It's official! I'm the new pastor of The Haven in Maryville, TN. My friend Paul Dyar was the pastor of this church for 5 years and left in January to be a missionary in Honduras. It's amazing how God has worked this out.
Since Paul became the pastor there 5-years ago, my wife and I have been greatly involved in this church by means of Encounter Retreats. In the fall of 2003, Paul and his wife Kim, brought several men and women from their congregation to Encounter Retreats my wife and I were hosting at the Church of God Signal Mountain Campground. The next thing you know Stephanie and I are using Paul, Kim, and several of the key men and women from The Haven to be the staff at other retreats we hosted in 2004.
Paul and Kim began hosting their own Encounter Retreats and Stephanie and I were asked to come and be part of their staff. We never imagined all this time we've spent with Paul and Kim at The Haven would become a kingdom connection God would use to move us into a pastoral role with the wonderful people of The Haven. Since Paul left for Honduras at the first of the year, the congregation and I have been in prayer for God's will. I feel humbled that other men were presented for this position, but God has chosen me. Everything my family and I have been through these past few years have prepared us for this moment!
Paul plowed the field, planted the seed, and laid the foundation. Now God has brought us in to reap the harvest! I know in my spirit that The Haven is about to experience harvest time. The seeds have been planted and roots have been developing through past ministries like Paul Dyar's . Now God is about to send supernatural rain upon The Haven and usher in an incredible harvest of souls! All I have to do is build upon the foundation of another. We just need to nurture and cultivate the field, and prepare for harvest!
Thanks Paul and Kim for laying the foundation, for plowing the field, for planting the seed, and for nurturing the young and tender saplings. Your work at The Haven was of the utmost importance. The growth and prosperity that's about to come to The Haven are because you plowed and planted!
1 Corinthians 3:6-- I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.
1 Corinthians 3:10-- According to the grace of God which is given to me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let every man be careful how he builds on it.
About Relevance
- Michael Burgner
- Cleveland, Tennessee, United States
- With all the modern terms used to describe culture and the modern church I like to simplify things and just say RELEVANCE! We're living in a Post-Christian or Post-Modern culture in America and many label modern churches as emergent and leaders as emerging. The term emergent is a bit confusing though it means "rising, up & coming, or promising." I like to say we're relevant! Relevant to what? Relevant to 21st century culture. I am determined to present the Gospel to 21st century post-christian culture and be effective in doing so. God used me in the 20th century to reach that culture and I celebrate what the church did in the last century. However, I refuse to replace relevance for religion. Whatever it takes to make the Gospel of Jesus Christ relevant to the 21st century, that is what I'm willing to do. My childhood was spend as the son of a pastor, and I became a preacher at the age of 18. I've been married since 1987 and have a boy and a girl.
Monday, March 10, 2008
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2 comments:
Thanks for the kind words and we are very excited to see what God is doing and going to do through you at The Haven.
Love and Blessings
Paul
Amen Mike, and the one who plants and the one who waters are one, they share the same purpose, a Kingdom purpose (1 Cor. 3:8). That's great! I don't know what all you have been through during this past season. But I'm blessed and encouraged to hear your anticipation and excitement of a new season. I would love to learn more about the vision and destiny of The Haven. Keep blogging and sharing!
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