Launched by a dream   11/2007 

I’m always amazed at the stories of Muslims becoming followers of Jesus as a result of seeing Him in a dream.  Clearly supernatural. To me, it’s equally impressive for pastors of traditional churches to be launched into planting house churches through dreams and visions.  Clearly supernatural. 

I also believe this “launching” is in response to a growing number of people obeying Jesus’ command in Luke 10:2b.  Jesus identified “workers” as the greatest need for a great harvest.  As people are relentlessly beseeching the Lord of the harvest, He is doing exactly as He said He would.  He is “thrusting out/launching” an army of harvest workers (church planters in this context).   

One of the ways He is launching these “workers” is through dreams and visions.  See below for the stories of two DAWN Associates who were launched in this way.  I know both of these men personally and have a high regard for them.  They are level-headed, seminary-trained pastors of traditional churches.   

At least they used to be.   J 

John White
Lk10 Community Facilitator

1. What were you doing before the dream?  I was working as the senior pastor of a local congregation. I had been there a little over three years at the time. I had already received a confirmed call from God to plant a new church, but had not yet been released by God to begin planning this new church. I assumed at that time I would be planting a "regular" church.  

2.  When did the dream occur?  How long ago?   The dreamed occurred in late January 2006. There was nothing special that I remember that was going on in my life at the time. 

3.  What did God reveal to you in the dream?   Jesus was in my dream. Although he did not speak directly to me, I got the message from him that he did not want me to plant a "regular" church, but rather plant a network of house churches called "the Way."  

4.  What did you do as a result of the dream?  I woke up and told my wife about it and we both were in agreement to follow the revelation, but had no clue what a house church was. At first, I thought this was something new that God had called me to do. When I went online and typed in "house church" I was flooded with information about house churches. So much for being a pioneer in the movement! Nevertheless, I excitedly considered what would come. I was providentially invited to the National House Church Conference in St. Louis that year. I made a clean break with my "regular" church and they even paid me through the end of the year although I was released from duties at the end of September.  

5.  Where are you now in the process of living that out?  My wife and I had been meeting about once a month in my home with three other couples to pray for our church--the "regular" one I was pastor of. When I left the pulpit, we continued getting together for dinner and prayer, but we never went back to "regular" church. So as I shared my dream with these families, they confirmed their calling to be a part of it and so we started calling ourselves “the Way”. Soon thereafter, I invited some young people (early 20s) over for dinner to discuss the concept of house church and asked if they'd be interested in walking this journey with us. They said “yes” and even invited some friends. Our house church network began by doubling our number of fellows on the journey. 

We still have these same two house churches who meet usually once per week. My wife and I meet with both groups. We have lost two couples (one from each group) back to "regular" church, but our influence continues to spread. We are serving people in our community in ways not many other Christians are and we are becoming known as a service group. See our blog at www.theway247.com. I am still struggling with how "house church" and simply living out my personal walk with Jesus without a "thing" to guide me really works. It is a great journey and I wouldn't go back to my "pre-dream" status for anything in the world--unless God himself tells me.  John, if you want any other details, please let me know. The bell just rang at school and I've got to go....   (JW:  Jason is now a middle school teacher.) 

Sincerely in His service,

Jason 

1.  What were you doing before the vision? Before I had this dream I was working as an associate pastor in Portland Oregon.   

2.  When did the vision occur? I was working a paper route for some extra money, and coming home one morning, God filled my car with His presence and I had to pull over and tune in. How long ago? This was 8 years ago. 

3.  What did God reveal to you in the vision?  In the vision I was in a valley which I soon recognized as Golden Colorado, with the table tops (a geological formation) on one side and a range of mountains on the other.  I grew up in Golden so it all made sense.  I saw a few houses on the hillside lit up as in the middle of the night and they would begin to slip down the hills as on oil and come together, so the lights became one and got brighter, then they would return to their original location and other lights would light up around them, and they would begin to slip down together.  This happened time and time again until there were so many houses that the valley was as light as day in the middle of the night, and the momentum grew so much that they could no longer return to their original location and they poured out like a river of gold oil to the whole Denver Metro area. 

4.  What did you do as a result of the vision?   I shared it with my family and said I believe God is calling us back to Golden after spending 7 years in Portland. 

5.  Where are you now in the process of living that out? We have been in Golden now another 7 years and have begun to see this vision come to pass.  God is doing a great work of unity amongst the Church in Golden, and we have seen almost every Christian church unite in spirit and service to for the Kingdom of God!  To read more of the story you can go to a web-site we are building www.communityfaithinaction.com   

JW:  In addition to planting a network of 6-8 house churches, Dan has been a key catalyst in developing a highly committed pastors’ fellowship that includes almost every traditional church in the city.  (Called “The Together Church of Golden”.)  The house churches and traditional churches working together have developed a city-wide prayer center, a joint youth ministry and joint worship services on special days like Thanksgiving.  Together these church leaders have asked the City Council how they could serve the needs of the city.  Out of this have come various projects such as ministry to the poor and The Center for Personal Resiliency to minister to the needs of police officers.  This is one of the best examples of community transformation that I’ve seen!