The Timeline (Phase 1)

This process has been an absolute roller coaster. But I suppose the ride that you would want to get in line again for! I thought for some of our soon to be many readers, I would give a general timeline of what we have done to this point and keep updating that as we go.

Christmas Time

Christmas 06
My wife and I begin to sense that in 2007 the Lord would lead us out of Bay City.
My Senior Pastor confirmed. And at our staff Christmas party in 06 the beans were spilled and the staff found out. Secrets are so hard. We never told!

California

I started 2007 off with the idea of leaving Bay City within 2007. 1st quarter seemed normal, but with some expectancy of the future. In March I took a trip to California with my Sr.Pastor to speak in some churches and conferences, but in the mean time we were chewing on some of the details of what leaving Bay City meant. Good, deep, thought provoking discussions. In the churches we were at, they were confirming to us that the Lord was at work in the darkness and change would be coming. All the more, it began to confirm to me the idea of church planting this year. Timing is a huge thing. If you don't think it is, then please think again...
California was very pivotal in my life as my Sr. Pastor began to not only confirm the call to do what God wanted us to do, but also get behind it and support it!

The Pastors

After I got back from California my wife freaked out a little as the realization of planting a church became clear. Not just the church thing, but leaving Bay City, uprooting my family, and starting over in another city, in another house. I was cleared to begin to investigate with other Pastors in the Rochester area or surrounding areas to meet with others to discuss our plans, and get prayer support from other leaders in the local area of Rochester Hills. Most of the pastors, about 15 in all, were very supportive. A lot more than I thought would be. That was my first stage of the process of just getting familiar with the area again. Remember, I grew up in Rochester, so making some of these contacts were not difficult as I began to think a little. I met with these leaders for the purpose of casting the vision for Horizons Church, to give a courtesy call to the existing leaders, and to hopefully network with them in the future so that our relationships will continue. It has been very fruitful to do that. I have made some brand new relationships, and strengthened the existing ones too! Also they are opening there church to us to come speak and raise support for the vision of Horizons Church.

Thursdays

Shortly after I started meeting with pastors, I had many meeting with so many people that my pastor and I decided that on Thursdays I would be out of my office in Bay City, and begin to work the Rochester area. It helped schedule meetings with others and get things accomplished in the beginning of the week for Bay City, and also work on the Horizons Church Thursday's- Sunday's. Also any Sunday and Wednesday was open to me to speak at other churches to begin to raise funds for Horizons. However not everyone lined up at once to open their churches! But they seem to be now!

The Big One

The last thing was to ask to be released from our duties at the church to begin to work on Horizons Church. My pastor was out of town, but I think he was feeling it too before he left for his conference. Either way, while he was gone my wife and I prayed that if it was the will of the Lord to be released in that way, he would say yes. When he returned home we talked at a little restaurant on the water that afternoon. He seemed to be excited for us and was willing to "cut us loose"!But he did make me buy lunch though...hmmm. The Lord has been very faithful to Ashley and I. There are so many details along the way, so,try to remember, this is just a brief overview of our progress. I cannot even begin to type in our feelings, and the temperature of each day, maybe another time.

Yard Sale!!!

Lastly, there have been 5 specific things that we needed to sell or be removed before we fully exited out of Bay City.

1. The House
2. The Scooter
3. The Tree to be Removed
4. The Truck
5. The Garage Sale

1. We asked the Lord to sell our house without a for sale sign. On Friday morning we were going to put a sign in the yard on July 27, 2007. Saturday, 7/21/07 I get a call someone is interested in the house. Monday the 23rd they walk through our house and love it. Thursday 7/26 they walk through with other family members and write a purchase agreement on it, and we accept it! The night before!!! We presently need to find a house, so pray....!!!

2. I owned a little scooter for zipping around town at 65 miles per gallon. I did not want to take that to Rochester with me. It only goes 55mph! Detroit areas tend to move a little faster than that. My next door neighbor bought it last Thursday! I talking about getting what I am asking for it too! However my son Angelo cried when I sold the scooter. Angelo and I would bomb around the block on that thing. He loved it. I had to promise, that if he wanted one later in life, when he could drive it on his own, I would buy him another one. I quickly said yes. We went for one last "hurrah".

3. We had a dead tree in the front yard that I had called the city about a few times.
They said they would come out and cut it down, but we didn't know when. Months went by, and the tree limbs kept falling into my driveway. I prayed that Sunday night about what seemed like the silliest thing. Monday morning the city came and cut it down, and grinded out the stump too!

4. I also had a little red truck with 187,000 miles on it. It was a blessing to somebody that actually gave me money for it!

5. We had a garage sale along with our subdivision last weekend. Things weren't selling like we thought until one hour before we were to close up a little Mexican gal came in and bought literally everything on the table having to do with kids clothes and toys. We had items for $1.00 or less. She spent over $300 that day. My wife cleaned up the garage sale with a smile!

The most incredible thing about all 5 of these sales was that it all took place in the last 2 weeks! God is moving. People are quitting their jobs, moving up from out of state because they feel God is calling them to be part of Horizons Church.

too many stories to tell...
you are now brought up to "speed"