We’re building a new home!

Many of you have visited our condo, either in person or by viewing one of the interviews and teaching series filmed there. We completely redid the place six years ago, and we thought we’d be there until the Lord took us to our permanent home. However, the arrival of less-than-ideal neighbors changed all that. The welfare of our souls, our grandchildren, and our guests left us no choice; we had to move. It was not easy, but we have been reminded of the plight of many around the world who face much more dire challenges with far fewer resources to meet them. 

We’re in a rental for the next year. Remarkably, after many months of searching, we’ve bought a seven-acre building lot close to town surrounded by thousands of acres of horse farms.

Last week, we had a group of eight for breakfast, another seven for lunch, a couple for dinner, a pastor friend for tea, and our employee/friend Jacqueline and her one-year-old son over to do Blessed Earth work. Nancy and I no longer view where we live as ours, but as a place to host the Lord’s business.

Fleeing our last place and planning a new one has gotten me thinking about what the Bible says about where we live, how to build our homes, and what to do with our resources.

I started out in life as a carpenter. I’ve never really hung up my hammer, stopped being fascinated by buildings, or stopped trying to figure out how structures affect us. I’m fortunate that over the last 20 years of ministry, I’ve gotten to keep my hand in building--being asked to consult on the building of housing, schools, and churches and to talk at venues like the Green Build Convention.  

In the book of Exodus, there are seven chapters of blueprints that detail how to build a house; how to light, furnish, and treat the air in it; and even what to wear when entering. The Old Testament includes building codes for handrails and balconies. It gives us the ethics for surveying, and it even shares what to do about mold in a building.  

After all, Jesus was a carpenter. As the proverbial cobbler’s child, Jesus didn’t have a home of his own, but he made jokes about getting logs and sawdust in our eyes. He even set forth the economic principles of home building.

Most importantly, Jesus had a lot to say about the footings a home is built on: the modern-day equivalent of a cornerstone.  Either Jesus is the firm footing buried beneath the line where frost can heave and ground can settle, or our home will crumble as if it were built on shifting sand.

Nancy and I are trying to anticipate everything we can do to make our new home as beautiful, welcoming, and peaceful as possible. We want this place to be a reflection on earth of the home Jesus has waiting for us in Heaven. We want it to be built in harmony with the creation. That means being intentional about every aspect of the build--from the photovoltaic panels on the roof, to the geothermal wells in the ground; from where to put children’s toys to how to seat twenty at the dinner table.

As we draw the plans, Nancy and I welcome any wisdom about how to build a home for hospitality and doing the Lord’s work.  Please send us your ideas or advice. Share Bible verses you find about building. Email us your prayers. If there is interest, I’ll share updates about the building process in the coming year. We are eagerly anticipating what God has planned for this next season of life.

Here’s wishing you God’s shalom in your home!

Your brother in Christ,

Matthew