Searching for Steve

I haven't written much about what Steve has been up to these days, and some of you have asked me about him.

Steve is finding his way. He's begun his classes at Redeemer, which are scheduled randomly throughout the months. He spends 1 or 2 days a week there. Steve is looking forward to an informal Q&A session with Tim Keller this coming week, where the Fellows can ask Tim any questions about church planting and urban ministry. I wish I could join in that one.

Steve has his hands in a lot of different things at Emmanuel, where he is completing the practicum portion of his fellowship. He's doing some campus outreach, partnering with Campus Crusade and Intervarsity. He's developing an adult Sunday school class. He's part of a group of pastors that are beginning a book club (Steve picked the first book: "The Sun Also Rises," by Ernest Hemingway). He's meeting regularly with Emmanuel's pastor for mentoring. He's leading a home group (me too, really). And he's leading worship about once a month--not preaching, unfortunately, but leading the worship.

And then there's the work he's doing with CRC Home Missions. Steve is starting to do some pulpit supply for the Jersey CRC churches, to get to know them and for them to get to know him and his vision. He's talking with church planters around the city to learn more about the successes and challenges of planting in NYC as well as to identify gaps and opportunities for new churches. It's our hope that by early spring, we'll have found the exact place in greater NYC that God has called us to. Right now, lower Manhattan (Ground Zero-ish area), the Upper East Side, and Jersey City seem to be the most likely options. That could easily change, though.

It is important that we develop a strong and compelling vision so that we can share the vision with Christians around the country, inviting them to join us in this beautifully difficult and rewarding work.