Boone Gospel Conversations Training

While we are off the mountain for the weekend, the #NoPlaceLeft Boone team is prepping tonight to facilitate a Gospel Conversations Training tomorrow. I’m so encouraged by what the Lord is doing in Boone through these people. They are the reason we feel so confident in our exit to make the move to Southern California.

These are local leaders taking ownership of the core missionary task for the field God has called them to. We are praying that the Lord would raise up teams like this all over SoCal and the Western US. This is a work worth giving our lives to.

Two Years of Scott

Yesterday marked two years since Scott Kilby officially joined our team. It feels like it was just yesterday and 10 years ago because time flies and it’s hard to imagine our team and work without him.

Scott, Anna, and I all ended up intersecting in BCM in unexpected ways and I couldn’t be more grateful for them and how God has been at work in and around us.

No Place Left U.S.A. Retreat

At the beginning of May, Kelly (and Silas) and I gathered with #NoPlaceLeft city leaders from all over the U.S. in a little North Carolina mountain holler called Buladean. It’s the kind community where you have to exit NC into TN and then enter back into NC just to get to it. Beautiful. Peaceful. Difficult to access. A good friend and ministry partner of mine was born and raised here!

We spent 4 and a half days praying and studying the Word together, learning, and sharpening one another. The work we do is so geographically distributed from one another that we are more used to seeing one another on a Zoom video conference than in person. I met at least 6 of the city leaders for the first time (and not just in person) on this trip. It was a deeply encouraging time to be with brothers and sisters doing the same work in so many other cities. It was especially encouraging getting to spend some time with our teammates (Troy Cooper & Rick Preato).

The specific cities represented were (in no particular order):

  • Austin, TX
  • Houston, TX
  • San Antonio, TX
  • Dallas / Fort Worth, TX
  • Kansas City, MO
  • Charlotte, NC
  • West Point, NY
  • Jensen Beach, FL
  • Raleigh, NC
  • Salt Lake City, UT
  • Oklahoma City, OK
  • Atlanta, GA
  • Long Beach, CA
  • Gainesville, FL
  • Memphis, TN
  • Boone, NC

First Local Baptism!

A few weeks ago, our #NoPlaceLeft Boone team had their first baptism of a new believer! Haley led her to faith so Haley baptized her. Seth, the senior pastor of Perkinsville Baptist Church (their their legacy church), a family member who is an elder at Perkinsville, and another family member were all in the water with them.

It is so encouraging to see the kingdom expand and it is especially encouraging to see a local church empowering believers to make disciples, baptize them, and teach them to obey Jesus.

#NoPlaceLeft Boone Progress

#NoPlaceLeft is “Local ownership of the core missionary task for all peoples and places.”
That’s what we are working toward globally, including Boone, NC. Today I saw a couple of clear mile markers toward this end.

It was surreal and deeply encouraging to hear Seth Norris, pastor of Perkinsville Baptist Church, preach the 9 Functions of Church from Acts during our big outdoor celebration service. Simple, biblical, reproducible tools are taking root in our legacy churches. Seth has led PBC to launch a #NoPlaceLeft Residency as well. I can’t overstate how beautiful this partnership relationship has been with Perkinsville.

Tonight, part of our #NoPlaceLeft Boone team cast vision for an upcoming training on June 16. These are all locals from Boone and the training will be facilitated entirely by locals. It is so encouraging to see the Lord raising up local leaders to finish the task here. It makes launching to Southern California that much easier.

Big News! The Pucketts are Moving to SoCal!

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The Pucketts are Moving to Southern California!

We are continuing our full-time missionary role and moving to Southern California in October 2018. Below is a list of common questions and answers.

What is our vision? To establish teams of local leaders who take ownership of the core missionary task — to make disciples, start churches & mobilize missionary teams to areas of greatest need until every tribe & tongue hears the gospel of Jesus Christ.

How will we accomplish this vision?
-LOVING the local community by praying, sharing the gospel and investing our lives into people
-TRAINING believers to make disciples, start churches and mobilize missionary teams to areas of greatest gospel need
-MENTORING leaders so their teams thrive as they multiply

Note: We use The 4Fields strategy. Click Here to learn more about our training and tools.

Where are we moving to?: Long Beach, CA — a community just south of Los Angeles and north of San Diego. From this central location we can drive to much of greater Los Angeles and San Diego within 2 hours (depending on traffic). We also have access to several major airports. Additionally, there is a solid team at Bridges Church who are committed to the #NoPlaceLeft vision. We see Long Beach as a strategic location for our family & team to be strengthened and encouraged in the work God has called us to.

When are we moving?: October 2018, once we have raised our needed support and taken care of some critical logistical needs. We will settle in slowly and transition our family into life out there. We will dive back into training and coaching once we are are all settled into the community.

Why are we going?
–Calling: God’s clear call from extensive times of fasting and prayer.
–Counsel from mentors, peers and leaders we respect
–Need: 19 million lost people in Southern California. The biggest gaps in #NoPlaceLeft North American cities are out West from Colorado to California.
–Opportunity: The nations are in Southern California. We are praying for God to ignite gospel movements there from which we can mobilize church planting and missionary teams to the gaps across North America and the 3,179 unengaged people groups around the world.

What we’ll be doing: We believe the labor force for reaching Southern California, the Western United States and the nations is already there. Thus, we posture ourselves to learn from and serve the existing teams and churches who are faithfully laboring on God’s mission. We will spend the majority of our time laboring with the Coopers and the Preatos to start new teams and strengthen existing ones (we have 6 now and are praying for 500). We also have a vision to establish a strategic global hub of training residencies across Southern California for church planters and missionary teams. With 21 million people within a 2-hour driving radius, this means Puck will not be spending as much time traveling on an airplane away from home. Puck really believes God’s calling on his life is to serve and support the emerging generation of leaders whom God is raising up to complete the Great Commission task.

Who are we serving with?
–Core Teammates: Troy & Rachel Cooper (and family) and Rick & Jenny Preato
–Team Leader: Troy Cooper (North American Region Director, e3 Partners)
–Global Leader: Jeff Sundell (Chief Strategy Officer, e3 Partners)
–Missionary Organization: e3 Partners
–Sending Churches: #NoPlaceLeft Boone Team, Perkinsville Baptist Church
–Local Partnering Church: Bridges Church / Pastor Jeff.Timblin@e3partners.org
–The #NoPlaceLeft network of leaders, churches and organizations in California & Western part of North America.

Note: We are postured to serve multiple churches and networks across Southern California but will be based out of Bridges Church in Long Beach, CA

What about Boone? After 5 years of leading BCM we believe our task is complete as 3 teams of local leaders and a Church Planting Residency have been established in our area who have the character, calling and competency to accomplish the vision. They are a solid team of local servant leaders who are taking personal ownership of the core missionary task to make disciples, start churches, mobilize teams and train others to do the same. After much prayer and fasting, we believe it is the right time for our family to be sent out by the Boone team and Perkinsville Baptist Church. We will continue in a coaching role with the Boone team leadership.

How do Kelly & the kids feel about this? They are so so excited! While it will be very difficult for us to leave our family, teammates, friends, students, and our local church, God has made us for this work. We are a family of missionaries who pray, labor and serve together. We are also excited that the Lord has provided new friendships and support with the emerging teams. We love to practice the “one anothers” together.

Any changes in financial support for the Pucketts?
–Financial Need: We need an additional $6,000 in monthly support to cover the current monthly support gap, increased cost of living (+56%) and increased administrative costs (+11%).
–How to give: Because Puck will be moving to a new role in a new organization, you will need to shift your giving from BCM of the High Country to e3 Partners. If you would like to join our support team or increase your current amount, you can find simple giving instructions at PuckettsOnAMission.com/give.

Does this change your role and organization?
–Role & Responsibilities: Puck will continue in his role of starting and strengthening catalytic disciple-making and church planting teams. He will shift his pioneering efforts to the Western part of North America (from the Rockies to the Pacific). He will continue to serve and coach teams across North America, Middle East, and Asia. We will work hard to mobilize missionary teams from North America to the 3,179 remaining unengaged people groups of the world.
–Organization: Puck will begin serving with e3 Partners with the role of the Director of Coaching for North America. We are active participants in the #NoPlaceLeft and 24:14 Coalitions of movements.

Are we selling our home? Yes. Due to housing costs in CA, we’ll be renting but believe it’s the right time in Boone to sell so if you know anyone interested in a newly updated 3BR, 2BA home with great schools and only miles from downtown Boone, Appalachian State University, and the Blue Ridge Parkway, let us know. Our plan is to list it in August.

Prayer Needs:
–That we will grow in love for Jesus and and our desire to serve and obey Him at all costs each day. We want to know Him more. We want to love Him more. We want to serve Him more. We want more of Him and less of us.
–Lostness: 19 million lost in Southern California; 3,179 remaining Unengaged People Groups
–The amazing Boone team as they take local ownership of the core missionary task. We believe God will use them to accomplish greater things than we could dream of.
–Transition for Kelly and Emily to new friends, church, etc
–Teammates Rick & Jenny Preato: strong start to their marriage (12.9.17), support raising, solid finish to the work in Gainesville, FL
–Financial Provision: $6,000 additional monthly support, PuckettsOnAMission.com/give
–Selling our home and finding a home in CA to rent
–That God would prepare laborers in Southern California and Western USA for us to serve & learn from.

NPL

e3partners