Following God to Texas

It's been a week since my meeting with a pastor at a church in Corpus Christi.  I want to thank everyone who kept us in their prayers.  The meeting was amazing and while we still have yet to hear from the church in Texas we believe that God is without doubt calling us to serve in Corpus Christi.  It may turn out to not include this church or it may.  However the Holy Spirit has spoken so clearly that we can't deny it.

The ministry we are seeking to do in Texas is two fold. One partner with a local church, be involved in whatever manner the leadership deems fit and to continue my ministry working with injured soldiers through hunting and fishing.  More specifically if you will, God has called us to be part of a church, to share the Gospel Message and to lead people into relationship with Jesus Christ.  This is very specific, not generalized.  He has called me to evangelism in a way I cannot deny.  We will do so transparently though relationship, through working to live out our faith and our lives openly, not hiding our victories or our struggles, to go beyond the typical neighbor or friend relationship to one in which we are inviting others openly and completely into our lives and our home.  We call it sojourning together, Luke, in Acts 2 called it the church.

Now that I'm back home I'm steadily working towards raising our support.  I have less then 7 weeks to raise $5000 in moving expenses and $3500 in monthly support.  I know this is a short time frame, however we are convinced this is where God is leading us and He will provide. I will be approaching people and churches, asking them not necessarily to give, but to partner with us.  There is a huge difference between the two.  In just asking people to give, there is no team, there is no allowing the body of Christ to be the Body of Christ.  Instead, through partnership, we ask people to join us in this ministry, it is just as much our partner's ministry as it is ours.  The prayers of our partners as well as their financial support allow us to fulfill the ministry and mission God has laid out before us, the people impacted by our ministry are not people that we alone are impacting but instead it us as a team that are changing lives, sharing the Gospel Message and seeing people come to know the Lord.  Our responsibility to our team is to keep you informed, to keep you and your families in our prayers just as you keep us and our ministry in your prayers, and to be there for you as best as we are able; just as a team would.

As you read this and should you feel led to partner with us you can either give Aleisha and I a call at 303-791-1108 as we'd love to get together with you (If you prefer not that's ok too), email us at pastorchrisgentr@gmail.com or you are more then welcome to go to InFaith's website at www.infaith.org, click on the donate tab on the top of the page and when you are redirected to to the next page, click on "Give to Fieldstaff" at which point a drop down menu will appear and then just select our name from the list.  You can also send a note and/or gift indicating your desire to partner with us directly to us at 17615 E. Coltsfoot Ct, Parker CO 80134 or you can send the same directly to InFaith at 672 Conestoga Road, PO Box 370, Villanova, PA 19085.  Please make gifts out to InFaith and in the memo line please write our ID number 08259 in the Memo line.  Please indicate if the funds are for moving, monthly or one time.   As with all gifts to non-profits, they will be tax deductible. 

A Few Prayer Requests

• That God would continue to provide wisdom and direction for us, the move, and the church we hoping to partner with.
• That God would provide all the funds we need and all the needed prayer support.
• Chris's truck has died.  Please pray for a new truck for Chris as he will need one for his ministry in working with injured soldiers in hunting and fishing.
• For Chris's health, that he would be able to complete the tasks set before him while at a higher altitude, so that we can minister with all we are at sea level where Chris is free from most pain and is functional.  
• For Aleisha as she had knee surgery in August and is still recovering.  

If you have any questions or just want to talk please contact Chris at 303-791-1108.

In Christ

Chris and Aleisha Gentry

Calling Texas Home . . . Maybey?

Well, since my last post a lot has happened.  If you recall I was traveling to Beeville Texas to spend time with my Aunt and Uncle and to see if the effects of being at sea level, i.e. better health, less pain and more functionality were more then a coincidence.  The short answer is yes.  I had an incredible time, God healed my body and I had a wonderful, pain free time where God spoke to me in incredible ways, answered a lot of prayers and brought me in contact with many Godly people who affirmed my calling and God's plan for us to pursue ministry in Southern Texas.  Since then we have moved into Aleisha's parents house, Aleisha had a complete knee replacement and my doctors gave me an ultimatum.  Either we move or I look at having another spinal fusion or at the least have the nerves in my back burned away and get at least 4 spinal stimulator's implanted along my spine.  So we are obviously looking at moving and being obedient to God by doing ministry in Texas.

I never thought I'd say I'd be moving to Texas but here I am now looking at ministry opportunities in Southern Texas.  I am here again at my Aunt and Uncle's house in Beeville TX after driving from Denver south, through New Mexico into Texas and down to Dallas where I had an incredible time with the Area Coordinator for the state of Texas, Joe Anderson.  The original plan had been to drive from Dallas, meet with Joe and from there travel down through Waco and Killeen, meeting up with Chaplains to create an off-shoot of our ministry to wounded soldiers in Colorado and then on to San Antonio to meet up with a missionary from InFaith who does small group ministry and a camp.  Next I'd head to Beeville to look at a site for Wild Pig hunting for wounded Soldiers and then on to Corpus Christi to look at a church to partner with and then on up to Houston to check out a ministry there that works with at risk kids and youth.  I'd then check out another church to partner and serve as a home base while we would plant a new church in South East Texas.  A long trip to be sure.  However, as anyone in ministry will tell you, our plans, schedules and/ or agendas always go out the window at the first available moment.  For me it was in Dallas.

My goal in Dallas, besides meeting up with Joe was to find out about other ministries in Texas as well as Joe's ministry.  As Joe and I met over lunch on Wednesday he shared with me about a church in Corpus Christi that InFaith could partner with.  To be honest I was intrigued.  I didn't know much about it but the more Joe and I talked and the more he talked with a pastor from the church's main campus in Austin, the more I got excited.  It seemed that the Holy Spirit was whispering in my ear saying "This is it!"  I started praying about this church and asking others to pray with me on this.  That night Joe took me to a church were several churches were gathering for a time of prayer for church unity and for the community these churches were in.  It was during this time that one of the pastors got up to speak.  As he did, the room narrowed, my senses became heightened, and me heart and soul felt like they were going to explode in my chest.  It was then that as this pastor spoke that God spoke to me.  He said to first and foremost trust in Him, second He said to follow Him and the road he set before me . . . to Corpus Christi, and finally He called me to be obedient.  I was dumbfounded.  I sat there in absolute shock, awe, excitement and peace.  But God wasn't done because as the night came to a close the pastors of these churches gathered around me and prayed and once again this message was spoken to me through these men as they prayed.  I went back to my hotel that night humbled, scared out of my mind and in total peace at the same time.

The next morning instead of going to Waco, I called my Aunt in Beeville and asked if I could come that night.  When she said yes I started the 6 hour drive to Beeville.  While driving I started calling the pastor in Corpus Christi.  While I was hoping to meet with him Friday, yesterday, he shared with me through his secretary, that he was preparing for a mission trip that leaves this Monday but that we could meet between or after services on Sunday.  So I've spent the last couple days praying like crazy and getting ready for my meeting tomorrow.

I really believe this is where God wants us to be.  I don't know exactly what God's plan is for us in relation to this church and as I've learned with this trip in relation to God's plans verses ours, it may not so much be the church as this being the area God wants us.  Regardless, I am confident we are doing what God has commanded us to do.  Please be in prayer for my meeting tomorrow, for the services and that God would clearly talk to both me and the pastor and that we would have the ears to hear and the courage to be obedient.  I'll post here tomorrow afternoon how things go.

As always, if you have any questions please don't hesitate ti contact me at pastorchrisgentry@gmail.com.  Thank you for your support and prayers and I pray that God would bless you mightily.

In Christ

Chris Gentry