The church that doesn't suck...

Let me begin by apologizing for the title... I realize it is a bit coarse, but there are just no better words to describe what I am about to share with you.

As I began the process of starting a church I quickly realized that there were a lot of little (but important) decisions that had to be made before I could get very far.  One of the first barriers was the name of the church.  I wanted a name that would convey our vision in just a few words; I wanted it to convey the miraculous and at the same time a closeness and compassion... no small order to be sure (and as if that were not enough, the domain had to be available too)!

It seemed reasonable to me to ask those who have already been down this road, and as I know a few Godly men who have such experience, I reached out to them for advice and insight on this terribly important matter. I will spare you the majority of suggested names, but would like to share the top 2 with you here:

1.  "The 2nd Avenue Church of Eternal Enlightenment and Power"
2.  "The Church that Doesn't Suck"  

Now, I think it goes without saying that neither of these "suggestions" were of any help at all (other than for a few good laughs), and as the evening progressed there was more and more laughter as the names became more and more preposterous.  In the end, I thanked my friends for their wonderful insights and moved forward with a more level-headed search on my own.

A few weeks later I received an unexpected call from Peter (the proud father of suggestion #2) and he said something very profound.  He said that while the suggested name was very much "tongue in cheek", there was a real truth there as well.  You see, he said, folks don't want to go to a church that sucks, they want to go to a church that is real!  If you tell me I have to go door to door and share my faith, that sucks... but if you tell me I can just be myself and share a real truth with people as the doors open, well that doesn't suck... I can do that.   

As we get closer to our first official service, I am filled with excitement about the places the Lord will take us and the things that only He can show us.  I invite you to join with Bev and I through prayer, and soon in person, as we pursue the things God has laid before us.  It is my sincere prayer that you will find a reality and a life in Desert Creek Fellowship that will challenge you and encourage you to a place with the Lord where you can tell your friends with confidence that you attend "A Church that Doesn't Suck".