“Why do I always spill my guts when talking to pastors?”

That’s what one UNLV student (an officer in the Secular Student Alliance -SSA) told me last night right after sharing the mess of his family life that he went home to on Thanksgiving - and it only took him 2 minutes to get there. Meanwhile the girl sitting on the other side of me was likely puzzled by his comment. Could the guy she’d been talking with at a gathering of the SSA actually be a pastor?

Many there were missing the sense of community they had before leaving the church. Many had so many negative experiences with Christian groups they had given up hope on the church as a whole. Yet some were actively seeking a place where doubters were welcome. Some leaders have been seeking a church willing to let them come (seriously, I’m not making this up).They’re actually excited (!) to find Christians willing to come to them where they’re at. Jesus told 3 parables in Luke 15 about God being the type who pursues the lost sheep, coins, and sons of his kingdom, wherever they may have gone. As I begin meeting with more of these students, please pray that we as a church can be that welcoming place for those with honest questions seeking honest answers and healthy community. 

A recent worship service at our paradise campus

Recent Developments

Our new Bible lesson leader captivates his young audience with Goliath's spear (or a dumbbell of the same weight)

• Two of our women recently founded “Park Bench Justice” (http://www.facebook.com/Parkbenchjustice) a non-profit to serve the needs of Las Vegas homeless who fall through the cracks of the current system. They've already created some local buzz that’s drawing people to be involved with the work of our Missional Community and, as a result, the life of our church. 
• We’ll be setting up a “Finals Survival Table” during the students “Study week” and Finals week. We’ll be seeking donations to help provide stressed out students free water bottles, coffee, healthy “brain foods,” gum, inflatable mats for power naps, humorous coffee table books, etc. Of course, listening ears and prayer are always on the house. We're delighted to have Intervarsity Christian Fellowship assisting with this event.
• Our team of Good News Club volunteers has increased (pictured above)! It’s great to see our folks being stretched as they use their gifts. This has also freed me up to operate more in my gifting before and during the club time, resulting in lower stress for volunteers (and myself).

Year End Giving

A significant portion of the funds to make a church plant happen are given at the end of the year. That’s just a reality. Those funds cover everything from renting worship space to meals with people we meet to paying our own utility bills. While roughly 2/3 of our funding now comes from local giving at the 2 campuses, that still means we’re dependent on outside giving to meet the other 1/3 of our monthly expenses. Some of you reading this are the reason I can still put gas in my car. For that, thank you!

When Jesus saw the needs before him in Matthew 9 his first instruction to his disciples was to pray for God to meet that need through his people. In chapter 10 those same disciples became part of the answer to their own prayers. I would ask the same of you. Pray that God would move in the hearts of men and women to give to keep this work going as we move closer to being fully locally sustained. At the same time, be open to God asking you to become the answer to your own prayers. You can give an end of the year gift online by following this link http://www.citywideredeemer.com/online-giving/, or by mail at the address under the “Contact Us” link on the above webpage. Thank you.