​When I was sixteen years old, I stood behind my father’s pulpit one Sunday morning and passionately spoke about evangelizing our community. There were people, right in our Bible belt, who hadn’t been brought into the church yet. People who thought churches wouldn’t want them. People who thought God wouldn’t want them.
I got a lot of “Amens” that morning, and when I got even more fired up, I said, “Who here wants to take this town for God?” I got an absolute chorus of “Amen” and “Yes” and “That’s right”.

“Great,” I said, “What’re we going to do about it?”

And then there was silence and awkward stares that said, “What? We have to do something? We’re already doing something—sitting in a pew is doing something.”
Christians really like the idea of evangelizing and reaching out to people, but most of them would prefer it if the Holy Spirit would handle all that without any input from them.

19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.
1 Corinthians 9:19-23

When Paul began his ministry, he did things a little differently. He reached out to Gentiles and he didn’t insist on strict adherence to Jewish law. He was doing something new and not everyone in the early church “got it”.
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I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.  I do it all for the sake of the gospel…”

What’s happening with Fig Tree is different too. And that’s the point. If Paul were alive today, he might write something like, “To the disillusioned people who hide on the internet because traditional churches freak them out, I have become Fig Tree Christian…”
I was one of the first people to sign on when Fig Tree opened up for membership. Filling out that form was a big step for me. It’d been more than 15 years since I’d been active in a church.

About two years ago, I came across a link to one of the Meditations on Fig Tree. Over the next few months, I kept coming back to read and got to know Rev. Melissa.

Here’s the thing about me. Christians scare me. Put me in a locked room with Dracula, and I’d just stand there making fang jokes. But put me in a room with a nice, upstanding Christian dude and I’d be clawing at the door until my fingers bled.

​Wanna connect with others? Join Fig Tree on:
​Facebook (We live cast the event every Saturday at 2pm EST, for those who wish to participate.)
Twitter
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Wanna connect with others? Join Fig Tree on:
​Facebook (We live cast the event every Saturday at 2pm EST, for those who wish to participate.)
Twitter
​Our Subreddit

It was the second morning of Hope Partnership's Church revitalization and Church Planter training. Part of me was growing weary. I'd been "at it" with online ministry. I had already begun passing out cards for a physical launch that was going to fail. (Although I didn't know that at the time.) I was beginning to feel what Hope Partnership was trying to teach had little to do with what I was engaging in. My husband was home alone, for the first time, with two kids, and I was feeling homesick. 

Today I can't recall if he came to sit with me, or I asked to sit with him, but Rev. Frank Sherard and I shared a table that morning. There are moments of that training that have begun to fade like a sun soaked picture. I recall that morning with far more clarity than anything else.

I remember how proud he was of his wife. "She was supposed to be here instead of me. I'm here for her." Rev. Ashley Sherard, his wife, was going to plant a new church where a former church was going to close. He raved about his children, all named after the Beatles. We spent a little time on the Beetles.(My husband is a really big fan.) His love for a 60's British band, was only second to his family. He was a dad who loved his kids. He was a husband who loved his wife.

I remember how we immediately connected to, what I can best describe as, the connection of creativity the church needed to find to move forward. We laughed; we cried. For the rest of the week my weariness melted away, and we spent the rest of the time joyfully anticipating the future of the church. 

Over the past few weeks I've read words from multiple followers and congregants as they expressed that they were the oldest supporters of Fig Tree Christian. Well, everyone, it's not you. At a breakfast table on a cold winter day in Indianapolis, I met the first supporter. He would enthusiastically become our first guest writer. He would invite his wife to help. I have been blessed through her, as we messaged one another about the struggles of new plants. She too would write for Fig Tree, and both would participate in our devotionals. 

Rev. Frank passed away yesterday morning. With him, he leaves behind a very talented ministerial wife, and three beautiful daughters. I cannot put into words how much he positively impacted my ministry and my life.

Frank, you will be missed. I hope you are sitting in a jam season with John Lennon and George Harrison right now. You were an amazing person. Thank you for blessing me with your presence.

I invite this community to raise this family in your thoughts and prayers.