What's Next?

It has been several months since we transitioned from church planting and shepherding our people into other churches. Many people have asked us what's next...and we think that has been a fantastic question! We have spent the last several months trying to figure that out! And it has been nothing less than a roller coaster :)

First a little catch up {and just FYI, we are NOT moving out of state}...

Mike interviewed for several pastoral jobs, and they were all out of the area, most of them out of state. In February, we spent the weekend in Fort Worth, but the real reason we were there was to visit a church in Weatherford. In March, we spent back-to-back weekends in Kansas talking with a couple of churches; one for a church planting residency, and the other for a lead teaching pastor position.

Such a sweet church; they left us a welcome bag of goodies in our hotel room.

We visited the Original Pizza Hut, which really was just a small memorial building on the Wichita State University campus because 2 students from the school started Pizza Hut {there wasn't much to see in Wichita :) }

National World War I Museum in Kansas City. We also saw Kauffman and Arrowhead Stadiums, Union Station, Hallmark headquarters, and enjoyed dinner at Country Club Plaza.

We didn't make a trip, but we were also in talks for a lead pastor position in Michigan. In the span of a few weeks, I was preparing my heart to make a move out of state and build community in a brand new place. We came really close to moving. It was scary and exciting, all at the same time. While the idea of moving far away from family, friends, and warm weather was hard, I knew that I couldn't tell the Lord, "I will go wherever You lead us, Lord, except _________." It truly was a walk of faith and surrender.

There were several really great opportunities, and we even received some offers. But we just didn't feel like the Lord was leading us to any of the churches with whom we interviewed. All the time we were interviewing, the Lord was working in Mike's heart to give him a new vision and calling. We still have a heart for church planting, but we know that our role {for now} is to support church planting efforts, not lead them. And while Mike certainly has gifts for ministry, we knew the Lord was calling him to step away from vocational ministry. We don't know if that is a permanent thing, but we do know that it is for a season. 

So what's next?

With all that we have walked through in the past few years, we knew we needed a season of rest and healing. With the struggles of my health, saying goodbye to Redeemer, and walking through infertility, we knew we needed some time to process our grief and focus on how we can serve the Lord during this hard season of life. We knew we needed community. 

Because of the deep relationships we still have with our family and friends at Woodcreek, we decided to plug back into community there. We started attending services a few weeks ago, and we are looking forward to finding a place to serve. In a lot of ways, it feels like a homecoming. We know it will be different going back, as we are not the same people who left there 4 years ago. We know that even our community will look different, and we both want to find new ministries to dive into. But we are so grateful for a place where we have deep friendships with people who love us and who can walk alongside us in this new season. 

In addition, Mike will be starting a new job with RightNow Media. We are so excited about this new opportunity; it's such a great fit for him! He is excited to plug in, helping churches and businesses connect with good, gospel-centered resources. And they are excited to have him, because he's awesome, and also because of his ministry experience. 

So lots of changes in our little world :)

While the last few months have been a whirlwind of change and decision, we are grateful for the Lord's leading and provision. There have been a lot of hard and scary days. There were many times when I {jokingly} said that we didn't know what the heck we were doing with our lives. But Jesus has walked with us every step of the way. He has molded our hearts, deepened our marriage, and forced us to trust Him no matter what. We know that this new season will bring its own set of joys and challenges, but we know that He is good and we are His.

{30 before 30} :: Encourage Another Church Planting Wife

I put this one on the list because it was something I desperately wished I had while we were planting. While my husband received a ton of support and encouragement from local church planters, I unfortunately did not. And that was hard. And lonely. The women at Redeemer were encouraging, but there is a different kind of need for pastor's wives that members of the church cannot offer, simply by nature of roles and ministry.

Acts 29 desires to be helpful to wives, but the actual implementation is a bit challenging. I went to a wives' tea the fall before we launched, and I met some wonderful ladies, but that was it. There was no follow up, and I haven't seen most of them since then. It's not Acts 29's fault, it's just difficult for church planting wives to find time to network with each other, especially since we're all spread out throughout the metroplex. And since we never achieved full-member status, we did not have access to the retreats, which is where I think most of the wives connect.

Working full time, launching the church, and monitoring my health made connecting with other church planting wives fall down on the list of priorities. I was fairly exhausted, and all of my energy was going to ministering to the women at Redeemer. I also struggled with knowing what I had to offer. I desperately needed encouragement from someone who was further in the process {and quite frankly, outside of our process}, so I felt at a loss. We had just started our church planting journey, and then a few short months later it was over. What encouragement could I offer another church planting wife, when our church plant didn't make it?

When we were a few weeks past the close of Redeemer, the Lord placed this on my heart again. And he placed a fellow sister on my heart, the church planting wife of a church with whom we have had close ties for a couple of years. We have talked often about getting together, but life and schedules had just prevented it from happening...until I made the conscious decision to not let it anymore. We had our first official hang out, and I am so thankful for this sweet gal. It was like meeting with a kindred soul. I really wish I hadn't waited so long to make the time to meet a priority.

I don't know exactly what I will have to offer her by way of encouragement, but I do understand some of the unique struggles of being a church planting pastor's wife. And that is a priceless gift that I don't want to waste. More than once, she has told me, "You just get it!" And I do :)

Whether it's just coffee to hang out and talk, or sending her encouraging emails or fun care packages, I hope that I can be an encouragement to her. Just knowing that there is someone there and available to talk and listen would have been an encouragement to me. Or knowing that someone was praying for me and the specific challenges of church planting ministry...my prayer is that I can be that for her. 

Redeemer Church Closing

It is with a heavy heart that I write this post. And there really is no easy way to say it, but Redeemer Church is officially closing. This was not a decision that was made lightly, and we are trusting the Lord in His leading to transition down our church. Mike and I poured our heart and soul into the church, and it has been hard not to see it flourish the way we had hoped. God has done great things in and through our church family, but we ultimately faced some hurdles we could not overcome.

Because my husband is better at explaining things, below is the letter we sent to our supporters {which can also be found on our website}:

Over the past three years, Erin and I have had the privilege of seeing Jesus work many miracles, both in our lives and in those He has blessed us to walk alongside.  God has brought people to a saving knowledge of Himself, fanned the flame of discipleship in those who already believed, and grown his Church into a greater faith and devotion to its King.  He has worked in us to serve families in need in our community, proclaim the gospel to our city, and see the name of Jesus magnified in neighborhoods, offices, and campuses around our town.  God has been faithful to us in trials and triumphs, successes and set-backs, and Erin and I have grown deeper in our love and affection for Jesus by being able to be a part of this great work of God. 

However, this work of God was not without its challenges.  Early on after the launch of Redeemer, we saw some big hurdles we would need to overcome in order to be a healthy, New Testament church that was fulfilling its mission of being and making disciples of Jesus.  Namely, these hurdles were a desperate need for mature, godly leadership and a greater number of families involved in helping us be a missional and impactful, young church in our city.  While we prayed, fasted and fought hard to see God bring these needed aspects of our church over many months, in His goodness He has chosen not to provide these means, and so we have reached a point were a transition is necessary.  We have decided as a church that before we end up in a place of burn-out, disunity and potential disillusionment, we will take a step of faith and end Redeemer Church while remaining committed to one another in our pursuits of finding other local church homes in which to grow and serve.  By God’s grace, our church family still loves Jesus and loves each other, and so we believe this is the greatest time to walk through this transition together as a unified family.

This means that as of November 1st, Redeemer Church will no longer exist as a church family.

Our last worship service will be Saturday, September 27th and then our families will meet together for the following 4 weeks to encourage one another and spur each other on to take what God has done in our lives to wherever He might lead us next. Whether or not Redeemer is alive as an organization, our commitment to our mission will remain the same, because we believe it is the mission Jesus gives to all believers. We are to be disciples who make disciples. And that will always and forever be our commitment to each other. While we may not be members of Redeemer Church, we will forever be members of our Redeemer’s church.

We ask that you would continue to pray for us as the Enemy would love nothing more than to come in and discourage and distract us during this time. For those that are financial partners, we sincerely thank you for your commitment to us, and know that your gifts brought eternal life change to many people. We could not have been the light in the city we were able to be without you. Your gifts have not just impacted our past, but are part of God growing, maturing and equipping us for the ministry he has for us in the next season. Your investment has paid great Kingdom dividends and continues to do so. For those supporting us in regular giving, you may stop any payments immediately, but ask that you would at least discontinue payments by Oct. 15th. Any and all funds and assets Redeemer Church has will be donated to continuing the mission of the gospel in our community through church planting and serving those in need.

God is good, has been good and will always be good.  While no one who helped plant Redeemer wanted this outcome, we get a chance now to put our money where our mouth is as we have always said, “It’s not about us or about Redeemer Church, but it’s about Jesus.”  We get to prove that is the case by trusting Him in this next transition as we continue seeking Jesus and His fame in our lives.  We are not done - not by a long shot.  We will continue to pursue Christ, share the hope we have in Him with a dying world, and serve those in need.  Now it will be done through joining other local churches.  God’s Church is still marching forward!

Thank you to all who have supported us and “to God be the glory, great things He has done.”

-----

There are inevitably a lot of questions, and we are doing our best to answer all of them as they come. This has been an incredibly difficult time for us and our church family, but God is gracious and has walked with us every step of the way. Like Mike stated in the letter, no one wanted this outcome; but we wholeheartedly believe that God is being glorified even in the misdt of these sad and difficult circumstances.

We took a huge leap of faith, moving to McKinney and starting a church at the Lord's leading. We left our friends, our church family, and our ministries to follow God's call to make disciples in McKinney. And while the outcome of the church was not what we had expected, we did see the Lord work in the lives of the people He placed in our path. We have learned so much over the past 3 years, about living out the gospel, being and making disciples, loving and serving others. While there are things we may have done differently in the process of planting a church, I know that both Mike and I would do it over again to be obedient to the Lord. It's hard for our human minds to comprehend that a seeming failure is a win for Jesus, but history is filled with "failures" that God has used for His purposes. Ministry is hard, but God doesn't waste anything. We are confident that He will use what He has taught us through planting {and now closing} Redeemer Church in whatever He has planned for us next.

The lingering question now is "what next?" And the simple answer is that "we don't know yet." Mike and I are walking our church family through the transition of plugging into other local churches and ministries. We will then take some time to rest/heal our bodies and souls before we begin seeking the Lord for where He is calling us next. We are sad for what is lost in Redeemer Church, but we are excited about what the Lord has planned for us in the future. God is good, and I can say with confidence that He is all we need.

High Five for Friday!

{one} Confession: I have been listening to George Strait on my iPhone all morning at work. I just was in a king-of-country-kind-of-mood :) It's crazy to me that he is almost done with his farewell tour...I grew up listening to George and LOVE his music! It's Friday...might as well "whistle while I work!"

{two} Mike recently accepted a full time job as a Marketing Lead Coordinator for a company that focuses on the stewardship and fundraising needs of churches. We are so excited about how the Lord has provided! Nothing is changing with the church plant, so that means he will be working full time and pastoring Redeemer as well. This is definitely the next season the Lord has for us, but we know it will be an adjustment, and we would covet your prayers for the transition ahead.

{three} We are in full VBS-prep mode! We are partnering with First Presbyterian to host VBS in June. We will have it in the evening, so I will be running from work to VBS...good thing it's right down the street! I am in charge of the craft time, so I am busy collecting supplies and getting things ready for the kiddos. We are excited about partnering with FPC and sharing Jesus with the kids in our neighborhood!

{four} Tonight we're hanging out with some friends at the Bike the Bricks event in downtown McKinney. None of us are participating in the bike races, but we thought it would be fun to watch. They shut down the square and set up food trucks for spectators. The weather is beautiful, and it will be fun to walk around and enjoy the festivities.

{five} I am definitely looking forward to a 3-day weekend. They always seem to come just at the right time. While I am thankful for the break from work, I am even more thankful for the men and women who have served our country and given their lives to protect our freedoms. This weekend, I am praying for the families who have lost a loved one.

Bing Images

One of Those Weeks

Man, what a week! Sickness, discouragements, spewing poop holes, and setbacks...it's been one of those weeks at the McCullough Casa. One of those weeks where you are just so exhausted at the end of it, not really sure what all just happened, and thankful that His mercies are new every morning.

We're all ok over here; probably better than ok. But this week has truly tested both of us: physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. We're thankful to Jesus for His presence and loving care. He has walked with us every step of this hard week, and we know that He is still good despite it all...

Discouragement is part of life, part of ministry. Sometimes it all seems to pile up at once, and it leaves you wondering if you are doing the right thing. People and circumstances disappoint. You do your best to walk in obedience and faithfulness, only for things to not work out how you had planned. You find yourself wondering if God is still moving and if He even hears your prayers anymore {He is and He does!}.

Weeks like this one are the ones we were warned about; it would be easy to give in to the discouragement and just give up. And we wanted to at more than one point this week haha. But we're making it through, and we have the promises of God's faithfulness to us. So we press on :)

I have been in and out of work all week, so my days have completely run together; I feel like I have lost an entire week. That cold/cough from last week hung on and turned into bronchitis {boo!} and I have spent the week trying to recover. I went to the doctor on Sunday morning and was able to get some antibiotics. I'm still not 100% {even 5 days on meds}, so I am trying to monitor my symptoms to make sure it doesn't worsen. There's always the risk of pneumonia, so I would appreciate your prayers!

I have been extremely lucky to have not been sick up to this point, but I always knew it was an inevitability. Since I take Humira for Crohn's, I am at an increased risk of illness because the medication is an immunosuppressant. Thankfully, it is targeted {meaning, it doesn't suppress my entire immune system}, but it still means that my body just can't fight sickness like it's supposed to. And that's incredibly frustrating to me. One of those things that just makes me hate Crohn's that much more. I am just thankful for doctors and medicine and understanding bosses.

And just to add some laughter to the ridiculous week...in the midst of the craziness, we discovered a spewing poop hole in our backyard {sorry for the gross picture...just keepin' it real}. Basically, the sewage pipe that runs the length of our yard out to the city line is leaking and has to be replaced. They think the tree in the yard has hijacked the pipe, so they have to replace the whole thing. So that means no access to water and a mini-vacation with Mike's parents for a couple of days. We're definitely thankful we're renting and can just let the landlord mess with all of this, and we're thankful we can stay with family.

When it rains, it pours, right? :)

Redeemer Launch Day!

Saturday was our public launch for Redeemer Church. We have been working hard preparing for this day, and we are so thankful for how the Lord orchestrated the day. It's crazy to think that we are a real live church now :) I mean, we have been a real church for awhile, but something about launching actual services, open to the community, just makes it seem more concrete.

Mike and I got to the church early to spend time in prayer over the day. We have spent a lot of time reflecting over all that the Lord has done in the past couple of years, and we are so humbled for how He has chosen to use/grow/equip us in the process. Our core team showed up soon after, and everyone was in full set-up mode; we are so proud of how hard everyone has worked, and more importantly how they have sought to glorify Jesus as they serve.

Setting up chairs

Everyone helps...even the kiddos! :)

Setting up pipe and drape, the stage, and media equipment

Teamwork

Our awesome tech guy :)

Gathering to pray as a team before the service

Since we are "all hands on deck," we all get a chance to rotate through the kids ministry. It's also a great opportunity for some of our teens to help serve. We are so blessed with great classrooms, and we are thankful for the time and energy that goes into loving our little ones. Right now, we have an elementary school class and a pre-k/toddler class. As we grow, we have the opportunity to move into additional classrooms. We are still working through the curriculum, but we are excited about how the Lord is beginning to shape this ministry to our little ones, even now.

Coloring before the pre-k class starts

Trying to figure out the pack 'n play :)

Ready to learn about Jesus in the elementary class

We are so thankful for the friends and family that came to support us on this exciting day. Jesus was honored, the gospel was proclaimed, and our little church family could not be more ready to engage the rest of the city with the good news of Jesus.

Worship through music

Mike is doing a series called "We are the Church." You can listen to his messages here.

Look at my cute preacher hubby :) I am SO proud of him!

There are many praises from this weekend. Jesus was incredibly gracious to us, and we are so thankful for such a smooth launch. Please be in prayer with us as we are off and running!

And if you're in the McKinney area on a Saturday evening, come worship with us :)

The Lord is Building His Church

We are T-minus 6 days until the public launch of Redeemer Church. It seems surreal that we are actually launching real-life church services this weekend. We have been gearing up for this day for 2 years, and it's hard to believe that it's finally happening. The Lord has done incredible things since we had our first Bible study meeting in our living room! There has been a lot of blood, sweat, and tears along the way; but there has also been a lot of growth, blessings, and joys...and it has only just begun :)

 

Our group has been working hard to get things ready for this weekend; we have been gathering resources to make the space at the church our own, and we have spent time on training for kid's ministry, missional community groups, and service teams. We have had 2 pre-launch services {like practice runs or dress rehearsals, if you will}, and we go public on Saturday at 5pm in the Fellowship Hall of First Presbyterian Church in McKinney. You should join us :)

 

In the midst of the craziness, I had to stop and reflect over how the Lord has chosen to build His church...

 

It started with a call on Mike's life to be a lead church planter, followed by a call on my life to be his help-mate and a church planter's wife. The Lord led us to McKinney, where we built relationships and opened our home to a Bible study composed of a hodge podge of strangers.

 

We made it through the "get-to-know-yous," a time change, a format change, a church planting residency, and {by God's grace} only a handful of departures. We saw people meet Jesus for the first time, built deep friendships, served together, and found our identity as Redeemer Church.

 

We applied for our 501(c)3, connected with Acts 29, and launched our website. We held our first Easter service, had our first Baptism service, hosted our first women's retreat, and started our Faith & Culture series. 

 

The Lord has provided for us every step of the way. We have had faithful and generous supporters, who have walked with us from the beginning, and who have committed to continue walking with us as we start this new chapter in the life of our church. We are so thankful to all of our supporters and partners in the gospel!

 

While we have a number of people faithfully praying and giving of their financial resources, we also have a number of people giving of their physical resources:

• 50 brand new folding chairs, donated by the Parks Church
• A projector, screen, and a handmade stage, donated by Dennis Wilson
• Sound equipment and expertise, donated by Art Miller
• Pipe and drape, donated by Sam Atkinson's previous employer
• Kid's curriculum, donated by Woodcreek Church
• Kids' check-in kiosk and computers, donated by Mercy Church

And of course, we cannot forget the generosity and welcoming arms of the First Presbyterian Church of McKinney. We are incredibly thankful to everyone that has blessed us with the pieces we have needed to launch services for Redeemer Church. But we give ultimate praise to Jesus for how He has graciously provided for us. He has known all along what we would need, and He has been faithful to provide it.

 

We are so excited for what He has planned for this local body, this small family that has grown into a church. We continue to covet your prayers in the weeks and months ahead, as we seek to build community and reach McKinney with the gospel.

 

Praise Him from whom all blessings flow!

 

 

High Five for Friday!

{one} All I really want to say is Sic 'em Bears! I was proud to wear my black at work yesterday, and I loved that my bosses were too! I am SO proud of my bears and how they are proving all the critics wrong. They are undefeated at 8-0 and ranked #1 in the Big 12, #6 in the BCS.  :)

 

 

{two} There are just some Fridays that you seem more thankful for than others. The last few weeks have been incredibly busy at work, and I have been working a lot of long hours. So when Friday comes, I am definitely thankful. Now if we can just get the rest of life to slow down, then it might actually feel like I can look forward to a real weekend or a break! ;)

 

{three} We have some big news to announce at Redeemer...

 

 

The Lord has been incredibly gracious to us and has provided a new place for us to meet! We have been meeting in our living room since January of 2012, but we don't quite fit anymore. Mostly, we have run out of space for all of the kids in our church. So we have been praying for a larger space, and the Lord has provided! We will move into our new home in a few weeks and will publicly launch in February. We are so excited about this partnership, and we can't wait to see how the Lord continues to grow our church family!

 

{four} It has been WAY too long since I have hung out with Laura. Our schedules have just not matched up, so I am really looking forward to catching up with my sweet friend over breakfast tomorrow. Definitely a highlight of my weekend!!

 

{five} While we still have a lot planned over the weekend, I am looking forward to a 3-day weekend. I really enjoy having bank holidays! Monday is Veterans Day, and my plan is to spend it in my pajamas. We'll see how that goes! :)

 

{iPhone Rewind} :: October

My sweet Bible study girls surprised me with a basket full of goodies and encouraging notes! It was certainly unexpected but very much appreciated :)

We met a sweet new family that moved to the neighborhood and attended a birthday party for 2 of their kids. We enjoyed celebrating with them and getting to know their family a little better.

My sweet husband worked to find this special tea for me; it's not available in many places, so I was excited to have some! I love and miss my chai tea lattes, so now I can take my own decaf tea bags into Starbucks for them to make one for me!

I went to an essential oils class that a friend hosted because I am always researching and exploring natural remedies. Since I can no longer take ibuprofen or NSAIDs, I'm having to find some alternatives. I bought a little starter kit to try them and see how they work!

We have the beginnings of a little worship team! John and Lyndsey were gracious to help lead us in worship, complete with a ukelele :)

We got a new phone system at work, but for a few days I rocked both the new and old phones. Definitely a brain stretch for me haha.

I had my 10 year high school reunion. 10 years...that will make you feel old. But I am so thankful for my life and all the Lord has done over the past 10 years.

My sweet husband has been growing out his beard. He grew tired of it and decided to shave, but not before he sported the 'stache. Haha. I love him :)

  

We spent time in prayer at the new location the Lord has provided for our church. It's crazy to think that we have already outgrown our living room, but we are excited about what the Lord has next for us. More details on that to come soon! :)

Redeemer Baptisms

Last night we had our first baptism service at Redeemer. Two of the women in our group wanted to be baptized, and of course we were more than willing to oblige!

Sami has been a part of our group from the beginning. Before we were even officially a church plant, she was faithful in attending our home group Bible study. 

From the beginning, she has been one of our biggest cheerleaders, constantly inviting people to our group. She was a part of our original women's Bible study group, and I have seen her grow so much in the past 2 years. It was such a joy to see her take that next step of faith in proclaiming Jesus in her life.

Yay Sami!

Dannie joined our group in the summer of 2012. She came from an irreligious, Buddhist background but difficult life circumstances caused her to seek answers from God. 

When she joined our group, she was learning about Jesus for the first time, and it has been such a privilege to watch her grow in her faith. I am excited about the new life she has confessed in Jesus and cannot wait to see how He uses her story to minister to others!

Yay Dannie!

We had the baptism service at a neighborhood pool, which made it an easy spot to then have a celebration party afterward. 

It was certainly an exciting day for Redeemer, and we praise God for all He has done in the lives of our church family!