What does the future hold? If you asked that question of me five years ago, I would not have gotten the answer right. During the course of those five years, Kristin and I had two children, my dad died, I left a comfortable, enjoyable position in a great church to head out to plant a new church, and I went from working one job to two. None of these were events I had foreseen (except for the inevitable children).

Somehow, God established all those significant life events to occur. And each one of them has served to stretch me in ways that were extremely excruciating at times. While I have benefited greatly from the refining those events have brought in my life, I wouldn’t have necessarily chosen some of them. Having kids and being involved in the planting of a church have been joyful experiences. Losing my dad and stepping from full-time ministry to bi-vocational ministry have been two challenging events in my life over the past years.

And now I wonder what the future holds? In my mind, there are some events I hope happen. I desire our church plant to have established, mature leadership that is training more leaders. I hope Allentown Bible Church within five years is significantly involved in the planting of another church. I trust that I can dedicate my full efforts to the spiritual growth of the church body. And, somehow, I know God will bring about what is best in His timing and in His way.

And being on the ride is a blast! God does some amazing things.