March 2025
Dear LTW giving team,
I have a meaningful and important update to share.
My heart is at peace, in Him.
Two weeks ago we learned that when our team met with a primary funding entity for our project, one with whom we’ve been collaborating for two years developing the initial key grant of $12M for constructing the 300 space garage on which our whole new structure is to stand, their federal funding for this infrastructure work is currently frozen.
We were presented with a couple of other proposals for having a co-owner in our development, surface parking with only 85 spaces for church use, wooden framed structures across two properties to allow for our Biblical Justice/Care Collective, and a 6 or 7 year timeframe, which would also include long term debt.
We knew immediately that this was not the way to go.
The Lord gave us dreams on our property.
The Lord showed us steel beams in the construction.
The Lord has also told us to wait for Him.
So wait for Him we will.
Selah.
Here’s the good news:
Two assets in hand from our LTW investments so far:
The Planned Development Site (PD) approval and rezoning is statutory.
The structural design (100% complete) and the detail design (40% complete) are ours.
So, we pause — 3 months, 3 years or 7 — we don’t know; and I’m ok with that, and so is our entire leadership.
The other options brought to us didn’t feel right. So we wait on Him.
After we complete the purchase of our PDS and Designs with our remaining LTW Giving, we pause, rest and assess.
Each of us completing our pledges still matters.
We took out a short term line of credit backed by our remaining pledges to finish paying our architects, engineers and consultants on time for achieving the assets for us that they did. Those assets are OURS, and are like foundational stones on which we eventually build. When the Lord provides the funding without long term debt. And He will.
In the meantime, we will work with and love on what we have in our hands. How fun will that be! Teams working together to clean, paint, repair, pray and rejoice in preparation for many new disciples of Jesus!
And if a grant we’ve applied for arrives in July, we will have funds to green space a couple of spots on our campus as site prep for the future new build.
God is so good. Only He could have known to align our current sermon series for this moment; we only learned this news two weeks ago!
Lastly, Habakkuk writes in 2:3, “The vision speaks of the end.” When I read that again the day we received this news, the Holy Spirit reminded me that the vision for His church, including us, is strategic in all the earth: multi-ethnic bodies of believers who are flourishing microcosms of new creation, growing His Kingdom together in righteousness and justice, in salvation and reconciliation. Then yesterday, a friend sent me a clip by NT Wright recently saying the same. WOW. (https://www.instagram.com/reel/DCmmoS7u7Ek/?igsh=MTVicTB2b2plcmRpag==)
While there is a level of disappointment in the pause, there is no discouragement. God-size dreams take time.
The Father is at work, He’s the vision Giver, and will do what He says He will do — and He will not be late — WAIT FOR IT.
With all our love,
Chris and Jan