Moses knew God had called him to lead the people into the promised land, but he also knew he could not do it alone.  Moses is pleading with God, let me know who you will send with me.

I believe as Moses is praying this prayer he remembers his father-in-law, Jethro’s, advice in Exodus 18:18-27. Jethro sees Moses trying to lead all the people by himself and says,  What you are doing is not good.  You and the people will wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you.  You are not able to do it alone.  His father-in-law wisely knew Moses needed a team of capable, trustworthy, Godly leaders around him.

We see this pattern throughout scripture.  King David had his mighty men.  Jesus had his 12 disciples.  Paul always had a team of people involved in his missionary journeys and church planting ventures.

This idea of needing others can be tough sometimes.  If you are a church planter or know a church planter, you know we tend to be an independent, renegade, stubborn bunch.  I’m no exception.  If it wasn’t for God’s intervention I’d probably try to be a one man team (and a not very effective one either).

When I was 22 years old, fresh out of college, New Canaan Baptist Church offered me a job as their Youth Minister.  Initially I had this idea that I could be this amazing one man show for Jesus.  During that first year God did some amazing things.  We saw unchurched students embracing Jesus as Lord and Savior.  The youth ministry was growing numerically at a fast pace.  Only one problem: at the end of the first year I was about to have a nervous breakdown- I was hitting the wall.  Why?  Because although God had led me to become a youth minister, although He had given me a big vision for our community, although God was doing amazing things all around me,  I also realized I did not have what it took on my own.  I needed a team around me.  A team with people who were strong in the areas I was weak.  A team who would pray with me, encourage me, and hold me accountable.  A team who wasn’t afraid to get their hands dirty in doing real ministry.  A team who had this same sense of mission and calling from God .

Since that moment I have never attempted to lead a ministry without a team.  I cannot have imagined starting the Point in New Brunswick without our team of servant-hearted leaders, and I know I will equally need a team for this new work in Burlington.

Here some specific ways you can pray for us this week:

*Two couples and two single adults from the Point Church and one family from the Toronto area (yep I mean Canada) are prayerfully considering moving their lives to Burlington.  Pray that God would give each of them clarity concerning what He is leading them to do.

*Pray for Matt & Tirzah, one of the couples, who are expecting their first child any day now.  Also pray that God will provide Matt with an engineering job near Burlington in the near future.

*Ask that God would raise up more “workers for the harvest” to join our team in Burlington.  People who are committed to Jesus, who understand Vermont’s progressive culture, and share the same sense of mission and calling God has given to us.

*Ask God to provide financial partners, both churches and individuals, who will support this new church in Burlington during it’s crucial beginning phase as it gets off the ground.