Experiencing New Life

In a space of one year and four days we have seen the birth of three grandchildren! Our son Jonathan and his wife Nichole have just had a baby girl. Their son Eli (one year and three days old weighing 26 lbs) has a little sister called Eva weighing in at 6' 11" and 19 1/2 inches long. On Aug. 31, 2004, our daughter Rebecca and her husband Ravi had a little girl named Anjali. We are experiencing the awe of new life!

Oh, the mystery of life! After conception in heart and body, 40 weeks of body changes, and final labor, a little child—unable to adequately take care of herself—is birthed. And at birth, the immense task of feeding, nurturing, educating begins.

Last week we also experienced a birthing experience in Mission Alive. Three church planting families were invited at the exit interviews of our Discovery Lab to become church planters to plant churches with us in Austin, Denver, and Dallas. A fourth family was asked to work on some personal aspects of their lives as they transition into church planting. We were also privileged to work with our sister organization Kairos to assess one of their families who will work with a church in Oregon in a process to become church planters.

New church planters have been birthed. Like children they have a long way to go. But it will not be long until they have children themselves. Church planters become part of a heritage of equipping other church planters.

Paul said to Timothy, “You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Tim. 2:2).