A New Home for Creating Culture

Creating Culture has moved! Check out the blog at www.sammahlstadt.wordpress.com. I will be updating the blog regularly at the new address, so be sure to check it out. You can subscribe on the new wordpress blog to make sure you don't miss a moment. See you over there!
Sam

One Church...ready, set go!

Today at 4:00 at a local Starbucks, One Church hosted its first public gathering. 14 adults and 3 children attended to hear about the vision of One Church and gather information about the new community. We couldn't be happier about what God is doing in Winston-Salem! We know that this is way bigger than us, and God is truly up to something big. I am so thankful to have been given the opportunity to be a part of this, it is truly overwhelming. I have done nothing to be in the position I am; I have very minimal ministry experience and I do not have the credentials many deem necessary to be helping develop and lead a community of people following Jesus. But, for some reason, it seems like this is the time and the place for Amanda and I to step up and lead. How overwhelming, beautiful, scary and wonderful! Couldn't be happier. I pray that in this journey, my life brings him praise. 

Please pray with and for us. Specifically for: favor, growth and spiritual hunger. 

One Church Gift

In case you were wondering, you can help me reach my goal of raising $1000 for One Church by clicking on the SmartyPig widget to the left.
I won't take a single penny, it all goes to One Church.
I will present a check to One Church when the goal is met to help with the launch.
I believe in the vision of One Church, and am committed to seeing this through, this is YOUR opportunity to join me in changing a city forever.
This is bigger than me, you and a group of people. God is up to something, I just want in on it.
If you're in, click the Smartypig widget, it would be greatly appreciated.

Far From the Kingdom of God

I am ashamed to be associated with people like this who call themselves Christians. I am also glad I wasn't in Des Moines today. The folks from godhatesfags.com made their rounds, laid out on the schedule of their pickets in Des Moines, IA for a hateful Cinco de Mayo.
These people are ridiculous, and make me feel nothing but total shame and embarrassment to be associated with them on any level. I know this is a very strong statement, but I feel as if these "representatives of Christ" are far from the Kingdom of God. They are a church, which means they are to represent the way of Jesus, and this is far from it. I don't care on which side of the aisle you stand politically, if you are carrying the name of Jesus, this is absolutely unacceptable.
I have one message for any homosexual in Iowa or anywhere else for that matter; "God loves you!" That is the Good News that we call the Gospel of Jesus Christ. No matter what, He loves you so much that he came as a man in the form of his son Jesus and moved into the neighborhood to show us a complete, perfect love. I would like to apologize on behalf of the Christian Church who acts in such a way that retracts a loving hand in order to pick up a sign that only causes strife and stifles conversation.
Picket signs and hate speech is far from the complete love found in a relationship with Christ.
So, if you claim to represent Christ, act like it. If you won't act like it, shut up so the rest of us can do our best. Grace and Peace to you all.

Step 2: Raise Funds

So, you share the vision of what God has placed on the inside of you. Some people get excited about it and some don't. So what do you do next?

There is something that I feel gets missed often times once buzz has been created: the ask.
People may be excited about what you are doing after you cast the vision, but they may not be excited in six months, or six days. You must get people involved immediately, and one of those ways is by asking for support. When people support something, they have a buy in that will keep them involved over time, and sustain interest. If I give you a hundred bucks for a project, I am not a part of that project, and I am going to be interested in its success or failure.
Many times, people don't give because they don't see what the person who is asking for the money sees.
Cast the vision clearly.
Other times, people don't partner in something because they are unsure if you are going to do what it takes to bring about success. I said in an earlier post, that if I don't raise the $1000 I am asking for, I will give the remainder because I believe in One Church. If those you are asking to sacrifice for you don't think you have the passion necessary to demand success, they won't be exactly thrilled to get on board.

If I had to point to one thing that causes people to shrink back from asking for support it is this: lack of passion. If you are passionate about something, you will do what it takes. This is tricky for churches, because many people associate the Church with wasteful spending and misuse of people's donations.
Here is the key: If you believe in it, you will do what it takes to see it happen.
For this reason, I am asking everyone in my network, friends, family and strangers to partner along with me to help create One Church. Using SmartyPig (either by clicking on the widget to the left or on the link in the previous sentence) you can donate in a matter of seconds, and be part of something that will change a city. I believe in the vision and purpose of One Church, and know that something great is brewing.

Step 1: Share the Vision

As many of you well know by now, my wife and I have relocated to Winston-Salem, NC to help plant One Church. We have now lived in W-S for a few weeks, and the work has begun. The first step in this adventure is sharing the vision of the church. It is a unique opportunity for us because we are constantly getting asked the question, "So, what brings you to Winston?" every time someone sees our license plate, driver's license or finds out we are unfamiliar with the city. It catches people off guard when I respond that we are helping build a new church community. Many times, I get an "ah" or "oh, really?" and the conversation ends. But more times than I would expect, the conversation continues, and people have questions. What kind of church? (that's a big one) What denomination? Where is it? (I love that one) What's it called? etc, etc. Several people have responded with excitement as I give a quick overview of the vision of the church with two statements that make it all worth it:
1. This city needs a church like that. (breaking free from tradition)
2. I need a church like that, I just don't feel like I fit in church.

People are excited about new vision, and some are just excited by vision, period.
I shared a bit of One Church's vision in the previous post if you would like more information.
To partner with us in what God is doing through One Church, click here.

Step 2: Fundraising - more on this in the next couple days, stay tuned.
Thoughts on the church-planting process? Join the conversation.

One Church revealed

I feel like I may have put the cart before the horse in my previous posts. Let me explain; I asked for contributions to One Church, but I did little to explain why.
So, here is some clarification:

One Church is:
brand new (still only a handful of people)
dreaming of ways to reach people who aren't being reached
creating strategies to have maximum impact in our city
developing ways to communicate "you belong"
re-imagining what the church is and how it functions
a genuine community
creative and innovative in our approach

One Church is not:
just another church in Winston-Salem
leaning on tradition to dictate methods
bankrolled by a mega church (we are all working non-ministry jobs for our sustenance)
doing the same thing that is being done by other churches in W-S
a preacher and his congregation ( we are a COMMUNITY)

One Church will be:
needed by the city
accepting and loving with no strings attached
a voice for those without a voice
a place to belong for those who feel they don't belong in church
speaking up for justice
fighting for, and with, those who are fighting alone

This is a small portion of the DNA of One Church, but I hope it helps to clarify why you would want to invest in the community.
To donate toward the formation of One Church: click here or click on the Smartypig widget to the left.
Remember, you are not investing in an institution, you are investing in people's lives.
Join us in making this happen!