Waiting

Thursday we had our first gathering at the Downtown Campus. It was a moment. It was one of those days that was just different. You could tell something special was happening. A lot of people saw the final result but don't know much about the journey.

Four years ago we started asking the question, "What would it look like to be one church in multiple locations?" That question led to other questions like, "Where?" Many of us behind closed doors started dreaming about going downtown.

Then, there was this building. 1201 N. Delaware. It had this big "For Sale" sign just screaming at us. I was convinced that it was meant to be. So a team of us put together a proposal for the elders as to why this was a can't-miss, do-it-now, what-are-we-waiting-for opportunity. After a pitch like that who could resist? But they said, "not yet." 

It wasn't a flat no. They just said, "Wait." There were a bunch of good reasons. We hadn't launched a second campus, we'd be crossing cultural boundaries, and there were so many commas in the asking price that it was out of our range. Those are really good reasons.

In spite of those good reasons, I left frustrated. I questioned why God would make something so clear to me and not to others. I questioned others' commitment to the mission. Needless to say, I had some growing up to do.

Making a long story shorter: the elders were right. In the last year, we launched an insanely successful campus thanks to the other-worldly volunteers that make North go. Then a TPCC family was called to purchase the downtown building for the church. They took care of the comma problem. God had a way better story in mind.

This last year has been full of hands-on-your-head, shoulder-shrugging, I-can't-explain-that moments. Here's to wise elders that say, "Wait," when it'd be easier to say, "Okay." Here's to God working behind the scenes while we are unaware. Here's to me remembering all this and trusting that God writes better stories.