Have you ever put down on paper what really drives your ministry? What has God so passionately placed in your heart that you must do? I put this on paper recently. It goes something like this:

I believe that the responsibility of a pastor and church staff is to equip the church to do the work of ministry. Therefore, I am passionate about leading the church to become Christ followers, to be leaders, to invest themselves in others and how to utilize their spiritual gifts to the fullest. I am a mentor and a teacher who sees his role as someone to enable people to live out the vision God has given them. I also believe in removing barriers that keep unchurched people from initiating or rebuilding their relationship with Christ. With this in mind, I believe the church should try to create many third spaces, such as coffee shops, that offer locations where Christians and the unchurched can connect.

I am an entrepreneur. Most of my ministry and work experience have been in startups, be it churches or businesses. While I am not a church planter in the traditional sense, I am a pastor who has a passion to start churches of all kinds and in all parts of the world. In addition, I have a passion to see people made whole, spiritually, emotionally, physically, and financially. Ministry for me does not begin and end when a person walks through the doors of a building. It involves finding ways to help people reach wholeness in all areas of their lives and to be a fruitful Christ follower within the domains they live and move.

Ministry for me also includes social ministry. This includes rebuilding homes, teaching life skills, job skills and parenting skills. It means developing transition homes where those recovering from destructive behaviors can transition into healthy relationships, sustainable employment, and emotional and fiscal wholeness.

Ministry also means community and nation building. Part of ministry for me is to provide opportunities for sustainable living both in the local community and across the world. If there is an opportunity to send money overseas for ministry, that means starting a business overseas that provides jobs, homes, and education for people in that community. When that happens, subsequent industries as well as goods and services are attracted and the community now offers a sustainable lifestyle. While this can and should be done overseas, it also can be done in USAmerica.

In church doctrine, I am conservative. I consider my views as humble orthodoxy, meaning that while I am theologically conservative, I’m not angry about it. I do not look at where we differ – unless it is on the essentials – but where we are in agreement. I am willing to work with those who agree on the essentials of our faith.

Some may say, “Well that’s great David, but what are you doing now, huh?” I put that on paper as well.

Mission Fellowship is a small church with a big vision. Our vision is to plant 30 churches over the next 15-20 years from the northern tip of Delaware to the southern tip. We are currently planting an active adult church in Middletown and will be the sponsor of a church plant in Smyrna, 20 minutes south of Middletown. We have also just launched an outreach Bible Study for active adult women in an active adult community.

We are trying to acquire resources to develop a transitional home for those recovering from destructive behavior. We are also trying to find resources to start a third space, in this case a coffee house, that creates opportunities for Christians to interact with the unchurched in a non-threatening location. The coffee house would have family friendly bands on the weekend, local art, poetry readings and book clubs.

In the past almost three years, we have baptized 10, started Celebrate Recovery, Financial Peace University, and are financially supporting both a church plant in Times Square, NY and a ministry to the Port of New Orleans. We will be taking our kids to Centri-Kid for the second year in a row and sending students to World Changers for the third consecutive year. We are also going on our first mission trip, taking six to New Orleans to do ministry there. Also, our children’s ministry revolves around high energy music and high creativity and is effective in preparing children to do ministry now.

All of this is being conceived and carried out by a church of 50+.

Here’s what is going on through the end of June:

• Our church is taking going on a mission trip next month to New Orleans.
• 13 of our students & adults are going to an area of NC to do construction in June. This is their 3rd year to do so.
• We’ve got a group from Mississippi coming in June to help us do ministry (I’ve been begging people for 3 years now to come help us).
• We’ve starting an outreach Bible Study for older ladies - it is being hosted by our admin assistant and she’s not a member of our church.
• We’re planting an active adult church (55+). The potential planter will be going for his assessment in a couple of weeks. Pray for him.
• We’ve got a guy from a church north of us who lives in our town doing outreach Bible studies in his sub-division and he will send those people to our church - and I’ve never met the guy! (Though I’m trying to get in touch with him).
• We’ve got 4 non-Christians who don’t go to our church judging an “Iron Chef” competition this month for our church.
• We’re still trying to find a spot to start a coffee shop, and the director of Middletown Mainstreet is working with us to find some space.
• 12 of us will be meeting to discuss the book “Glocalization” and will have the opportunity to have the author on the phone with us.
• We are hoping to have church planter on the field for another church plant 20 minutes south of us.
• We are trying to start a couples outreach Bible Study geared toward a more active adult age.

If you have a similar ministry passion, I would love to connect with you.  Please use the link above to contact me.