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An inspirational story of God's faithfulness
The Need
Church planting takes a ton of resources. People, prayer, and pesos. One of the largest needs of a church planter is definitely money. You don't have a building, equipment, or any of the many other tangible needs you have without people investing in a church that doesn't even exist yet. So we felt very blessed when a large church promised us $30,000 upfront and every year for the first 5 years to help fund the launch of Momentum Church. In all honesty, we got so excited about that benefactor that we didn't carry as much dependency on God as we should have. You tend to not pray as hard when you think your needs are met. However, mere days before we went to attend a conference in Alabama, we were notified that the church that had promised us $30,000 a year had a change in their circumstance and would not be able to give to us anymore. We walked out of that conversation obviously disappointed, but strangely at peace. It felt as if God had allowed our natural provision to dry up so he could show up in a supernatural way. We just knew that this was an opportunity to trust him the way we should have been all along.
The Miracle
We left that conversation and 3 days later we were at the church planters conference in Alabama. We felt that every single message was speaking to our faith. At the last session, they opened the alters up front for people to come and pray. We felt God say "Get to the front". We both ran as fast as our legs could carry us and beat crowds of people to the very front. The prayer echoing in my (Daniel) head was "God, it's in your hands. You build this church. You make a way. You provide. When you do, do it in a way where no one else gets the glory but you.". When the time for prayer was over, they encouraged everyone to stay up front for a $10,000 cash giveaway to two churches. Ashley leaned over to me and whispered "I feel like we are going to win that money". "Well that's impossible," I thought to myself "I don't think I even finished registering for it.". They read out the first name, it wasn't us. They read out the second name, it also wasn't us. "I guess this means Ashley isn't a prophet." I thought to myself with a smile. The second couple walked up on stage maybe 15 feet from where we were standing in the front and the wife took the microphone from the presenter "Are there any church planters in the room?" She asked in a room filled with church planters. Absentmindedly I lifted my hand with a multitude of other church planters. She looked directly at me and said "We want to give this money to you.". The entire room erupted in stunned celebration. Pastors were grabbing me by the shoulders saying "What just happened?!" We walked up on stage and they handed us their envelope. We couldn't believe it, we hugged them, thanked them and asked: "Why?". They said, "As we were walking up, we felt God tell us to give it to a church planter and he would provide for us." Mere minutes later the announcer grabbed the microphone and said, "Another Pastor saw what just happened and was so moved that he decided to replace the $10,000 they just gave away.".
The Take Away
That's how God's economy works, we lost a $30,000 benefactor, but 3 days later 3 churches got blessed with $30,000 that in man's hands was supposed to be $20,000 for 2 churches. It didn't look like we had expected, but it happened in such a way that we know it could only be God. God spoke to me and told me to get upfront. God spoke to my wife and told her we would win. God spoke to that couple to give it away. God spoke to another pastor and told him to restore what they gave. And maybe God is speaking to you now. To be a part of this miraculous story. To give in faith-filled obedience the same way that the couple gave to us, knowing that God will supply all your needs. God spoke to us to pastor people and here we are planting Momentum Church.
What is God saying to you right now?