Crazy for God

Guest Blogger: Karen Blankenship, Campus Director

Going Multi-Site! It seems like only yesterday we were imagining the possibilities. Should we do it? Do we have enough people? And the big question was whether or not we could even afford it. As a young church, most would consider us crazy to plant a multi-site campus. I guess if you put it like that, that’s exactly what we are – a little on the crazy side!

Let me explain. It was definitely crazy for a small launch team of about 12 people to host a citywide Easter egg hunt. And when all the other egg hunts around town got rained out, bringing in 4,500 people, it definitely looked a little crazy. It was probably also a little crazy to lease space in a strip mall, instead of continuing to meet in the community center. It was another risky step, because how could a small group (many of them were new Christ followers) without a lot of money take on a financial obligation like that?

Crazy became the ‘norm’ for us as we continued to impact our community (most of the time not having a clue as to how we would pull it off). Hosting community events, distributing thousands of mailers, and even having our children’s ministry meet in a small warehouse space because we ran out of room in our main meeting area are just some of the things LifeQuesters have begun to count as ‘normal.’

It was pretty outrageous to think that a small group of people could work 24/7 for six weeks to transform an old Harley-Davidson motorcycle dealership into a place where people would come and hear the life changing Word of Jesus Christ. Who would have guessed so many dedicated volunteers would work all day at their jobs, grab a sandwich through the drive thru on their way to the church and then work late into the evening ripping up tile floors, building new walls, installing handicapped restrooms, hanging sheetrock and laying carpet?

How does a church of 350 people function when things are so crazy? Where do the volunteers come from who spend anywhere from 20-40 hours per week to keep the mission of leading people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ alive? If it seems a little extreme, that’s because it is. LifeQuesters are passionate about reaching people for Christ and they are willing to do whatever it takes to stay on mission!
Wild about impacting the world, launching a multi-site campus is another crazy LifeQuest experiment. Some may say it’s extreme to go to such lengths to reach friends, neighbors and co-workers. After all, America is filled with churches that sit on every corner. It may seem fanatical to give so much time, energy, and resources especially when our lives are already so busy. But I am reminded of a King who was born in a stable over 2,000 years ago. Leaving comforts we cannot even imagine, enduring pain and suffering that no one else in the world has ever known, that same King gave up everything to come and die for the sins of the world. Even when He knew He would be crucified and rejected, He still came. I would call that a little crazy, wouldn’t you?

We have promised Him our availability and our hearts. As He has done in the past, I believe He will surprise us with things beyond what we ever could have imagined. I believe lives will be forever changed because a group of His followers have committed themselves to spreading the Good News at any cost. I am so excited that I can’t wait until we have campuses all over Kansas City and around the world! And yes, I know, it sounds a little crazy!