My allowance is gone until Friday. That means I canʼt really get in my office. If you are
wondering about whether North Texas office spaces charge an admission fee, its all a
matter of perspective. When your office is the booth near the plug (around the corner in
the prep area) at Dennyʼs, then yes, there is a per visit fee for office usage. While Iʼm
out of cash, Iʼm still okay thanks to the grand opening event held whenever a new
Chick-fil-A opens (like the one in Frisco that I attended in November) I have (er...had) 52
coupons for a free #1 combo...which comes with free refills on, you guessed it, coffee.
So today I write this update from my temporary perch at the Burleson Chick-Fil-A.
Weʼve created an office in our bedroom at home and believe or not the wellsbrothers do
a pretty good job not disturbing Daddy when heʼs “at work.” But there is very little
separation between us and to be honest, I have a hard time not coming out to play. So
most days, after Chris gives me a liberal dose of humility on the racquetball court, I
shower and head to my home away from home: Dennyʼs.
For those who know me well, this shouldnʼt come as much of a surprise - Dennyʼs was a
favorite study spot through college and grad school. But nowadays it has taken on even
greater significance.
I developed an appreciation for a “public office” in Mandeville - Starbucks and IHOP
were the prime locations back then. Our building at TOCC was quite lonely and TOO
quiet during the day and so I would often pack up and head out to get a cup of coffee.
Katherine, Emma, Parvis and Brim are now friends of mine connected to Tammany
Oaks thanks to those little trips.
Here in Burleson Iʼve been blessed to get to know several members of the waitstaff at
Dennyʼs. I havenʼt asked them if I can share their names yet, but Iʼm sure youʼll hear
more about them in the future.
One is a young woman who should have delivered her baby by now - nobody at
Dennyʼs had heard anything yesterday. Conner and I were able to attend her baby
shower last Wednesday (at Dennyʼs) where I met her mother and sisters. We talked
about life in this area, what its like to have young children and the importance of family
and friends. It was a great couple hours.
Another is a young man who moved to Texas from the Northern US just last year.
Yesterday he and I had what I believe was our 4th multi-hour conversation about faith -
he is a searcher whoʼs been studying with some friends but just isnʼt sure he can trust
that the Bible is true in what it says or that he can even understand what that is. I met
him because Rachel spent some time there working on her computer one evening and
told him to look for me when I came in...he remembered my name when I saw him.
Another wonderful lady has lived in the same house for 21 years. She is full of energy -
to the point that her conversations can be quite difficult to follow! However, she is
always ready to serve everyone, not just the customers but other waitstaff as well. I like
that about her. She has some interesting ideas about life and has certainly had some
difficult experiences, but her desire to love and serve others is something that we can all
learn from.
The first two folks I usually see, a young hispanic woman and a young man who is
probably around my brotherʼs age, do a good job of getting me into “my” booth as soon
as possible. I asked them once if I could move somewhere there was an electrical outlet
and since then theyʼre always looking out for me. There is something about both of
them that I immediately liked a lot (beyond their technological assistance) and Iʼve
noticed our conversations beginning to go beyond the typical restaurant niceties.
These relationships typify what I believe to be the greatest signs of success in our
ministry here. Iʼve had the opportunity to develop actual friendships and relationships
with people who are not going to stumble into the coffee shop on a Sunday morning...at
least, not yet.
However, these arenʼt the only progresses weʼve made since October - not by a long
shot! Chris and I are very excitedly preparing for the planting of 3 new house churches,
hopefully by Easter. I will (initially and Lord willing) be leading two of these and Chris the
other. Weʼve cultivated relationships with several families who are either disconnected
from church or have never had any significant connection to begin with.
Our Sunday morning gathering - what we refer to as “the gathering of the House
Churches” - has outgrown the JJ Mochaʼs coffee shop and we are excited to announce
that on February 15th weʼll move to a new gathering spot, just around the corner from
our present location. This is a great story that would take too long to tell right now
(though Iʼd love to tell it to you over a cup of coffee or even the phone if youʼre
interested), but suffice it to say weʼre very excited about this development.
Our present series of messages, which impact our time together on Sunday morning,
our house church gatherings and even the new Christ Journey website/blog -
www.christjourneylife.com - is titled “Navigating the Suburban Wilderness.” Weʼve
already witnessed several actual, real life relationships experience reconciliation
through this challenging call to live into authentic community. Christjourneylife.com
contains snippets, teasers and discussion guides as well as the podcasts from our
Sunday messages - check it out!
Iʼve also launched a new personal blog found at www.ancientjourney.blogspot.com,
titled “Modern Traveler: Ancient Journey.” My personal goal is to maintain a connection
to the great story of God and His people throughout the ages while still faithfully
navigating my own contemporary culture - all with the purpose of being formed in
Christʼs image and inviting others to do the same.
Weʼve been incredibly blessed with over 60 individuals/families whoʼve partnered with
us financially in some way (special gifts, memorials and/or monthly support.) Weʼve also
been blessed to have someone step in at a tremendous level to cover some of our
needs temporarily until we can find a congregation or more individuals to get us closer
to that 100% mark. If you know a church or a family that would be blessed to partner in
the ministry of planting new churches could you help us get connected? Weʼve already
seen way too much evidence of Godʼs hand on this effort to question calling or timing -
we believe fully that God has prepared us for just such a time as this and that God has
prepared others to serve as patrons and co-laborers - as many did for Jesus, Paul and
others.
In other, less impressive news, hopefully youʼve noticed that I do have a new email
address - bret@christjourneylife.com. Rachel is still blogging away at
www.wellsbrothers.blogspot.com (if youʼre one of the three people in America who
arenʼt already hooked on the tales of the intrepid wellsbrothers!) If youʼre surfing the
web please stop by our blogs and CJ Life to get up to the minute reports...well, not
exactly, but still!
As usual, Iʼve gone on way too long, but this is just the tip of the exciting iceberg around
here! Thank you so much for your partnership in the gospel, you have already been
such a great blessing to us.
Grace and Peace,
Bret, Rachel and the Wellsbrothers (Conner, Micah and Josiah)
Posts
