk. We always have to be sensitive and listen to His ways and His call and not drown his small voice out by all of our noise. After saying, that I do feel that the Lord has been leading our church and our leadership toward this path for a long time. I believe the Lord gives us choices and when they stand open we need to walk through them and by faith TRUST the Almighty GOd and what His plan is, not ours. After praying and fasting throughout this week I think we are to jump into God's pool of Faith and Trust and believe He will be there to keep us afloat. I will continue to pray for the leadership to hear the voice of the Lord clearly and for all of us to have life-changing faith. This faith is what will turn our generation towards God.