“This is Keith. He’s a DJ and a pastor… oh and he drinks too!”

This is how one new friend from the place I go swing dancing introduced me to her friends. After 2 hours of conversation (which began at midnight), I had been asked to share my story of faith, got to respond to some very good, honest questions and misunderstandings about Christianity, and made 2 new friends in the process. I've learned that many in Las Vegas see just 2 options: the "everything goes" mentality that earned the name "Sin City," and a form of ultra-conservative religious moralism. Since most people here don't think I fit well in either category they ask me a lot of questions, trying to figure out where I'm coming from. I'm grateful for the many opportunities this has given me to dialogue with people about what it means to follow Jesus - from the restaurant workers and civil servants I see regularly, to co-workers that like to discuss Christian views on sexuality over pancakes and eggs (at 2 AM, of course).

We regularly find ourselves laughing with delight at what God is doing here in Vegas, including...

• A new couple we met Sunday morning. It was apparently their first time in a church, and they want to come back.
• A young woman who says she's "not much for blind faith," but was delighted when we offered to help her understand faith in Jesus.
• Seeing God meet very tangible needs in very unexpected ways. Too many examples to list here.

Viva (in) Las Vegas

Living in a town that caters largely to those who don't live here year-round takes its toll on those who do. Working in a "24-hour city" means many work odd shifts that frequently leave people (including spouses and their children) seeing each other much less. The stories I heard of life growing up in Vegas nearly brought me to tears. I've also noticed that relationships of trust are hard to form here. I'm beginning to see why. In less that 5 weeks I've already been asked to buy stolen merchendise twice, then told by one local to just buy it "hot," since it's cheaper that way and the real owner will never get it back anyway. One co-worker even told me, "Everybody is trying to scam you here." As sad as this may be, it only makes authentic Christian community stand out more. The purpose of the Missional Communities that we're starting here is, not only to serve the needs of this city, but also to create a visible presence that demonstrates how the gospel transforms people, relationships, and even whole communities.

Items for prayer...

Thank you to those whose have been praying for my time of transition. God has graciously provided many good friendships in just the past week. I've also been blessed by temporary free housing and more DJ work that expected. Together they have helped bridge the current gap between my funding and my financial needs. Please pray that God continues to provide for the work he has called us to here.

First 2 Weeks

After 2 days of driving through fog, mountain snow, and rare desert rain I arrived in "Fabulous" Las Vegas. And I hit the ground running.

Wednesday: Twenty-Four hours later I got to witness the birth of City-Wide Redeemer Central, the new Wednesday night worship gathering site just blocks from the Vegas Strip. Here we saw a group of mostly young men come together to hear about God's Word and what it means to trust it as we seek to follow Jesus (pictured above).

Thursday: I got lunch with a friend from my St. Louis church, now going to school at UNLV. I'm trusting God to be working through him and his relational network to draw people to himself.

Friday: After a weekend trip to L.A. was cancelled because of closed mountain passes I was initiated into the Las Vegas swing dance scene. There I met all sorts of people, from a local teacher who came to faith through tragedy after being brought up in the LDS (Mormon) church, to a relocated New York actor/singer now doing solo work in one of Vegas's best know shows. The latter seemed quite surprised to meet someone who came to Vegas to pastor and work as a DJ.

Saturday: I "trained" at my first wedding reception with a local company similar to the one I worked for in St. Louis.

Sunday: I was introcuded to the rest of City-Wide Redeemer and got to know more of the young musicians in the church - many of whom came to faith in the past 6 months.

This past week: Spent a lot of time preparing for the sermon I preached on the 31st and getting to know where everything is in this "neon jungle." Apparently I'm right next to Chinatown. I worked a bridal show Saturday and booked a couple brides for the coming year before observing another DJ at a wedding at a local casino-hotel. Never thought I'd attend an outdoor pool-side wedding ceremony in January. After preaching the next morning I found out that many at the Sunday service were first-time visitors, including someone I met swing dancing. It's encouraging to see how God is working here.

Items for Prayer:
Even for an outgoing guy it's tough to be in a new town and have to start forming new friendships. Please pray that God sustains me in this time of transition. I'll be spending much of the next week preparing for my licensure examinations and following up some local leads. Please pray that these can be fruitful times. I look forward to seeing what God has in store here when (if?) I get into a "normal" schedule.