The Heath Mullikin Project

Vision

Glasses and contacts — How's your Vision?

Vision is scary. A lack of vision is even scarier. I’ve become a big fan of Newspring church in Anderson, SC and Senior Pastor Perry Noble. God has given him a vision for Newspring and during their current Gametime series he is outlining it for the congregation. www.newspring.cc He presents it with such passion and it is encouraging to see a church that is actually going somewhere because their pastor is leading them. I see so many churches that are just in maintenance mode. The pastor is working day to day. I don’t want to be like that. I want God to help me dream big for Chi United. I believe the Senior Pastor has a vision I can support and we’re going to see God move(He already is). However, I keep asking myself, am I dreaming big enough? A volunteer told me at a children’s ministry meeting tonight that thinking we would be up to 60 kids by Christmas wasn’t enough. She said that God could do more. It was awesome because this is an older lady who is so passionate about children’s ministry even with poor health. I wish I had 100 more volunteers like her. It was [Read more…] about Vision

The Drive Home

It is about a 10-15 minute drive from our house to the church. It’s almost all on I-95 and as soon as I hit it on the way home I get lonesome. I just start calling people. It’s good to hear their voices, their stories, and reports from home. Sometimes sports talk radio isn’t enough to fill the void in a way that a familiar voice can.

Sometimes, God and I chat about things. I ask Him how I’m doing and I pray that our church can reach the thousands of people I pass each day. In the places I see God moving, I see strong uncompromising leadership and vision. I wonder if I’ve got that in me or if I’m capable of God putting it in me. I think I’d love to plant a church someday, but I’m not sure that’s what God has for us. I’ve always said there needs to be a Wesleyan church in Pendleton, SC. Now people are telling me we need one in Wilmington, DE. I’m not sure if I call people to make sure they haven’t fallen off the face of the earth as much as to let them know that I haven’t. I know I do too much of the talking most of the time, but I try to ask as many questions as possible. I have to be careful. Am I gathering information or sharing life with these people? I think there’s a [Read more…] about The Drive Home

Leadership in a new church

227483_6162674505_3031_n — The Girls turned 4!

Well, we had over 180 at church yesterday and there are still people out of town. It was an awesome day. Next Sunday we will have a baptism service(before the weather turns cold for good) and the forecast looks good for the outdoor festivities. We’re having a grand reopening for our youth center next Friday night, September 28th, from 7-10 pm with food, games, and a movie. Now, we just got to get the thing finished. Pray for me this Wednesday as I will be meeting with all of the children’s volunteers to lay out our vision and build our team to make it happen. I’m excited about the material we are using and this is a major step in me using my administrative and leadership skills which I am working to improve. We’ve got great people and I just want to encourage, inspire, and invest in them in a way that make children’s ministry fun and fulfilling for them.

Sometimes it is hard for me because I am dreaming big for our church and I don’t want to be the weird guy with crazy ideas. However, [Read more…] about Leadership in a new church

Communion

517002_38589172 — My hands tremble when I hold the Bread.

I must say that the most heart pounding thing I experience in ministry is serving communion. I look at everyone’s hands. It is truly remarkable when you think of all the stories. I see young hands, old hands, smooth hands, dirty hands, tatooed hands, arthritic hands, deformed hands, and hands of different colors. It’s amazing to see people’s faces. Some have received communion a thousand times, but they still approach with anticipation. Some come because the person next to them came and that’s all they knew to do. Some come feeling unworthy and nervous. Others come as if to say,”That’s my Jesus who died for me!” I always get a lump in my throat and if there ever comes a time when I don’t then I would expect myself to hand my element to someone else. I also always feel unworthy, and I hope that never changes. Maybe that’s just me. The worship was great today with God’s presence all around. People continue to return from summer vacation and attendance has picked up.

We had [Read more…] about Communion

Quick Update

To everyone who read my stuff on MySpace and Facebook, thanks for following me here. I will try to update here about our life in Delaware/Pennsylvania, things at the church, upcoming youth stuff, and those random thoughts you all know and love. Here’s a question though: Am I the only person who finds it impossible to defend the deep pass on Madden ’08? My senior pastor burns me with Steve Smith all of the time. By the way, do NOT play with the Texans. I am faster than their entire secondary. It’s bad news. I’m doing a Franchise with a drafted Cowboy team which is not going so well because I have made the settings too hard. Course, when these are the biggest issues of the day, that’s a good day. Also, I am being overcome by Dunkin Donuts! I need some Krispy Kreme! Well, my wife wants to show me all of her yard sale finds.