We have cultivated six values to shape the ministry and direction of Eastside Christian Church. Each of these core convictions have been derived from the way we’ve experienced God in the past and how we expect to experience him again in the future. We are excited to share these values with you because they are deeply rooted in our personal experience and we believe they are faith-filled steps everyone can take to experience immeasurably more!
As we continue to define these values, you will likely find that some come naturally and with great ease while others need to be refined through obedience. This certainly was my experience with our second value, take action. I love to lean in and seek God’s direction. I look forward to every opportunity to study his word and discern his heart. However, there comes a point when we are confident in his prompting, that we must take action!
When God began stirring our hearts to plant a church in Orlando, Karissa and I spent months leaning in. We fasted and prayed, we sought wisdom and council from trusted friends, family and mentors. We were confident in the direction God was calling and looked for opportunities to step into his promise. We spent months applying for jobs, assuming that when God was ready he would open a door for us. Nothing happened. No doors opened. We continued to pray until one day Karissa came to me and said “if we really believe God is calling us to plant a church, I think the time has come to step into the miracle.”
I knew she was right but I was terrified. I was looking for God to provide the way with certainty. God was waiting for us to take a step of faith.
I remembered the words I had recently read…
“You cannot build God’s reputation if you aren’t willing to risk yours. There comes a moment when you need to make the call or make the move. Circle makers are risk takers.”
-Mark Batterson, Circle Maker
There comes a point when God calls us to step into the miracle, when he has confirmed the call on our lives and is simply waiting for us to take action!
There is a perfect example of this in the Old Testament. The Israelites were camped at the banks of the Jordan River. They could see the Promised Land when God provided a unique and compelling instruction. He said…
And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap.” (Joshua 3:13 ESV)
God promised to perform a miracle in the presence of his people. He was prepared to lead them into the Promised Land when he called them to literally step into the miracle.
Can you imagine what must have been going through the minds of the priests as they rolled up their robes and waded through the flooded banks of the rushing river? Imagine what it must have felt like as the entire nation watched them with anticipation. What would the people think if God didn’t show up?
Nevertheless, they leaned in and took action. They stepped into the miracle and God showed up in a powerful way so all the people crossed into the promise on dry ground.
As soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away… and the people passed over opposite Jericho. (Joshua 3:15–16 ESV)
Confident of God’s calling we decided to step into the miracle and I resigned from the church where we were serving. The day I told the elders that God was calling us to leave to plant a church God opened the door for the job Karissa now has. He did immeasurably more than we could have ever asked or imagined. God was just waiting to see if we had enough faith to take action!