oh boy!

(I’ve tried to keep this short while sharing what I’m seeing & feeling – hope I succeed!)

In 2003, Andy King, the founder of HOGMacon, found a warehouse in downtown Macon where he thought HOG could develop a presence in that part of town. Even though we didn’t move, God introduced me to downtown.

Early fall, 2007 - Pastor John took us to a downtown warehouse, owned by Bryan Nichols’, our tech pastor. John thought we might move some of our ministries & offices there if SportsTowne ever sold. God reawakened my awareness of downtown.

Early in 2008, the Macon Telegraph had a front page article about a group spending $29 million in the same block as Bryan’s warehouse, to retrofit a building into a boutique hotel, restore a recording studio, & filling in the rest of the block with shops on the 1st floors, & apartments/lofts on the 2nd & 3rd floors.

Then it came out that the Chamber of Commerce & New Town Macon have decided to take the same advice given by 3 or 4 different consulting groups – if Macon wants to bring life to their downtown, make it a place where 20/30somethings will want to live, work, & play. (Our son, Timothy, was a part of the consulting group from Mercer.)

It was then that God started talking to me about downtown Macon - thru scripture, thru dropping ideas in my head (ones I couldn’t come up with on my own), & thru visual images (oh well, let’s call them what they are – visions J).

He hasn’t stopped.

Sidebar:
God gave me 4 scriptures for this year. I’ve boiled them down into bullets to readily remember them…
Matthew 10:39 - …don’t cling to your life…
Matthew 6:34 - …don’t worry about your life…
Psalm 139:6 – God both precedes & follows me.
Colossians 2:7 – Let your roots grow down into Him…


As I have listened to God this year, He’s whispered
· to not cling to whatever part of my life I was holding onto.
· to not worry about how making the move to downtown may alter my life.
· & He’s faithfully continued to prepare the way & mop up behind.
· the more He’s revealed more about downtown, the more I see that the stakes are too high - we’ve got to spend time
o 1) in the Bible,
o 2) talking to Him,
o 3) more importantly, listening to Him.

So, what do I see for downtown? Here’s some generalizations, in no order…
· I always see people: servers, lawyers, students, store owners/managers, government workers, neighbors, construction workers, bus riders – all kinds of people who come to The Warehouse because they know they’ll be loved & accepted
· We need intercessors whose job is to bathe this endeavor in prayer
· Have no expectations – don’t just think outside the box – throw away­ the box
· Walk slowly, let what we are & do develop as He presents opportunity
· Get to know the people in the area: business owners/managers, workers, churches,
· Community space available for study, wifi, hang, come by & eat lunch, meet, gather, whatever
· Have free “Warehouse blend” coffee from the JCup, & filtered water
· HOG locate there on Tuesday nights
· Celebrate holidays
· 30something ministry, who have different needs of 20somethings
· First Friday concert/activity/giveaway
· Pass-The-Hat Saturday night concerts once a month, twice a month, or how often?
· Bible-study-in-a-rush @ 7a.m. on the way to work? @ noon? When?
· Game nights & movie nights
· & in the not-to-distant-future, a young adult (or whoever) true satellite church, where worship would be live, the sermon live-streamed

What I’m interested in hearing now as we start to walk this journey together is what the Holy Spirit may be speaking to you as we explore our presence in downtown Macon

This is a multilayered & multi-faceted opportunity that God is calling us to, only limited by
· our willingness to listen to the creative voice of our Abba Father
· our willingness to risk.

I believe God is calling us on a BIG adventure to downtown Macon. Let’s follow Him into it, together.