Believe it or not, this weekend we will be moving into our new home at 4020 Ware Neck Drive. The building sits on 7.5 acres at the corner of Salem Rd. and Ware Neck Dr.

This whole week has just been amazing. We’ve had about 20 people per day coming up to help get things ready. What’s crazy is that some of them have only been to Essential one time!!! We’ve even had a few people come up to work at the facility who’ve never been to Essential. I don’t know how to explain that, but I love it.

I love the fact that I have no idea what God has in store for us as a church. He’s blessed us with much so that we can bless others.

I love knowing that one day everything we’ve worked hard to fix up this past month will be so worn out that it needs to be replaced.

I love to think about people who have never been to church who’ll have their first church experience be at Essential.

I love being a part of a healthy church.

I love the people I serve on staff with: Sherry, Noah, Rick, and Chad. They are a church dream team.

I would love for you to experience God’s love and presence in your life. I hope to see you Sunday at Essential.

This past Tuesday, our truck pulled up to North Landing Elementary School to unload for the last time. It’s hard to believe that in less than a year’s time we’re moving into our own facility. I really thought we’d be a portable church for a long, long time. This past week I’ve been thinking about Proverbs 16:9 which says, We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps. (NLT)

It hit me tonight that I will no longer have to do two hours of manual labor before the church service. That got me thinking about what else will change. How will we change as a church? Will people who don’t feel comfortable in a typical church still feel comfortable coming to a “church” facility? Will people who’ve only been to church have an opportunity pitch in and lend a hand? When you’re a portable church there’s so many things that need to be done to pack up the truck each week that everyone can contribute.

Will we go down the road of so many other churches before us that start out with a heart for people who are far from God only to end up being another “Christian Country Club” where membership is kind of exclusive and comes with special privileges? Will we start having so many programs and events that we don’t have time for building relationships with people? Will we start thinking that we need to get people to come to our building for events rather than continuing to find creative ways to go out into our community and meet people where they are?

My hope is that we find a way to continue to do what we’ve been doing. The Ware Neck facility is just a tool. May it never be the center of our focus, the driving force behind ministry, or something we feel we need to have in order to be a church. Right now I’m thinking that our portable days are behind us. But as God has already shown us, He determines our steps.  Who knows, perhaps we’ll outgrow the facility by this time next year and have to become a portable church again. Whatever happens, may we continue to be essential.

I’m guessing you clocked on this post out of outrage or shock, but you really need to read this accurately titled post. The title and the post below was written by another pastor whose church is a lot like ours. As we are giving towards and working on our new facility, it’s stories like this that make it all worth it. Read on and you’ll see what I mean.

(The following article was written by Perry Noble, NewSpring Church in Anderson, SC on December 14, 2009.)

If you want to build a great church then go after the people that no one else wants! That’s what Jesus did…and because of that we are included in HIS Kingdom. Quite often something will happen in our church that will remind me that, though we are far from perfect, we are going after the people that I believe Jesus would have gone after…

So…the other day in our children’s area this happened…

A first time visitor (probably around 9 or 10 years old) walked into our 4th-5th grade room in KidSpring at our Anderson campus and was BLOWN away!

He looked at the children’s worker who met him at the door, and, after looking around the room he said, “you guys have a wii?”

“Yep,” she said.

“And you guys have a PSIII?” he said!

“Yes sir, we sure do,” she replied.

“And we can play these for free?” He asked.

“Yep,” she answered.

Then he turned to his friend and said out loud, “This Sh_t is awesome!”

Now I am quite sure that makes some of you very uncomfortable; after all, you don’t want the cussing kids coming into church and messing up your perfect child.

However…after hearing this story from one of our children’s staff I was INCREDIBLY pumped up because I thought, “THAT is why we do church!” I know many churches would not want a kid like that…but we do because HE MATTERS TO JESUS…even though his behavior is not perfect!

Here is what I know about that kid…

He was greeted by children’s workers that made it a point to learn his name.
He was treated like he was special, not like an outcast.
He was NOT taken to the bathroom where his mouth was washed out with soap; in fact, he wasn’t even rebuked. (Why in the world does the church expect those who do not know Christ to act as if they do? It is the most ridiculous/stupid idea!!!)
He was placed into an environment where he was taught the Scriptures.
He was placed into an environment where he was taught about Jesus.
He was placed into an environment where people went the extra mile to make sure the presentation was on his level.
He matters to God; therefore, he matters to us…and we are going to continually do all that we can to reach him.
Church is not a place for “perfect people.” (And BEWARE of the church where you go and EVERYONE seems perfect!!!) It’s a place where the broken, the lonely, the addicted, and the struggling can go.

I love the fact that this kid came to our church…didn’t pretend to be someone he was not…and was STILL accepted and heard about Jesus.

The church has GOT to STOP placing expectations on people as soon as they walk in the door…

We are NOT a country club…we are a church!!!

And for those who look down on those who are “not as good as you,” remember that you were once like them (see I Corinthians 6:9-11 and Ephesians 2:1-5)…and were it not for God’s AMAZING grace…you would STILL be lost.

People who cuss should be welcome at church…
So should those who smell like smoke…
So should those who smell like alcohol…
So should those who do whatever sin you do not do…
When we get into the business of placing stipulations as to who can and cannot come to a service based on a morality code (OR a dress code) we have COMPLETELY lost sight of why Jesus came and died on a cross.

Like I said, hearing the story of that kid made my day!!! It’s why we do what we do…and it is my prayer that he eventually receives Christ, fixes his eyes on Jesus…and grows up to do AMAZING things in HIS name…all because there was a church that allowed him to come in as he was…and then begged God to not let him stay that way but rather to bring about the change HE desired in HIS time.

Don’t want to go to your in-laws house for X-mas? Then come to essential church for our Christmas Eve Service @ 6:30pm @ North Landing Elementary School (2929 N. Landing Rd. VA Beach, Va). Come not knowing what to expect and expecting God to show up.

I know what you are thinking…He said Xmas!

Yes I did…and actually…

Europeans in the 16th Century only started using X in place of Christ’s name as shorthand.This was done b/c it was faster to write and b/c X in Greek (Chi or Khi) is the first letter in the name Christos or Kristos…Therefore, Christ is still in Xmas. Merry Xmas : )

We’ve got exactly two weeks left until we open the facility for our first service there. There’s lots to do between now and then. This week we’ve got to get most of the painting done so that carpet can be installed next week. Also we need to take out the old carpet and prepare the floors for the new stuff.  Even if you’re not planning on painting when you come up to the facility, I’d recommend wearing clothes that you don’t mind getting paint on them. Chances are there will be some wet paint in the rooms you’ll be working in.  I’m looking forward to seeing you there to help.  God is amazing, you are essential.

We will be up at the building during the following hours this week (Dec. 28th – Jan 2nd).
Monday: 10-5
Tuesday: 9-9
Wednesday: 9-9
Thursday: 9-9
Friday: New Year’s Day, email Susan if you want to work on Friday (sbsue@verizon.net)
Saturday: 9-5

So we’re continuing to make progress on the Ware Neck facility.   We’re kind of at a slow point with some projects inside while we wait on the architect and city building inspectors to do their thing. But there is one project that we need to get on before it gets much colder out. We are having a company come in to fix the pot holes and paint the parking stripes, but there are some other projects in the parking lot that need some attention.  Right now the water doesn’t drain out of the parking lot since due to some dirt and grass growth blocking the water’s path. We also need to spray some weed killer around the lot as well. This is a big project, but it will be much easier to do while the weather is still nice out.

Here’s the current list of things to do up at the Ware Neck facility.

1. Parking Lot TLC: Weed and Gravel Removal
2. Raise ceiling in Kid’s Worship Center
3. Repair some drywall here and there
4. Build new sound booth
5. Finish stage

If you’ve got some free time to come up and join us, let Susan Mollera know by sending her an email: sbsue@verizon.net. She can tell you when we we’ll be up at the building and put you on the schedule. Of course you’re always free to just “show up” but I can’t guarantee that someone will be there whenever you happen to pop in unannounced. It really is nice knowing who will be up there. Susan sends me a list of whose coming up and what you want to do. It really helps me plan out the projects for each day.

This week’s remaining schedule:
Wednesday: 10-5 (Gotta get some office work done in the morning)
Thursday: 12-9
Friday: 12-5
Saturday: 10-4

I have to admit, God never ceases to amaze me. Back before we knew anything about God giving us a building, I got a call from a seminary student in New Brunswick, Canada. He was looking for a church plant to intern at and somehow found us. Don’t ask me how he heard about Essential all the way up in New Brunswick, ask God.

So we got to talking about Essential and church planting and he really wanted to come down a be a part of it. We’ve talked several times over the past few months and I’m excited to share with you that he and his wife Lori will be moving down here after Christmas.  Starting in January, his wife Lori will be doing a student teaching internship at Atlantic Shores and he’ll be joining our staff as an intern.

Begin praying for Chris and Lori as they prepare to move down here next month. I am looking forward to working with Chris and serving along side him.

Here’s the current list of things to do up at the Ware Neck facility.

1. Clean out electrical closet
2. Bleach Cinder Blocks on East end of facility
3. KItchen finish cleaning and organizing
4. Cut and Nail in sanctuary stage supports
5. Bookshelf from flower room down to craft room
6. Bookshelf from flower room to maintenance closet
7. Sort through maintenance room stuff
8. Take out drywall on the last wall of the youth center
9. Take out the remaining drywall next to office
10. Replace toilet on east end of children’s hallway with normal height toilet
11. Take out damaged drywall on column in sanctuary
12. Open up the drywall in the ceiling around the main support beams
13. Raise ceiling in Kid’s Worship Center

If you’ve got some free time to come up and join us, let Susan Mollera know by sending her an email: sbsue@verizon.net. She can tell you when we we’ll be up at the building and put you on the schedule. Of course you’re always free to just “show up” but I can’t guarantee that someone will be there whenever you happen to pop in unannounced. It really is nice knowing who will be up there. Susan sends me a list of whose coming up and what you want to do. It really helps me plan out the projects for each day.

This week’s remaining schedule:
Wednesday: 1-5 (Gotta get some office work done in the morning)
Thursday: Eating Turkey, Watching Football, Thanking God
Friday: 12-5, (Virginian Pilot Photographer coming @ 1pm)
Saturday: 10-4

God is amazing, you are essential, let’s get to work.

I can’t believe we’ve only been working for a week.  We’ve had a lot of fun working on making the facility in to a great place for people to connect with each other and God. It’s times like these that the body of Christ has an opportunity to really show itself. I love seeing how God has created each of us with different gifts, skills, and passions. It’s not only effects what we like to do, but what we see when we walk in a building for the first time. Melissa and several other mothers went straight to the children’s wing and went to work. Jordan came in and immediately started peering in to the A/C returns to check for dust build up. It’s just how we’re wired. Our unified diversity is what makes the church, the church.

Here’s my favorite pictures from week 1. Caleb had come up to the facility to help after he heard that his big brothers got to demo some walls. By the time he came up he’d missed all the action on the first set of walls. So he went to work as a helper for several hours and he kept asking if he’d be able to come back on a day that we were going to be taking out another wall. At 8pm he was still up there helping. So I took him in a room where there was a wall that needed to come down.  I gave him a hammer and said “have at it.” His face lit up as he said, “Really???”

And so he went to town. After he’d beat the wall into submission he said, “hey do you have any other weapons I can use?” I think he was eying the 36 inch long crowbar in the corner at the time. It didn’t take him long to take down that wall.

If you’ve got some free time to come up and join us, let Susan Mollera know by sending her an email: sbsue@verizon.net. She can tell you when we we’ll be up at the building and put you on the schedule. Of course you’re always free to just “show up” but I can’t guarantee that someone will be there whenever you happen to pop in unannounced.

God is amazing, you are essential, let’s get to work.

On November 1, 2009 the folks from Salem Baptist Church will be joining us for a joint worship service. On that morning we will have the opportunity to thank them for their humble generosity. We will be recognizing and honoring their selfless gift and officially accepting the keys to the facility. This will be a morning to celebrate what God has done at 4020 Ware Neck Drive in the past and look forward to what God will do there in the future.

This will be another historic day in the life of Essential Church. The party starts at 10:30am, see you there.