Making Sense Of It All

Somewhere between 2008 and 2009, and after an unexpected and painful church split, the River Run family agreed to continue with plans to construct a new building.  Before the unpleasant separation, property had been purchased, money was in the bank, a highly recommended contractor had already been secured, and preliminary drawings were on the table.  The cost was within our means and it seemed reasonable to continue the project.

Initially the contractor represented a modular building company, however during the process he formed his own design and build team.  We were assured that this would produce a better and more cost effective product.

We intended to build a facility that was simple, flexible, and debt free.  We did not want a typical church building.  All of this was regularly communicated to those involved.

Throughout the process of modifying a design, managing a budget, and determining sub-trades, constant enquiries were made as to whether we were on target as far as time and money.  Each enquiry was met with assurances that we were close.  Nonetheless, we regularly made cost effective modifications to the design to keep us on track.

In June 2010 we were informed of cost overruns on the construction, and that an additional sum of money was needed to finish the project.  The bank granted us a mortgage based on the contractor’s new projections.  River Run would list for sale its other parcel of property to pay off the mortgage.

The Unexpected

In August, work on the project had stalled.  By September River Run discovered that the projections were wrong, and that the mortgage would not pay the outstanding invoices, nor finish the project.  River Run met with the construction people to hear that the previous projections involved a computer error, and that additional monies were needed to finish the project. 

A subsequent investigation by River Run found that again the projections were incorrect, and that actually greater monies were needed to complete the project.  Burrowing more money would not be the solution.

Much could be said about the excessive cost overruns and assurances, but that is best left alone.  Needless to say, the project although 90% complete was stuck, and that River Run’s season of testing was escalating.

In River Run’s mind was the notion to salvage the project.  The sale of our second parcel of property would instead finish the project, and the current mortgage would unfortunately continue.  A year later after several failed offers and a defaulted sale, everything would yet be at a standstill.  Creditors remained unpaid and anxious, and cash flow was at a minimum.  Several families would leave the River Run family and others were discouraged.  Words are inadequate to describe the pressure and adversity that we were experiencing.

Trusting the Lord

In December of 2010 and in the midst of much concern the Lord gave me this assurance from Zeph. 3:14-17.  Each day for the year ahead it was a matter of believing God’s word over what we saw, heard or felt.

Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel!  Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!

For the Lord will … disperse the armies of your enemy.  And the Lord himself, the King of Israel, will live among you!  At last your troubles will be over, and you will never again fear disaster.

On that day the announcement to Jerusalem will be, “Cheer up, Zion!  Don’t be afraid!

For the Lord your God is living among you.  He is a mighty savior.  He will take delight in you with gladness.  With his love, he will calm all your fears.  He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”

In October 2011 River Run offered its new building and second parcel of property for sale.  In a week the building conditionally sold, as did the second parcel of property.  What followed were several inconceivable obstacles including the removal of contaminated soil that did not show in two previous environmental tests.

Today the building is sold and all creditors are paid.  Furthermore the other property will be unconditionally sold by the summer.

The above version of events simply represents a storyline and misses much of the emotional and spiritual challenges we faced.  It doesn’t speak of the fear, frustration, and failure we encountered, nor the love and hope we embraced.  It doesn’t show the faithfulness of the Lord nor his mercies that are new everyday.  While the last four years have been the greatest amount of difficulty this believing community has ever faced, God has turned everything for his good.

Hanging On & Hanging In

Some ask, ‘What have you learned?’  Naivety would suggest that we missed God and that he didn’t want us to have a building, but pat answers don’t cut it and to be frank are just foolish.

We are God’s children and he tremendously loves us.  He intends for us to be just like his Son Jesus, and he will use everything to shape and mold us into his image, including hardships and suffering.  Hardships do not come because God is mad at us or because we have failed to understand him.  Hardships come because he loves us like sons, Heb. 12:7-12.  Job did not miss God’s direction nor did Joseph, yet they suffered and understood perseverance.  Their challenges were intended to produce a harvest of righteousness and to fulfill God’s purposes.

Unlike the old saying ‘it’s easier to switch than fight,’ hardships are to be endured.  We all know that when frustration and fear have their way it’s easy to bail from difficulty, because in Christian culture challenges are unhelpful and irrelevant.  Most Christians presume that difficulties are not part of the package, and that going to church and living good are more about being blessed than suffering.  Suffering in our minds is considered as a telling off from God.

Yet, it is through these difficulties that God is shaping River Run.  We are experiencing his love, mercy and grace.  We are seeing his faithfulness over and over again.  We know the kindness of creditors and the generosity of unbelievers.  We are growing to love each other in hardship.  We are learning to persevere to see God fulfill his promises because all things do work together for his good.

At times we doubted and asked, ‘Why us?  What have we done to deserve this trouble?  Have we sinned, or are we cursed?’  Yet I remember thinking in one ‘ah ha’ moment, why not us?  Why should we get a pass?

We didn’t do everything right and that not only includes this matter but many others.  Yet having said that it doesn’t mean we will do everything right from here on.  Living in a fallen world means that gaffes and oversights will happen, but living in Christ means that his grace supersedes everything.  His grace is sufficient to forgive, fix up, and continue.

You cannot experience something so powerful as we have without realizing that something is dying and that something new is being created.  Adversity, such as hitting a brick wall has a way of helping one understand that everything that can be shaken will be shaken.  And that only God decides on what is to be shaken, and how long the shaking lasts.  Our course of action is to hang on and hang in.  Things will fall off or die, and only that which is essential to the kingdom will remain – things like faith, hope, and love.  Unlike reputation, buildings, opinions, and evangelical expectations.

Going Forward

While in many ways a season is ending, we carry forward values that are eternal.  More than buildings and church names, these values represent a revelation of Christ, and of his kingdom and church, that transcend time and borders.  This revelation is our inheritance that secures us in the season to come, and causes us to see God’s glory in the earth.

The new is still unfolding.  We are less excited about church buildings and more excited about reaching the lost and bringing in the harvest.  We are hungry for authentic worship, and God’s holy presence and direction.  We want the church to be less political and predictable, and more relational, organic, forgiving, and simple.  We see that the church is more about being the church – in worship, service, gift and evangelism.  It is our passion to know God’s favor and to come into something new and refreshing that is relevant to God’s puposes.  Clearly it is about being a people of Word and Spirit, much like the early church.

Our past has set us on an adventurous course that is unusual to say the least, but isn’t that basically the way of the Spirit.  We begin again like we did in the early years to establish a family of believers that are unrestrained by religion, and ready to establish a testimony of Christ and his kingdom in the Peterborough area.  We don’t pretend that it’s going to be easy, but we hope those of like mind will join us in this adventure.