Ministry & Marriage: A Love Letter to Beth.

Church Planting can be an extremely painful experience on a wife and family. Because of that, Christine Hoover has written an incredible book called "The Church Planting Wife" as a way of encouraging wives through the journey of planting a church. I highly recommend this book to those who are in ministry or looking to plant churches. 

In addition, Christine has encouraged us husbands to write a love letter to our brides, reminding them how vital they are to our lives and ministries. Below is my letter to my best friend, partner in crime and the love of my life.

Dear Bugsy,

Growing up in a broken home where truelove and sacrificial love within marriage was never modeled, I could never have imagined experiencing the joy that the Lord has given me through our relationship. Now obviously, our relationship has not been a cakewalk. We have endeavored many ups and downs, wins and losses, trials and victories; but in the end, if the Lord's main purpose for us is to glorify Himself by sanctifying us, then it is easy for me to think, "Oh, how great and awesome is our God."

Since the moment I saw you in college I knew my life would be changed forever. I can remember it like it's yesterday, watching you walk into the cafeteria. The first thing I noticed was your big beautiful eyes. I love your eyes. The only thing left to do in that moment was figure out how to get you to be mine. Little did we know that within weeks, the Lord would save me and then providentially bring us together.

Through 2 1/2 years of dating and going on 10 years of marriage, none has been as strenuous and trying on our relationship than setting out to plant Netcast in 2011. Sure all of the church planting books and friends in the ministry would tell us how difficult it would be, but I don't think we believed it. However, looking back it has been definitely the most difficult thing we've ever endured together. That said, similar to the cross, Jesus never wastes our difficult moments. This process of church planting has been by far the most sanctifying thing we have ever experienced.

Over the last two years I have watched with my own eyes, Jesus transform you from a young Christian into an incredibly godly young woman. This transformation has not been easy for us and quite frankly there has been moments of great pain; But seeing Christ in you has become one of my most cherished possessions. I love watching you spend time with other women and pouring your life into them. I love to see you growing in your ability to be transparent and vulnerable even when it's extremely uncomfortable. I love how you're able to point people to Jesus and not simply tend to their emotional needs. There is an incredible joy that comes over me as you share all the things that Jesus is doing in your heart.

Beth, you are truly my best friend. God has used you in my life to grow me in ways that I could never thank you enough. Because of our relationship and because of your commitment to the Lord, today I am more of a man of God. You have been my lover, my helper, my conscience in weak moments, a safe haven for my thoughts, my rock when everything else seems to be falling apart and even my shepherd at times. I love you more than words can describe. I love the grace that you extended me and the God who lives in your heart. I love the mother you have become and the father you are helping me to be.

I love you, I love you, I love you. Today, tomorrow and for all of eternity.

- Matt

To Netcast People: Read This

Here are a few things that you will benefit from knowing.
  • Short Video: True Beauty by Lisa Chan If you have 20 minutes, this is an incredible teaching on "True Beauty" and being still before the Lord in a high paced society. I would advise everyone to watch it as it will truly bless you. http://flannel.org/products/true-beauty-be-still 
  • Missions Trip: Guatemala. Here is more info on the Guatemala Missions Trip. You do not want to miss this opportunity. It will change your life and bless you more than you can imagine. http://chewningjourney.blogspot.com/2013/01/netcast-and-guatemala-mission-trip.html 
  • Volunteers: Please be responsive and responsible. Over the past few months we have had a very hard time getting our volunteers to use Netcast Connect to confirm that they will be serving. To many of you, this is does not seem like a big deal, but for us it is massive. We need everyone to use the Netcast Connect website to keep us updated on your ability to serve. Many people have committed to serving on teams, but neglect to actually follow through to serve. Please help us carry the work load with serving. This is vital to the health of our church. 

Love you all. Lets change the world together.
- Pastor Matt

Netcast and Guatemala Mission Trip

On July 3rd through the 8th, we will be taking our first mission trip as a church, and WE WANT YOU TO COME!

Netcast will be going down to Guatemala City to serve at Potter’s House. In short, this ministry provides basic needs for the people who live surrounding the dump (the largest in Latin America) and make their living out of whatever they can find in the trash (which is usually under $3 a day for a family of 4).

Potter´s house feeds and educates the children, trains leaders, equips women for work, has discipleship groups, among many other projects. Netcast partnered with them in December, sending financial support, and now we will go down to be the hands and feet of Jesus. We will be serving them by doing manual labor, relational ministry, loving the children and whatever else they need. You can expect the days to be hard emotionally and physically, to be surrounded by very bad smells, to eat a lot of beans, to make children smile, and as you are working to make other people´s lives better, you can also expect your own live to be transformed.

The total cost of the trip is $1,350, which will cover airfare, all taxes, lodging, meals (from the moment you step foot at Logan airport until we get back), transportation and donations. YES, YOU READ THAT RIGHT! ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING WILL BE COVERED.

We will help you fundraise individually and we will be hosting big fundraising events for the whole group. Visit Netcastchurch.org to read more about the trip and fill out the application due February 3rd.

If you have any specific questions, comments or concerns, you can email Erica Sturgeon at erica@citygatels.com.

Mary, Martha, Judas and Lazarus: Pick One.

In John 12, you see this incredible story of multiple characters. Of them, only one stands out as faithful, Mary. Mary is worried about, “The presence of God.” She desires to be in the presence of Jesus, growing in love with Jesus, listening to Jesus, being taught by Jesus, enjoying Jesus. She’s in the living room enjoying God, while Martha’s in the kitchen not enjoying the presence of God, but preparing presents for God. Meanwhile, Lazarus is simply just reclining at the table doing nothing while Judas is pretending to be spiritual for the purpose of personal gain.

But Mary worries about her relationship with Jesus. “Did I get my time with Jesus? Did I sit at his feet? Did I listen? Did I learn? Was I humble? Was I teachable? How’s my relationship with Jesus?” 

So where do you land? Do you work real hard like Martha but you neglect to see the presence of God? Have you experienced the power of Christ in your life yet still sit around and expect the world to revolve around your needs while you recline at the table? Do you play games like Judas and use the gospel of Jesus Christ as a means of personal gain? Or are you like Mary? Who wants nothing else but the presence of God. Who wants nothing more than to sit at his feet and to worship him and to sacrifice for him and to love him and to see his face?

 St. Augustine once preached a sermon in which he proposed a kind of self test to see if we truly love the presence of God: He said suppose God proposed to you a deal and said I will give you anything you want. You can possess the whole world. Nothing will be impossible for you. Nothing will be a sin, nothing forbidden. You will never die, never have pain, never have anything you do not want and always have anything you do want. Except for just one thing. You will never see my face and never experience my presence.

Augustine closed with this question: Did a chill rise in your hearts, when you heard the words “you will never see my face and never experience my presents”? If so, that chill is the most precious thing in you and it is a pure love for God.