A new community of faith in Frisco

Our story begins in the hearts of a couple who desire to be a part of a church valuing:

Relationships over Religion
People over Programs
Excellence over Mediocrity
Teamwork over Individualism
Pioneering Spirit over Trampled Traditions that have "always been that way" (ABTW)
Community over Isolation

I have spent over half of his my life following God's call to lead Christ followers in the local church. For years I assumed that would be in an established church where I could put to use the formal and informal training I received from churches and schools.
That was not the case. When I was diagnosed with testicular cancer in November 1996, I gained a new outlook on life and for the first time my faith in Christ and claim of being a Christ follower became real to me. In desperation, fear, anger, and somewhat hope, I cried out to God saying, "If you are who you say you are...If you are who I have been taught you are...If you are who I have always believed you are...then I need to know you and experience you in my life in a way I never have!"

God heard my cry for mercy and gave His grace to me in a very dark hour. Not only did He answer my cries but invested His peace and confidence in me. I am now in complete remission and am a father to a wonderful son.

Now post cancer, I gained a greater understanding of what it means to be a Christ follower. It means surrendering my life to Christ in all situations - both good and bad. I believe I started life fresh and hope that I am now a better husband, father, son, friend, and person because of it.

What does that have to do with beginning a new church? Although I had been a Christ follower since age 11, the cancer experience made me embrace life in a new way. I went to work for the first time outside of a sheltered Christian environment into the bowels of what some call Corporate America. I worked as a telephone customer service representative. Not the most glamorous of jobs. I was able to advance with the company working full time while attending seminary part time. I saw that there are hurting people all over the world who have no understanding of the love of Christ and might never attend a formal church service, yet they would come to me with hurts, issues, concerns, problems. Whether they did or not, I saw myself as the pastor to the pastorless. I performed wedding ceremonies and funerals for team members. An understanding of what it means to share my life in Christ with others was becoming clear. I did not have to be "the pastor" of a church to be a pastor. What did this mean? Would I never get to follow and fulfill my dream of being the pastor of a church? Resumes were sent and posted for pastoral positions. Interested churches called but just never seemed to be the right fit for who I had become.

One day I was introduced to two men searching for the right family to start a new church in Frisco, Texas. As the description was read and shared, I felt as though my very resume, hopes, dreams, and desires were being read aloud to me. Though risky, we believed it was for us. We sold our home in Waco without listing it, purchased a home in Frisco from a wonderful family, said good bye to Waco and moved to Frisco.

So here we are. We are in Frisco building relationships with people. Some might want to join our pursuit to start Life Fellowship. I intend to continue to work in "corporate America" while building relationships, encouraging people and helping people see the joys in being a Christ follower.

Our hope. We hope to show those who have little to no interest in church that being a part of a community of Christ followers does not always look the same. Some will have no church experience, others will have abandoned the faith of their parents as too harsh or irrelevant. Wherever people might be, we hope to show them the love of Jesus Christ by wanting to hear their story, learning with and from them, and loving them. Problems never go away, but as a Christ follower they become bearable because of Christ's love for all of us.