Come Skydiving for Jesus in Providence, RI Featured

Wednesday, 13 August 2014 12:06

A few months back, my then 18-year-old daughter texted me. It read, “What would you think about me going sky-diving?” This took a few minutes to process. I knew what I thought: “Of course not!  I don’t want you to do anything dangerous. Don’t go skydiving, drive anywhere in the car, walk across the street and definitely – never talk to boys! No, don’t go.” But thankfully, I had a little time to compose myself and I wrote back, “Go for it, hon. I’m proud of you. Skydive your heart out.” 

providence rhode island spiritual skydivingSarah responded, “I have a really good deal. If I sign up this week I can get $100 off the jump with a coupon. Are your sure you’re okay with me skydiving?” I re-texted, “Let’s not worry about coupons. Usually this is a good practice, but I am not interested in cut rate skydives. If you go, let’s pay the max and make sure the parachute is inside. Yes, go for it.”

And she did. One beautiful day in southern Massachusetts, the youngest member of our family jumped, did a lengthy free fall, and then floated down to earth safely and with a big smile on her face.

Wow. Some would think that foolhardy or a waste of money, I suppose. But I thought it brave and adventurous. Here is a woman who wants to live life to the full, try new things and even scare herself a little.

Inspired by my daughters and many others in life we have seen with this same spirit, my wife and I decided at the ages of 50+ to go spiritual skydiving for Jesus this summer. Though church planting and re-locating seems to be a young man’s sport, we moved away from a church we love and a place we had lived for 20 years in Hartford, CT, to an unknown land, Providence, RI. Okay, let’s not get carried away. It’s not like we migrated to the Middle East or Africa. But we did go on an adventure.

And now – I am asking you to consider the same. Of all the metropolitan cities in the U.S., a Barna poll found Providence, RI, to be the least Bible-minded. Barna asked two questions: "Do you believe the Bible is the word of God, and have you read it in the past week?" This 1.6 million population center had less “yes” answers than any other place in our nation, worse than Las Vegas, San Francisco or other major New England cities. This inspired Time magazine to call Providence, “the most godless city in America.”

Think about moving here to join up with the mission team of about 30 disciples presently. We were sent out at the inspiring New England Christian Conference, but will have another “kick-off service” with a few more campus disciples in town in late September. Others will be finding jobs and coming in future months.

How about you? First – let’s all do something scary and adventurous for Jesus wherever we are. But secondly – really consider a church planting. The world is in desperate need of the greatest news there has ever been. Many amazing cities await with no churches from our fellowship present. Who has a heart for Rome, Italy? How about Providence, Rhode Island? Where? When?

At present, the Ocean State Church of Christ has started meeting at the Downtown Providence Marriott, 1 Orms Street, Providence, RI, on Sundays. Our web site is www.oceanstatechurch.org. I can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and 860-778-8411.

So, who’s in for spiritual skydiving? It is time for all of us to . . . jump!

See more: Providence, Rhode Island: A One Year Challenge City

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