I didn’t want to be back in ministry for several reasons:
1. the money or lack thereof–we are finally in a place of financial security and having all the benefits of being at a big company like Dell is a dream come true for me!
2. I love and didn’t want to leave Northview. Ever. Ever. Ever. It’s the people, who are all my friends, and the authentic atmosphere and the messages and the fact that it doesn’t look, feel, smell, or act like a churchy-church. It’s so amazing, it’s beyond wonderful. Did I mention I love Northview?
3.We feel like we’ve been given this opportunity to serve the needs of a downtown crowd at Northview Bricktown, we believe that there is a lot of potential for change and help in that area, and that we could be part of that. I totally feel like we ”trained” for NVB when we were downtown at First UMC. We have a heart and a knowledge for downtown ministry. I didn’t want to leave that “undone” because I know there is more we are supposed to do.
I was struggling with Chris’ idea that he wanted to jump back into fulltime paid ministry. What I needed was for God to give us the right opportunity at the right time. This was offered to us last week.
We met with Northview Bricktown’s campus pastor, Tommy, who told us the staff felt a strong calling to change up some things with NVB. One of them, being that Tommy is going back to the main campus to do full time worship which excites me to no end, I cannot tell you what a huge miracle that is…not that the other worship leaders aren’t wonderful but TOMMY ROCKS in a big way! So…wooooo for Tommy coming back! But that leaves a void at the NVB campus. Logistics and some unforseen circumstances has also has left us in a quandry about location, time, format, etc.
Chris and I were asked to lead the NVB campus in a casual, small group setting on a Sunday night or another night in the week. We are SO PUMPED. This means our family gets to serve and go to the larger experiences at the Northview main campus, and Chris will get his chance to do some ministry/teaching like he’s been feeling called to do. And he doesn’t have to quit his job at Dell, since this is just once a week. We also have another young couple who is going to help us. So everyone wins!
One of my jobs at the NV main campus was the Connections desk, which I had to quit when we planted NVB. Well, now I get to go back to helping at the Connections desk. This job is tailor made for me. It’s basically a big desk with some computers and info on everything that is happening in the church–oh and bowls of mints. My job is to stand behind it and talk with everyone (see, tailor made!) and point them in the right direction and sign people up for things online, and give them information about coming events. I always enjoyed it and I felt terrible leaving my friend in charge by himself when me and Chris left. So now I get to help him and be back where I am supposed to be! I feel sooooo good about this decision, and I’m honored and thrilled that the staff feels confident enough in us that they want us to join them in this endeavor. Praise God for being so faithful and putting us in a place that we both can be happy, and even comfortable, with!! And I get to stay at my beloved Northview!!!
Anonymous says:
that’s AWESOME, Kari!! I gotta admit, I left your picture post and went to Beth’s page and saw a comment for her to check her protected posts, I was a bit sad because I thought I wasn’t in on the “secret”, but when I came back, here it is! I’m so excited for you guys!! I’ll be praying for you both as you take on this new role of ministry!!
December 15th, 2007 at 3:28 pm
Anonymous says:
regarding your comment on Julie’s page about the perfume…Marc Jacob’s Daisy smells SO good. My cousin had some at Thanksgiving and my sister and I both LOVED it, so now we are getting some from my mom for christmas. it’s quite nice, I assure you.
December 15th, 2007 at 3:36 pm
Anonymous says:
Hoooray! Our position my husband is at a church that we were first attending for about a year. I was glad when that he could take a ministry job and we could also stay in our church.
December 15th, 2007 at 5:51 pm
Anonymous says:
YAHOOO!!! I am so excited. I have been praying for you a lot lately. What an awesome and excting time for your family. It sounds like the perfect thing for your family! Whoo-hoo! God is so good.
December 15th, 2007 at 10:13 pm
Anonymous says:
God works in big ways, and this is just one of them. Congratulations on the door he opened for you two..
December 16th, 2007 at 1:01 am
Anonymous says:
That is so awesome!!! Congrats! Love & Prayers, Tori
December 17th, 2007 at 12:47 am
Anonymous says:
Wow that is great!
December 17th, 2007 at 4:41 pm
Anonymous says:
That’s great Kari!!!! Yay!
December 17th, 2007 at 4:49 pm
Anonymous says:
I met a lady today and her daughter in a bookstore. We talked about
Jesus and stuff and life and she ended up sharing with me about her
husband who is not a christian. Evidently they are having a lot of
problems because of the disunity in the family to the point of divorce.
Let the word not be cliche..that means a broken hurting home, with the
3 little kids torn in half, and two adults permanently scarred.
So my reason for telling you this is simply to ask for real prayer for
her, and her family. Prayer that shakes the Heavens, and the heart of
her husband and brings them together, Jesus…and her husbands
heart…permanently forever and ever.
Good idea?
Please help me. Her husband’s name is Patrick, and hers is Dulce (dool-say).
in Christ,
Charles
December 18th, 2007 at 8:54 pm