A New Season of Pioneering: 2023-??
The second half of 2023 and 2024 have certainly been a time of new beginnings and fresh pioneering
Interestingly, I’ve noticed that my wife Shepard and I have had a few broad seven-year ministry cycles. Maybe it's a coincidence, but maybe not.
2002-2009 - Pioneering 6:22 Ministries
2009-2016 - Pioneering The Boiler Room
2016-2023 - Serving National Movements
2023 - ????
The first two cycles were seasons of pioneering - launching and leading local/regional ministries in eastern North Carolina - 6:22 and the Boiler Room (I have previously written about this here and here).
2016-2023: Serving National Movements
I would characterize the last seven years as a season of serving the “presence pioneers” across America. From 2017 to 2020 I led the USA network for Burn 24-7 while also leading a prayer room at Catch the Fire Church in Durham, NC. In 2020 we moved back to Grenville, and from 2020 to 2023, I led the USA leaders network with Awaken the Dawn and helped staff the prayer room here at Opendoor Church.
Interestingly, I didn’t actually pioneer very much in those years. Rather, I served those larger ministries/churches, coordinated leadership networks, and tried to equip other pioneers of presence-centered communities. This has allowed me to work with influential ministries, travel across America, and meet many amazing people. It was an incredible honor to partner with friends and comrades across America who love Jesus and are being used by God to change the world.
2023: Transition and Uprooting
Last year God began to uproot me. In April of 2023 I received a flurry of prophetic words indicating something was shifting:
I received two prophecies within a week that I was entering a time of “pruning“ (from leaders in other cities who don’t even know each other)
A spiritual father said I was in an “inlet of transition”
An out-of-town counselor who I was visiting for inner healing (who didn’t know me personally at all) prophesied that it was a time of “new beginnings” and “transition” for me
The next month, my father passed away. Pruning, indeed. Over the summer of 2023, God shifted me from my leadership role with Awaken the Dawn. By the end of the end of the year, I realized it was also time to leave my part-time staff position at Opendoor Church. I dragged my feet a bit into this new season (because I value loyalty and transitions are hard), but I’ve had to accept that God is doing something new again. The 7-year cycle meant 2023 was a seventh year for us - indicating “completion” in biblical numerology.
2023-2024: New Beginnings and Pioneering Again
Completion of an old season means a shift into a new season. The second half of 2023 and 2024 have certainly been a time of new beginnings and fresh pioneering. I believe that will probably continue into the coming years.
Here are all the things we have been pioneering over the last year or so:
In the summer of 2023, we launched Awake ENC, with presence-centered leaders across eastern North Carolina gathering weekly for prayer on Zoom for revival in our region and meeting quarterly for corporate worship, fellowship, meals and strategic discussion. Our collective dream is 24-7 prayer and historic revival in eastern North Carolina.
In September of 2023, we launched HOPHub as the best online map and database of prayer rooms across America.
In October of 2023, I started Presence Pioneers Media with my friend Jonathan Friz, which is publishing books, producing a podcast, publishing weekly articles on Substack, and producing online video courses.
This spring PPM launched our paid subscriber community on Substack — offering bonus podcasts, articles, and free access to the courses.
This summer we started hosting Tuesday night worship and Bible study at our home.
At the end of the summer, our Tuesday night group organized an 18-hour Burn with over 20+ churches represented.
This fall my wife launched Rooted, a Christian homeschool co-op with twelve families.
We organized a Christian homesteading festival here in eastern NC in October called Back to Eden.
Many of these new ministries have sprung up like separate sprouts from the ground, but we’re realizing they may be one big garden.
The season has clearly shifted from serving other larger ministries & churches to pioneering new things. It’s a bit overwhelming, as is typical of pioneering seasons. It’s also started getting tight financially, which is not uncommon while pioneering. But we’ve been here before.
Thus far, we have tried to follow the Holy Spirit step-by-step, not entirely sure of where we are going. But now we’re seeing something more cohesive emerging, especially among the local/regional activities. Many of these new ministries have sprung up like separate sprouts from the ground, but we’re realizing they may be one big garden. More than ever, I think Shepard and I are ready to “tend and keep” (Gen 2:15) whatever may be growing here in eastern North Carolina. Keep us in your prayers and stay tuned!
