2011
Planting & Ambiguity
Teaching | by Pastor Adam Sinnett
“He has made everything beautiful in its time…” Ecc 3:11
If you’re just getting involved with Downtown Cornerstone, it’s important to know that one of the distinct challenges of church planting is ambiguity. Something is ambiguous if it is unclear or can be interpreted in a number of different ways. There can be many things that are unclear at a newly forming church. When you start anything from scratch – including churches – there will inevitably be much that is ambiguous. That’s normal. To thrive in a church plant you must be comfortable with varying levels of ambiguity or you will grow frustrated and disappointed.
To thrive in a church plant you must be comfortable with varying levels of ambiguity or you will grow frustrated and disappointed.
Even though Downtown Cornerstone “launched” on April 3rd, ambiguity remains. There is still much to be done and many questions to be answered, such as: When will we have more communities? What’s the long term plan for intentional life-on-life discipleship? Why do we do this and not this? How will we engage the arts and music scene? What will it look like to genuinely serve the city? When will we have training for evangelism? When will we have more elders, deacons, etc? When will we roll out the membership process? And more.
These are great questions. They are. Each question has a place in the queue and the overall strategy.
But, it is going to take some time.
Those who struggle with wanting to control their environment and have all of the answers (like me!) in advance will have a hard time with ambiguity. But, the answer isn’t necessarily to find an environment where you’re comfortable, with all questions answered, but to ask the Father what He wants to do in and through you in this season. The church is a people, not a place, and this is an exciting opportunity for you to use your God-given gifts for the mission of God as He builds His church.
Maybe none of you struggle with this. Maybe I’m the only one. But, I suspect not. When faced with ambiguity we have the choice of leaning into control or leaning into Christ. In the end, Christ is the only non-ambiguous element of this church and our lives. If we’re honest, that’s true no matter where we are. How gracious of our Father to use the ambiguity of this season to push us to deeper trust, love and dependence on King Jesus – and love, patience, and kindness towards others.
His promise is great, “He makes everything beautiful in its time”, even amidst the ambiguity.