Last Saturday night we were truly privileged to attend a local church plant in Mill Creek named Everett Family Church. The pastor of this church is Mike, our home inspector from several weeks ago. They are typical of many church plants here: they are fairly small in number but love the Lord, and it is evident in worship time. They rent a church building in the community that is in the middle of a residential street at the center of one of the suburbs of Everett.
Worship time at Everett Family Church.
Amanda and I have found it difficult to come here and wait on the Lord for many things, particularly regarding a vision for the ministry we want to have here in Everett. However the Lord has reaffirmed that He wanted us to get here, settle down a bit, and observe. In fact, I think that may have been His plan all along. It is difficult to start a ministry anywhere if you don't understand the culture, and its values. So while we have been a bit impatient, He has given us such peace just in knowing that we are on the right track and still are in the middle of His plan.
So what is this culture like? Well, it depends on which area you go into. Downtown Everett has a culture that is very different from Mill Creek, which is a suburb. Even going within neighborhoods the culture may change dramatically. A more affluent neighborhood may be right next to one that is fairly poor. The common factor here is the homeless, as they are everywhere you go. They flock to this part of the world because you can literally get 3 meals per day for free in Everett. The city, I am told, is being used as a model within the state because of its extensive partnership between religious organizations and social service organizations.
Among the middle and upper class of the area, here are some observations about its culture and values:
1. Among many who live in the city, pets are like children. Many people in the city don't want children because they are considered to be a nuisance. In fact, the per capita birthrate here is lower than in much of the rest of the United States.
Brochures from a local vet.
2. Sports and outdoor activities are important here. These are often used as excuses for not attending church or for not going to any religious services.
3. Many people here are spiritual and are interested in spiritual matters. Unfortunately all too often that is misdirected into areas that are empty and false. There are many books and philosophies here that are a blend of many world religions including Christianity, Buddhism, Hindu, and New Age. You hear a lot about "positive thinking" here, and there are many efforts to either maintain it or grow it. We have even seen a "church" in Everett that is solely focused on positive thinking.
Some individuals will put a "Happy Light" at their desk because they are trying to counter the dark moods induced by the perpetual cloud cover and rain during the winter. Others will take pills or vitamins to help with more positive thinking.
This strange bright orb appeared in the skies on Saturday. It was widely commented on but it still has not been identified!
4. People generally are very friendly but guarded. Just because you make eye contact with someone doesn't mean that they will strike up a conversation with you. Long term relationships are trust builders.
5. Art is an important aspect of inner-city life and culture. As usual, the definition of art varies and is often controversial. A great example of that is in the picture below. This is a statue of Vladimir Lenin, the first Communist dictator of Russia. This statue was taken from Czechoslovakia after the fall of the U.S.S.R. and was imported to...Seattle. It remains a controversial object in the area, but has lasted through a number of years.
Update on our Family
The Lord has been very good to us over the last week. We have been able to relax in the new simplicity of our life as a family, which excludes many of the "things" that so easily distract. We don't have any TV's because they are in the one U-box that is still on the road somewhere in America. We don't have many toys. My tools are packed in a warehouse. Amanda and I sleep on a double-size bed now (smaller than queen), and we had to buy air mattresses for several of the boys instead of going through the drama of trying to dig them out of our stored U-boxes. About 80% of our cookware is packed, but we have the exact number of plates, cups, silverware, and cooking pots that we need! We're eating Amanda's great home-cooked food and loving it. Things are definitely tight and we have our moments of anxiety because of having so many people in the apartment. This is definitely a small space for 7 people. But the Lord has shown us through this that we can live on less. He has shown us that the things that used to bring comfort are not things to rely on. In all of this chaos and mess, we have had Him all along. That's all we need.
The Lord shared this message with me last week and it had a deep impact. The king of Judah in the time of Isaiah had gotten word that they were going to be attached by two armies. His reaction was one of fear. Here's what the Lord said to him in response.
Isaiah 7:3-9
Then the Lord said to Isaiah, “Take your son Shear- jashub and go out to meet King Ahaz. You will find him at the end of the aqueduct that feeds water into the upper pool, near the road leading to the field where cloth is washed. Tell him to stop worrying. Tell him he doesn’t need to fear the fierce anger of those two burned- out embers, King Rezin of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah. Yes, the kings of Syria and Israel are plotting against him, saying, ‘We will attack Judah and capture it for ourselves. Then we will install the son of Tabeel as Judah’s king. ’ But this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“This invasion will never happen;
it will never take place;
for Syria is no stronger than its capital, Damascus,
and Damascus is no stronger than its king, Rezin.
As for Israel, within sixty- five years
it will be crushed and completely destroyed.
Israel is no stronger than its capital, Samaria,
and Samaria is no stronger than its king, Pekah son of Remaliah.
Unless your faith is firm,
I cannot make you stand firm.”
I believe that last sentence was directly for me. While things don't make sense right now and while we experience confusion and anxiety at every turn, the Father has a plan that He is moving forward on. It will make sense now. Nothing that we are going through is a surprise to Him.
Our job now is to have faith that He is on this and will work it out in the end. Jesus himself couldn't do miracles in specific regions and cities because the people there lacked faith. The Lord acted in miraculous ways when people believed; he did not when they didn't. According to Hebrews 11:1, faith is:
Hebrews 11:1
Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.
We currently are praying that God will provide us with His vision for what we are to do here in Everett. He has assured both of us that this will come in due time. I am confident we will know it when we see it. We also are praying for his specific leading on the neighborhood that we are to live in. This has dramatic implications for the ministry that is started here, and we want Him to pick the place for us. He has shown us that we can live in a smaller space with fewer things and still be just fine, so this has opened us up to just about anything.
Please pray with and for us, for the Father's specific leading of our family to the very neighborhood that He wants us in.
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