There is something powerful about imagining a great purpose, pouring every ounce of yourself into the dream and watching it come to fruition. Before building our house, we got a book with graph paper. In it, we carefully listed every part the house would need. Bedrooms. Office. Kitchen. Living and dining rooms. Laundry, guestroom and homeschool. We then listed the functions the house needed to perform and assigned them values. The top functional priority of our house is to keep everything bone dry regardless of any horizontal downpour.

A close second is cooling. We learned the number one cause of heat in any building is direct sunlight. We used the Sun Seeker app to orient the largest walls away from the sun and built covered verandas at vulnerable areas. We were able to install a large picture window across the living room and kitchen because the app indicated that the sun never shines directly from the south. There is a tall rubber tree outside our window, and it feels like you are sitting in its branches.

The bedrooms are away from the noisy kitchen. The backyard is a retreat from curious eyes. The front veranda is designed for hospitality, teaching or worship and features a row of three ceiling fans. We pray and desire for our home to be a safe place for seekers to come to know the Prince of Peace who reigns there. Unintentionally, the beams supporting the picture window and the roof form a perfect cross—a beautiful silent reminder of our King. From graph paper and a ruler a year ago to paint on walls today, a bold dream has become a reality.

Building off previous efforts as we step into a new phase of discipleship and leadership growth, we revisit questions about what is needed for the Great River People to become the Body of Christ; we examine the approaches we can strengthen and identify new approaches to adopt. How will we identify new seekers? What Bible studies will set the foundation for discovering Jesus? What medium will we use: interpersonal or video, live or recorded? How will we connect new believers with other believers and prepare them for speedy persecution? Will they need schools or books? How will they reach out to each other? How does or will Christianity meet the brokenness of their society?

Will you dream and pray with us? Answering these questions and meeting the needs of the Great River people could be our Magnum Opus.

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